The Faith of a Mustard Seed

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Looking up at his brother Nathan gasped, "Really?"

Kevin nodded, "Really. You saved her Nate."

Nathan frowned, "If only I had been able to save Gracie too."

Shaking his head Kevin sighed, "Nate, whether or not you believe it, what happened that night was an accident. No one blames you for Gracie's death, buddy you're gonna have to find a way to make peace with it, or it'll continue to tear you apart."

"How can I make peace about my dead cousin's death? How do you make peace with that?" Kevin looked down for a few minutes before jumping up and running to Nathan's desk, "Okay I know you don't like being all emotional and sappy, but we were in the middle of a serious conversation that you started. What are you looking for on my desk?"

Ignoring Nathan, Kevin continued his search for a few more minutes before shouting, "AHA, FOUND IT."

Frowning Nathan huffed, "Found what? Since when do you go through my things?"

Rolling his eyes Kevin flops back onto the bed shoving a little leather-bound green book into Nathan's hands, making Nathan's eyes go wide as Kevin explains, "You told me the choice you had to make between the journals, Melody or Gracie, and because of the situation, you chose Melody. Now Melody is safe, and it's all over. I think it's time you read Gracie's journal. There may be answers there, to the questions, you never knew you had."

Frowning Nathan asked, "What do you mean, 'answers to questions?' I don't have any questions. How can her journal give me peace? I mean it's probably filled with her hopes and dreams, wouldn't that make me feel even worse?"

Kevin shrugged, "It might, or it might bring you even closer to her, the only way to figure it out is to read."

Nathan scoffed, "You really are bad at this whole emotional help stuff, do you know that?"

Kevin grinned as he stood up, "Yeah, I know, but it doesn't mean that I'm not right every now and then. If you need me, I'll be trying to get some sleep in my room." Kevin grabbed the door and was almost out of the room when he looked over his shoulder, "Seriously if you need me, I'm in my room. No matter what I'm always here for you bro. Get some sleep or don't."

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes Nathan replied, "Like I could sleep if I wanted to. Night Kev, it is great to have you home."

Smiling at his little brother, Kevin replied, "Night Nate. Good readings."

Nathan waited until Kevin had fully shut the door before scrambling up and heading towards his desk. Once at his desk Nathan turned on his lamp, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Here goes everything."

Flipping the journal open to the first page he read:

April 1, 2017

Dear Secret Friend,

Today is my sixteenth Birthday!! But it's not only my birthday it's my cousin Nathan's Sixteenth Birthday as well.

Strange that two cousins would be born on the same day, but I guess that's why Nate and I are soo close. I love my cousin with all my heart. He's like the brother I've never had but always wanted. Anyways this dairy has been given to me by Mom and Dad so that I can have something to record my thoughts, hopes, and dreams. So, since you my dear Diary will be doing a lot of secret-keeping, I figured I'd call you my Secret Friend, SF for short.

So, with today being our birthdays our families are making a trip up to Honeysuckle Cottage...... That's my favorite place in the whole world. It's the families' vacation home out near the mountains. The cottage is actually a huge old Mansion that was abandoned many years ago, and my grandparents decided to buy it and fix it up so that their children and grandchildren would always have a place to go either as an emergency home or a vacation home.