A Matter of Fate

by Heather Lyons

  My mother and I have even started to talk to each other a little. It isn’t warm and loving as many mother-daughter talks, but it’s something.

  It’s a start.

  “You may not feel the same once I’m out there,” I laugh, in answer to what Jonah said.

  He merely smiles, letting me know he’ll be happy to be with me there, whether or not I’ll ever get the hang of it.

  And then I ask him how Kellan is dealing with things lately.

  “I think this trip is his way of figuring stuff out,” he says, shoving long, black locks out of his eyes. “Did he ever really explain to you what happens when we’re surfing?”

  “I’d rather hear it from you,” I say, and it’s the truth.

  This makes him smile. “When we finally find ourselves as part of the whole, then our minds sort of expand into everything, as well, to find clarity. Any answer we want is there, no matter the difficulty. You may not like what you find, but it’s there all the same. Our uncle told us of a place where he was able to finally find the inner peace he’d always been seeking. He had a lot of inner demons, things I won’t go into here, but . . . when he came back from there, he seemed more at peace with himself. Kellan recently found a letter he’d written to us before his death, detailing where this break is. That’s where he’s going.”

  “He said it was in the ocean, far from the shore . . . .”

  “Yes. He’ll have to take a boat to the spot.”

  “Is it dangerous?”

  Jonah doesn’t lie to me. “He sees the payoff as worth the risk.”

  “Will he be safe?”

  The questions don’t bother Jonah, because he accepts now that, despite everything, I’m always going to love and worry about Kellan. “I hope so,” he admits. “He’s a good surfer—he’s strong. Our uncle taught us well.”

  We stand up and grab our boards. Just as we’re about to walk to the water, I ask, “Do you think I’ll find any answers out there?”

  “Are there things you want to know right now?”

  For once, at least for today, I find myself question free. Because I’m good—I’m here with my Connection, the sun is shining, and I’m at peace with who I am. I’m not worrying about the future or the piles of expectations waiting for me on another plane. The only thing I really have to worry about in this moment is standing up on my board. If I don’t, it’s no skin off my nose, because I can try again. And if I do stand up, it’s sweet icing on the cake.

  “Nope,” I tell him.

  He kisses me, and I shiver, because even now, after so many years together, he still has this power over me. “You ready for this?” he asks, and I know he means more than just surfing.

  Can anybody be truly ready for their future? We can only do what we can. Someday soon, there’s going to be a lot expected of me. I’m going to be asked to influence all of the worlds. I may be asked to destroy things. There are so many ifs, so many maybes that a person can go crazy thinking about them all.

  But today is all about this moment. Because that’s what life is really all about. A series of moments strung together. We do our best to deal with what we have at any given second.

  Today is a good day. Today is filled with love and acceptance. I turn my face toward the water, feeling the salty air against my cheeks. I close my eyes, savoring it all, and smile.

  There are no guarantees, except as Ronald says, birth and death. So I guess I’m as ready as I ever can be.

  Acknowledgments

  To my fabulous editors, Sarah Cloots and Rekha Radhakrishnan, THANK YOU. Without your guidance and ideas, this book wouldn’t be what it is today.

  Tracy Cooper, this book would not be much without your support. Thank you, my friend, for being one of Chloe & Co.’s biggest fans. Your feedback and critiques have been invaluable from the first version to this last one. I am lucky to count you in my corner. Erika Treller, the same goes to you. Thanks for always being willing to listen to me talk out plot points. To my friends who took the time to read early versions and offer input as well as support, I am grateful for you.

  To my peeps at the Coffee House Writer’s Group, your support and encouragement of my writing has meant more to me than you will probably ever know. I value your insight and the ability to share my stories with you.

  Carly Stevens, your cover rocks. I am so grateful to have one that I love. Thank you, thank you!

  Nicole Friedrich, thank you for taking an amazing author photo. You and your camera work magic.

  To my parents, thank you for believing in my writing. It is a really lovely thing, knowing your parents will be there to support you with your dreams. I am a fortunate girl, indeed.

  To my boys—thanks for sharing your mommy with these characters. Especially you, Mr. K. I will never be able to think of this book without thinking of you, since you were conceived and growing at the same time it was.

  And finally, massive thanks go out to Jon Lyons. Your belief in me has been one of the best gifts I’ve ever had the honor of receiving. Thank you for stepping up and being super dad so I could find bits of writing time during the craziness of our lives. I love you. If Connections were real, you’d be mine for sure.

  About the Author

  Heather Lyons (www.heatherlyons.net) has been putting stories to paper since she was a little girl. Her first “published” book was a humorous retelling of The Princess and the Pauper. After detours in archaeology and teaching, she is now writing and living in Southern California with her husband and three sons. She likes cupcakes, baseball, hockey, reading, and collecting far too many handbags. A Matter of Fate is her debut novel.