Page 165 of Fly's Path

“Do you remember the very first writers’ conference we went to?”

“The one when we met. How could I forget?” It went from this huge, scary event that I only went to because I won a scholarship to one of the best weeks of my life.

“No, do you really remember it?”

“Yeah, I remember every minute of it.” How could I forget something that changed my life and career that drastically? Not only did I go from barely making enough to pay for a granola bar to making thousands every month, but for the first time in my life, I made friends.

“Then where did we spend most of our time?”

What a weird question to ask? “We were supposed to sprint, but we spent most of our time in your suite talking and laughing.”

“Do you know why we spent so much time there and not exploring?”

I know I would have had to separate from them if they had. I didn’t have enough money to do anything extra. “No?”

“We didn’t leave because I was terrified of walking out of the hotel room. I thought I would die just going into the conference classes, but with all of you around me, I was brave enough to step out a few minutes every day. Before that, I was edging toward total agoraphobia. That weekend, all of you became more to me than friends. You became my family. And at every conference, every phone call, every group meeting, you became closer. I don’t view you as a friend, Sheridan. I view you as a sister. Anything I have that you need is yours…you don’t even need to ask.”

“In my family, if you didn’t work, you didn’t eat. If you didn’t contribute, you didn’t have a place to sleep at night. So I hear the words you’re saying, but they don’t make sense to me.”

“Have you always been hungry?”

“I’m not hungry now. Not usually, things have just been a little tight for the last few months. But I brought food. I always ate.”

“I don’t know where to start, except to say, in my house, you eat at the table. You don’t have to earn it because you already have just being my friend…my family. You don’t need to help to earn anything here, because love is a gift given, not a payment made. There will never be a surprise bill when we go out. Because the most important thing is you being part of my life. I need you in it. I need my friend to be happy, healthy, and having fun. Not starving herself, not trying to pay me back when she already gave me the best gift she could—her friendship. Do you know you’ve never put any restrictions on our friendship? Neverdemanded I do or give you anything to remain your friend. You just give your time, your kindness, and your heart to everything. Have you ever had someone who loves you?”

“Once…once, I thought my brother loved me. When we were little, he would protect me when our father got drunk and violent. He would hunt or steal food to give me, so my stomach wasn’t empty. But it’s not easy to steal in a small town. Once they catch you, you’re always a thief. When he got older, he left. He told me he was going to go find a way to be rich so that he was never hungry again. So that we were never hungry again.”

“Did he do it?”

“Of course. You don’t know my brother, but if you did, you’d know he’s never failed at anything he’s tried to do. He’s smart and determined. He made it. Made more than we could ever imagine.”

“Then why do you have issues with money?”

“Because he never came back for me. He left and never came back. So I hope you can understand…why understanding…believing all of this is hard for me.”

“What’s your brother’s name?”

“Why?”

“Because I want to have a discussion with him.” Dahlia’s hand is fisted around her mug handle.

“Don’t hate him. He was only finding a way to survive.”

She shakes her head. “Real family finds a way to survive together. Just like they find ways to thrive together. Like we share our joys and our losses.”

“I don’t think my brother has ever had a real family.”

“Well, you do. From here on out, you have a family, one who will love and support you, whatever crazy thing you might do…”

“Like marrying a man you only knew for a few months?”

“In my defense, it felt like we'd been together much longer. And can you blame me? Maverick is the kindest man I’ve ever met.”

He does seem to be head over heels for Dahlia, but Fly is so much kinder…and thoughts like that are going to get me in trouble.

“I know it’s going to be a mental adjustment, but do you think you could start eating with us?”

“Will you be able to handle it that I need to do something not to feel guilty?” It feels so wrong asking that. Exposing myself like that.