NovelConcepts

Sarah E. Stevens finishes off our story from where Judy Meadows left us

“Ray!” Lana called out and hurried after his retreating figure. 

Ray paused for a second, but then quickened his walk toward the back porch of the rental house. Light seeped out the windows and touched his dark hair with a warm nimbus. 

“Ray, hold up a minute. Please.” 

For a moment, Lana wasn’t sure if Ray would stop, but he did, reluctance showing in his slow movements. One hand on the railing of the stairs, he turned and waited. Backlit and shadowed by the evening, his face was invisible to Lana. She couldn’t read his expression. 

“No big deal, Lana. We just wanted to make sure you were all right after you ran out of the house. Obviously, you are. So let’s just go back inside and see what Maddie and Sophie need from us, okay?” Ray said. He leaned back against the railing as if in nonchalance. 

Lana almost opened her mouth to agree. Surely that would be easiest? To just say “okay” and walk in the house like nothing happened?

Between her head and her heart. 

Speak, Lana.

“The sky’s not golden any longer,” she said. “But I want to kiss you again.” She swallowed hard against a wave of nerves. 

Ray sucked in a quick breath of surprise. “I thought…what about Kyle?” 

Speak, Lana. 

She took a deep, steadying breath. “Kyle was a teenage crush and I let myself think about the romance of unrequited love for way too long. He was never real for me. Not…not the way you are.” 

Ray’s voice sounded husky in the dark. “You mean it, Lana? I never thought you saw me that way.” 

“I didn’t. And that was foolish. But now I see you. Ray, you’ve been my friend since sophomore year and now I finally understand why the Geekette Squad’s always been after you.”

Ray gave a startled laugh.

“No, I’m serious,” Lana said. “You’re one of the best friends I’ve had. And…that kiss we shared earlier? Might have been the very best kiss, ever.” Her voice took on a teasing tone. “Unless you think it was some kind of anomaly?” 

“Anomaly?” Ray moved closer until she could feel the heat of him on her skin. “Maybe we need to test that.” 

He reached out and she moved into his arms. One hand cradled the back of her head, holding her gently as he bent down and they kissed. Slowly at first, with gentle lips exploring each other, the kiss gained intensity until Lana lost track of everything else: the night air, their friends inside, the words of the mysterious Hemingway. Nothing existed but the two of their bodies pressed together and the growing pit of desire in her core. 

Until the stillness of the evening shattered with Kyle’s voice. 

“The best man doesn’t always win, huh?” he said. 

Lana and Ray broke apart. 

Kyle stood about ten feet away, a half-drunk beer in his hand. “Be careful with that one, Ray,” he said. “She likes to lead you on and then tell you she wants to be ‘just friends.’ ” He raised the bottle in Lana’s direction, giving a mock toast before taking a long swallow. 

Speak, Lana. 

“Both of you. Inside. Now.” She pointed at Kyle and gestured him up the stairs first, then grabbed Ray’s hand and pulled him into the house. 

When the three of them entered the living room, Sophie, Sabrina, and Maddie dropped into silence, broken only by a sniffle from Maddie. Sabrina patted her arm and handed her a tissue. Sabrina? thought Lana. Sabrina, who only cares about herself?

Maddie blotted her eyes, then noticed Lana and Ray holding hands.

“Yes!” she shouted, bouncing off the couch. “You two are perfect for each other. You’re going to give this a try, aren’t you?” 

Lana looked up at Ray and felt a smile spread across her face. Ray squeezed her hand. 

“More than a try,” Lana said. “We might burn some serious frequent flyer miles between California and North Carolina, but we’ll make it work.” 

She looked around at her friends: Ray, looking at her with eyes still dark with desire. Maddie, with a crumpled tissue in her hand and yet beaming with happiness for her friends. Sophie, focusing too much on people who needed her and grasping at crumbs for herself. Sabrina, currently staring at Kyle with a unreadable expression. Kyle, who drank the last of his beer and sat the bottle on the table with a clank.  

Speak, Lana. 

“We all need to make it work.” Lana gestured at the six of them. “Together. Maddie’s moving to London in two weeks and we all need to be with her—in spirit, if not in body.” 

Sabrina spoke, her voice serious and subdued, the usual notes of drama missing. “My aunt had ovarian cancer when I was fifteen. She moved in with my family while she was in treatment. I remember how much help and support she needed.” 

“Did she…make it?” Maddie’s eyes suddenly looked huge. 

Sabrina shook her head. “It spread too far before they found it. But, Maddie, you said they’ve diagnosed you really early. Plus, the drug trial sounds promising. I…I know you all think I’m the bitchy one, the selfish one. Maybe I have been selfish. Maybe…” She glanced at Kyle before resolutely turning to Maddie. “Turns out, I’m looking for a new place to live. And a new roommate. I can do all my work remotely as long as I have internet. I want to come to London with you. To help.” 

Lana’s eyebrows climbed toward the ceiling in surprise. She and Ray exchanged a look. 

“Oh wow. I’m not sure what to say.” Maddie’s eyes suddenly welled with fresh tears. “Let’s talk about it more, see it would work out. Sabrina, that’s a really generous offer. I…I never expected as much.” 

Sabrina shrugged off her words and adopted an arch tone. “I need a change. And I like British accents, after all.” 

Maddie laughed. Lana didn’t know if she’d heard her laugh yet this trip and the sound brought an answering light into the faces of all their friends. 

Kyle went to the kitchen and came back popping the top on another bottle of beer. He drank half in one long chug, wiped the back of his hand over his mouth. 

Lana walked over and grabbed the drink out of his hand. 

“As for you, Kyle? No more feeling sorry for yourself. No more feeling like the world owes you. Maybe things didn’t work out for you and Sabrina—and maybe that’s hurting you as much as it’s hurting her. But you can’t drown your sorrows or find some other woman to console yourself with. Learn to listen for your own voice. Be alone for a while and listen.” 

Kyle looked at her and frowned. As she continued to stare him down, he dropped his gaze and shrugged. Lana decided to take that as agreement. 

“Sophie,” she said next, turning her attention to the gorgeous redhead. Sophie’s packed bags still stood near the front door. “Call your hot guitarist—Greg, right?—and tell him you’re not leaving after all. Stay with us for the rest of the trip. You can’t save your mom and you can’t protect her from her own choices.” 

Sophie lowered her green eyes. “I know,” she said quietly. “I just…I keep thinking maybe this time will be different.” 

“The only thing you can change is your own reaction. When you’re a mother, would you want your daughter to sacrifice her whole life to meet your needs?” 

“Of course not. But it’s not that simple!” 

“It’s never simple. But you know I’m right,” Lana said. 

“You are. You’re all right.” Sophie gestured to the whole group. “It’s just…really hard. I love my mom.”

Maddie said, “We’re all here for you, Sophie. We’ll go to AlAnon with you or find you a therapist or find your mom an inpatient treatment program. We’ll do whatever it takes. We love you. You need to take care of yourself, not just everyone else!” 

“Can we split the difference? I’ll stay one more day and then go home if my mom’s still in crisis?” 

Lana nodded. Baby steps were still progress. 

“I don’t want to call Greg, though,” Sophie said. “Let’s just be us. The six of us. Let’s open a bottle of wine and grab some cards for poker.”

“Strip poker?” Kyle suggested. Sabrina threw a couch pillow at his head and, just like that, everyone began to relax into normal. 

“Poker sounds good,” said Lana. “Let’s pretend we’re back in college with nothing more to worry about than final exams.” 

Maddie said, “Oh God. I might rather have ovarian cancer than take final exams again!”

When everyone stared at her, she laughed. “Come on, people. If we can’t laugh about it, we might as well give up.” 

Lana shook her head and walked over to hug Maddie. “You got this. If anyone can beat cancer, it’s our Maddie Sunshine.” 

As the group filtered out of the living room to gather at the kitchen table, Ray took Lana’s hand and held her back. 

“Maddie might be our sunshine, but you’re the north star, guiding us through the night. Guiding us back to ourselves.” His warm, brown eyes crinkled into a smile. “I can’t wait to see where we go next.” 

Lana felt a flush move across her face and smiled up at him. 

Ray bent and gave Lana a gentle kiss, a kiss that promised much more to come. 

Then, the two walked hand-in-hand to join their friends. 

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