Beyond the Lonely Oak (Star Crossed series book 1) (completed) #Wattys2018

Chapter Twelve: The struggle against time

She stepped out through the glass door to find Braden there, looking out over the ocean. He sat on a wall made from worn river rocks and cement, his shoulders broad and strong. They could easily carry the weight of the world as they looked to be doing at that very moment. She contemplated turning to go as her heart jerked in her chest and plummeted to her stomach, could she face him now? Her heart was waging a war with her mind, logic reminding her she had no way of knowing the truth in her memories without his acknowledgments, but her heart was leery, not sure if knowing the truth would be beneficial or just plain painful. Had she truly turned away from him? She began to tuck herself back into the doorway but just then he turned to her, their eyes meeting. That look could have said a thousand things, but at that moment all she heard was come to me. Putting one foot in front of the other she made her way to him, her eyes catching on the vast ocean view before her.

"It's so beautiful," she said when she was close enough to look out beyond the cliffs the nearly setting sun. Its fiery orange had taken over the horizon, a braid of reds and pinks threatening to unravel into its overpowering hue. Braden placed his hand on the rock wall next to him, beckoning her to sit down and, as she did, she noticed the manuscript her grandmother had written at his side.

"This is one way to live," she said, settling in.

"It surely is," Braden replied, a soft smile playing across his lips. Ava couldn't help but think how much they were like the beauty before them—a silent, beautiful sunset, framed by rock cliffs and a raging sea.

"Thank you for staying last night," she said, clearing away the emotion in her voice.

"I came back, you know—after your accident." He ran his hand through his hair, the way he did when his frustrations got the best of him. "When I couldn't find you, I went to your Grams."

"I had no idea." Ava wrapped her arms around herself as she watched him sift through his memories.

"I still remember the way she looked at me when I told her who I was—like it all made perfect sense. Then she cried, as though the revelation had somehow caused the world to come to an end— I see now that in many ways it had for a time."

"She was amazing— I knew it even after losing my memory in the accident," Ava countered, thinking of how her Grams would have embraced the man before her. No doubt with immense love. She held herself closer, worried she might lose all the pieces of herself if she let go.

"At the time you were on mandatory psych evaluation, they weren't allowing visitors so your Grams and I spent a few days together sharing stories and getting to know one another. For all its sadness I am grateful to have had that time with her." He looked down, his voice catching at the last few words.

"That's how she wrote this." Ava ran her hand over the manuscript between them, needing to feel a piece of Grams in that moment, anything to ground herself. "I wondered how since she had not read the journals and yet still knew so many intimate details of—"

"Us—" Braden clarified, his eyes trained on the sea below them.

"Yes," Ava said, barely audible.

"The manuscript is as thorough as it can be when written through another's eyes." He looked down at it, placing his hand on top of hers. "Though I am sure you've discovered it's not yet complete."

Ava let the warmth of his touch run through her, deep down until it quickened her heart and had her feeling hazy. When she pulled away she saw the flash of disappointment in his eyes, but he quickly concealed it and continued.

"When your Grams told me of your decision to leave, I nearly lost my mind." He let out a manic laugh. "We had never been apart for any great length of time in eight years and suddenly I was losing you forever, like we never existed."