Back Roads | ✅ completed

Chapter 43

"Are you about ready," Liam asked. He was sitting on the stairs just outside Jasmine's bedroom. Her door was open revealing the disaster that had been growing over the last few weeks. He knew she had taken to exile, but he hadn't realized how bad it had gotten. He looked down at his tie. The last time he had one any kind of neckwear was the night of their senior prom.

He stood her up without an explanation. Didn't stop him from finding her though. Seeing her on the dance floor with Daisy, Garrett and several other close friends. Her smile was the brightest he had ever seen it. And she looked breathtaking in her blue dress. He had never seen her so full of joy. It was that same moment he realized she hadn't missed him. It was as if them going together was never a plan. She had completely been relieved of the burden that was Liam.

"I think so," Jasmine came out of the bathroom just a few feet down the hall. Her hair had been curled and was pinned loosely back. Her makeup was subtle, including the lipstick which he couldn't recall ever seeing her wear. The cream lace dress cut just above her knees and accentuated her figure. The sheer sleeves stopped just below her elbows. The final piece was a pair of pale blue converse.

"You sure that's what you want to wear?"

"It was what he wanted me to wear," she beelined for her bedroom and went straight to the black box holding the letters she and Garrett wrote during each of the deployments. After rifling through them, she pulled out one with a smiley face drawn on the back. She handed it to Liam who was standing in her doorway. "Third paragraph on the back of the fourth page."

If it hadn't been a serious moment, he would have made a joke about her paranoia. Pulling the folded paper from the envelope, he began sifting through the pages. He skimmed them looking for the part she was referring to. He took a breath before reading it aloud, "I know this is morbid, and the one thing I swore I would never talk about. Now, though, things seem to be dragging out over here. A lot more unexpected... scenarios. So, here's what I'm going to do, consider it my final request. No matter what age I am when I leave. That lace dress you own, the one that looks like it's from the seventies." Liam stifled a laugh nodding his head.

"Wear it. I love how it suits you in every way possible. And, as an additional plea, wear the converse I gave you for your nineteenth birthday. I'm sure my handy work has faded from their canvas and sole's, but they will be me with you on the most unfortunate day. Screw what anyone else thinks. You are meant to shine, Jazzy girl. And you will. Bring the shine with you, promise me that?"

Liam looked at Jasmine, who for the first time in weeks, looked strong with her head held high. She wasready to be the ray on the gloomy evening they had ahead of them. He returnedthe letter to that envelope, then to its box amongst its siblings. He offeredher a hand, which she took and together they took first steps to saying goodbyeto a person who each had grown to care about; in their own way.