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All rights reserved, The Wild Rose Press
I backed up against the doorway to my room, shaken. My insides quivered. I always thought I was tough enough to stand up to anyone. I'd just about proven myself wrong. If it hadn't been for Gary showing up when he did, I'd… Gary. I thought he'd betrayed me but yet he'd shown up as my rescue. First, I assumed it was a convenient set up between the two of them. But Donnie didn't appear to know him or, at least, pretended not to. It was going to take…what did Grandpa call it? A leap of faith. If I was going to let myself trust him, I needed to apologize.
“Are you all right?” Gary surveyed my torn shirt.
“Yeah. I think my shoulder is scraped up, that's all. Gary, I owe you an apology.”
“It's okay, Addie.” He came closer to me and looked at my shoulder. “You just wouldn't let me explain.”
I moved back and resisted his touch. “We can't move this mountain all at once, Gary. There's a lot we don't know about each other. Everything moved too quickly. Then, I made a mess of it all.”
Gary's lips softened into a sincere smile. I could have melted in his arms right then but this time it had to be right.
“What do you want, Addie? I'll give you the moon.”
“Peace. That's what I want. All this precariousness between Donnie and the rest of us when all I wanted was to find my family. Then there is the gold and the problems it started. Susan sprained her ankle in a fall while we were in the cave. I can't help but think that's my fault, too.”
“Addie. Don't take the whole world on your shoulders.” He reached out and I let him draw me into the fold of his arms. He held me close. The smell of Brut and fabric softener filled my consciousness. I let my troubles fall away. I could have stayed there forever. A time to keep silent.