Chapter 216
216
The second she stood in front of him, heat rushed through her whole body.
He had a cigarette between his lips. Since leaving the military, his hair had grown out a little. It was no longer cropped short, but his features were still as sharp as ever.
“That’s it? No hello p>
She deliberately ignored the question and lifted what she was holding. “I want to play with sparklers. ”
He lowered his eyes to the sparkler she was offering him and let out a quiet scoff. “Seriously? How old are you p>
He sounded full of disdain, but he still moved the cigarette from his mouth and brought the lit tip close to the sparkler.
The sparkler caught with a soft hiss.
She looked up, and through the spray of sparks, her eyes met his cold, unreadable gaze.
The secret happiness of a teenage girl seemed to show all at once, in her shining eyes and the smile at the corners of her lips. She smiled without even knowing why. Then, for some reason, Chris’s expression darkened. He stubbed out his cigarette and turned to leave.
Something brushed her arm, and the memory shattered.
Winter turned her head. Roy was holding his phone out to her.
“Want to try one p>
Winter shook her head and pointed farther down the beach. Her voice was calm. “I want to set one out on the water. ”
Roy followed her gaze. Down the shoreline, a vendor had set up a small stand selling floating lanterns, little paper lanterns made to hold candles. People were writing messages on them, lighting the candles, and setting them out
on the water.
At first, the lanterns looked flat and crumpled. But once people opened them up and lit the candles inside, they took shape. A couple knelt by the shore and gently set one onto the waves. It drifted farther and farther into the dark.
More and more people were making their way over, and more and more lanterns were floating across the water.
Winter stopped at the stand and picked out four lanterns. Before she could pay with her phone, Roy pulled out his wallet and handed the vendor a few bills.
She had just opened her mouth to say something when Roy took a black lighter from his pocket and pointed toward a quieter stretch of beach.
He meant they should go over there. Winter nodded, then borrowed a black marker from the vendor.
After writing her messages, she walked back over to Roy.
Roy helped her open the first three lanterns. But when he saw what she had written, he went still for a moment.
“ Grandma, I’m sorry. I miss you p>
“Mr. Xander, I’m sorry p>
1.2
“Mrs. Xander, I’m sorry p>
+25 Bonus
Winter didn’t notice the complicated look in his eyes. She kept her head down as she set the candles inside.
She was Chris’s wife. By all rights, she should have called his parents Mom and Dad. But she felt that wherever they were now, they probably would not want to hear her call them that.
Mr. and Mrs. Xander felt more appropriate.
Roy flicked the lighter and lit the candle.
Winter lifted one of the lanterns. Just as she was about to set it on the water, a broad hand reached past her right shoulder and steadied it for a moment. Then the lantern slipped gently from their hands and floated away across the dark water.
She had barely turned her head when she saw the words on Roy’s phone.
“It’s a little windy. Let me help you p>
Winter smiled. “Thank you, Roy p>
After the first three lanterns had drifted away, Winter picked up the last one.
It was still blank.
She held the marker loosely in her hand, not sure whether she was speaking to Roy or just to herself. “I had a baby once. But we were only given a little time together. I didn’t even get the chance to bring him into the world before he was gone. I want to set one out for him too. Maybe somehow, he’ll find it p>
Suddenly, Roy reached over and gently covered her hand where she held the marker.
She looked up at him. His eyes were deep, and his brows were slightly drawn.
Then Roy let go and typed a few words into his phone.
“Don’t set one out p>
Winter frowned. “Why p>
22
Florence
A passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.