by A. R. Breck
I love you, Roman.
The white tips of the wave bob and weave in the water. My hair blows back, swaying in the wind as I tip the urn. The chalky sand slides from the black inside, falling into the air, swirling into the wind. Every bit of Roman hits the sky, floating in a beautiful dusting as he falls toward the ocean. Bits of him blow toward me, the wind too strong to carry him over the edge, he hits my skin, wrapping around my ankles and wrists.
I feel him.
I close my eyes, my soul warming as I feel him with me. Tears fall down my face, blowing off my cheeks and into the world. I bend over, setting the urn down. Standing back up, my heart thumps, calming, racing, feeling at peace as Roman blows to the place he always promised me.
Meet me where the mountains meet the sea.
I'm here.
A cry breaks from my throat, bursting into the air and echoing into the ocean. The sand leaves my body, the rest of Roman blowing off into the wind.
Meet me where the mountains meet the sea.
He's here. He's with me.
I close my eyes, clutching the pick in my hands and raise my arms into the air. I listen to the wind whistle, and I swear, I can hear Roman’s low timbre whispering within the wind.
And I fall.
EPILOGUE
My eyes open.
Glancing down, I see I'm wearing my pink leotard and white tutu. Canon in D plays softly through the speakers, and looking up, I can't see where the sound is coming from. I'm on a stage, though, from what I can tell.
Turning around, I see a stage full of people.
Every seat filled with anticipated faces, happy, free, with gentle smiles covering their lips.
I do the only thing I know how to do. I dance.
I let the music fill me up, bursting from my limbs and my bones as I float across the stage. It overtakes me, swallowing me and lifting me into the air, stretching me from one side to the other. My pointed shoes are perfectly laced. Better than I’ve ever done. I know there’s only one person who could have laced them this perfectly.
Tears flood my eyes.
I go up on my toes, stretching my legs and bending my body to every strong note and tune. Tears flood down my cheeks as fast as my body whips across the stage. I dance like I've never danced before. I move as if I'm filled with magic, leaping higher, spinning faster, bending easier.
I just dance.
By the time the music comes to a close, I'm smiling, happiness beaming across my face. I've never felt more alive, more free in my dance.
The crowd cheers, the entire stadium of bodies clapping their hands and cheering as loud as they can. They’re all standing, and I can barely make out one person in the crowd. It's dark, the only light shining over me.
I walk to the edge of the stage, giving a little bow just as a light beams into the crowd, front and center. I step closer, my toes hanging off the sides, and squint my eyes in an attempt to see who it is.
He claps, his hands lowering. A broad smile overtakes his face, tears in his eyes as he watches me.
Tears fall down my face, my hands going to my mouth as I realize who it is.
"Roman."
THE END.
My heart goes out to all the first responders, citizens, victims, and families who have been affected by 9/11.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Years ago, one of my best friends told me she was going out to Hawaii to work on a farm and live for free. I was shocked, but happy for whatever she wanted to do. She’s been through her own struggles and heartbreak.
I didn’t speak with her much on her travels, but I saw pictures of her in Arizona with a guy. They were traveling, hiking, exploring. Living the dream. She looked happy, and she was making the most beautiful dream catchers. I wanted every single one of them, even though she was across the country.
Me and my family eventually had a road trip out to California. Well, at that time my friend was already there. She was living on a beach in San Diego. I remember visiting her, driving with my husband and child down to the beach to pick her up. She was tan, with tattered beach clothes and a carefree look on her face.
Our visit was short-lived, and my friend eventually made her way to Hawaii. Life for her didn’t turn out how she’d hoped, and after a tragic phone call to me one day, I was on my way to pick her up from the airport.
She came home a dark person, but she eventually healed. She persevered, and I couldn’t be more happy or proud of her.
I always knew I’d want to tell her story in one way or another, and I ended up combining two story lines I’ve had in my mind into one. When I told my friend about my thoughts, she told me the real stories of her adventures.
She spoke of the wild horses, the hot desert air, the dried-up canals in Arizona. She told me about a time when she became so dehydrated that she started hallucinating. Close to death, I’d imagine.
She told me about meeting up with the Deadheads and going to a Rainbow Circle in California. How cool and nice they were, but how they lived in their own world and have puddled people. She saw a guy she used to know who was puddled. He was gone mentally. Forever, they said.
She told me about her time in Hawaii, and how the avocados were as large as her head, and the centipedes were huge, and how she would go to the other side of the world and party with the locals, but they actually hated tourists.
I’m grateful I was given the opportunity to tell this beautiful story.
I hope you all enjoy it and can see the beauty within tragedy.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I don’t really know where to start with this.
I wanted to thank H. Because I love you more than I can ever imagine. You are my best friend and the pieces of your stories that you gave me to complete this book were necessary, and I couldn’t have written this book without you.
I wanted to thank my ARC readers. It’s nerve wrecking to put my baby into your hands first, and it means a lot to me that you take time to read and review for me. Every. Single. Time.
Rumi. You are everything. Thank you for always diving into my books and trusting my words. You give me your opinions and always make me feel more comfortable with my work.
Kenzi. Thank you for all that you do. I’m so glad to be working with you, and you are literally one of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. I’m so happy I met you.
Savannah. You are literally the best PA in the world, but more than that, I consider you such a good friend. I know I’m a pain sometimes, but you stick with me, and I’m so grateful to you.
Cat. You are such a huge part of my team. Thank you for helping me. Your formatting is impeccable. You bring my stories to an entirely different level. Thank you, babe.
Rachel. You have helped me since the beginning days of being an author, and you mean so damn much to me. Thank you for always reading my books – even if they aren’t your typical genre. You are my go-to for just about everything. I love you.
Brittany. One of my early readers. You’ve been reading my books and loving my stories since the beginning. I love you.
To all my readers, I love you. Thank you for taking a chance on me. This book isn’t my usual, but that you give me a chance means that world to me. I hope you enjoyed Roman and Luna as much as I did.
To my fellow authors. You make me a better writer, you give me encouragement when I need it, and you are always there when times get tough. We are a strong community, and I respect and love every one of you.
To the people who have had the opportunity to meet their soul mate. Don’t let go. Love is so special and so pure. Sometimes it isn’t seamless, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on it. Take it and hold on tight, because the truest of loves will be there in the end. Forever.
BOOKS BY A.R. BRECK
Grove High Series
Reapers and Roses
Thorn in the Dark
The Grove Series
The Mute and the Menace
Lost in the Silence
The Seven MC Series<
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Chaotic Wrath
Reckless Envy
Standalones
BLISS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A.R. Breck lives in Minnesota with her husband, two children and two dogs. She enjoys reading, writing and sharing her stories with the world. When she isn’t working, A.R. Breck loves to watch horror movies, road trip around the country and read forbidden romance novels.
FOLLOW ME
Instagram: @ar.breck
Facebook: @ar.breck
Goodreads: @ar.breck
Email: [email protected]
