Present Time (December 7, 2020)

Lucia stands by the water's edge, the cool sea air blowing against her face. The grief inside her is like a candle, the molten wax pouring down the sides, leaving the candle hollow. A ship's horn calls in the distance. Overriding every sound, though, is the memory of her mother's screams as their car crashed, glass flying in every direction. She

Holly's typing stops as her Mirrorphone rings, playing her favorite song, Bohemian Rhapsody. She squints as she picks up her phone, her eyes sore from the hours of staring at the computer screen.
"Hmmm, Briar," she says, laughing softly. "Must be another party idea."
She answers the phone. "Hey, Briar. What's up?"
"Hey, Holly," Briar says. "Not much. What's up with you?"
Holly can immediately tell something's wrong. Briar doesn't sound nearly happy enough to talk about a party.
"Briar," she says, her voice suddenly serious, "what's wrong?"
"Well…" Briar says, her voice about an octave higher than normal. "I…"
Holly sighs sharply.
"Briar, I know you have trouble giving bad news, but spit it out!"
Briar takes a deep breath. "Okay. What happened is...Dexter got into a dragon riding accident."

Holly gasps, panic rearing up inside her like a startled horse.
"And now he can't remember anything from the last eight years," Briar says.
Holly's mouth is wide open with shock. She can't even begin to comprehend what she's hearing.
"So…" She gasps. "He doesn't remember Raven?!"
Briar sighs sadly. "Yes. That is, unfortunately, correct."
"Oh, the poor girl!" Holly exclaims, tears filling her eyes. "And Darling!"
She gasps for what feels like the hundredth time, placing her hand over her chest.
"Is she okay?!" Holly nearly yells. "Why hasn't she called me?!"
There's a moment of awkward silence. Holly's stomach crawls with anxiety.
"Uhh... I'm sure she meant to," Briar finally says, her voice uncertain. "She's just been so stressed out, it probably slipped her mind."

Holly sighs, staring gloomily out the window of her house. The sky is gray. A distant rumble of thunder sends her heart racing. She hates storms. She always has ever since she was a little girl. She glances at her watch. Poppy won't be home from work for another hour. She takes a deep breath, hoping that when she speaks she doesn't sound as terrified as she is.
"When did the accident happen?" she asks, her voice shaking slightly.
There's another long pause before Briar answers her.
"Five days ago."
Briar's voice is low. She sounds scared, which she should be because she didn't think to tell Holly sooner.
"Five days?!" Holly shrieks, hot anger welling up inside of her. "And you're just telling me now?!"
"I'm sorry, Holly, but it's been crazy here! Nobody knows how to handle something like this! We're all still reeling. Raven is a basket case and needs constant care; which is partly left to Ashlynn and me because Apple has to take care of Darling. And on top of that, we have Willow to take care of; and as sweet as she is, toddlers are still a lot of work. And–"

"Okay, okay, okay," Holly says. "I'm sorry. I just–" she sighs, "you know how much Darling means to me, and it hurts knowing that I wasn't there when she needed me most."
"Oh, Holly," Briar says, her voice soft. "But she still does need you. You still have the chance to be there for her."
Holly takes a deep breath.
"Okay," she says, sitting up straighter, "Poppy and I will be there tonight."
"You can stay with Ash and I," Briar offers. "We have plenty of room."
Holly smiles, touched as she often is by Briar's generosity.
"Thank you for the offer, Briar, but I think we'll stay at a hotel for now. I kind of need my own space to write."
"Alright, I understand," Briar replies. "Just know that the offer always stands."
"Thanks, Briar. That means a lot."
"Of course. What are friends for?"
Holly laughs lightly.
"Well, I'll see you tomorrow," she says. "By the time I get there, it'll probably be pretty late."
"Well, I can't wait to see you," Briar says happily. "Drive safe, okay?"
Holly chuckles. "You know me, Briar. Got an A+ on my driving test."
Briar laughs. "Just like you do on every test."
Holly grins. "True. I'm going to get packing now. See you soon, Bri."
"Alright. Bye, Holly."

XXX
"Poppy!" Holly exclaims as soon as Poppy answers the phone. "Dexter was in a terrible accident, and he's lost his memory, and Darling needs us, and–"
"Okay, slow down!" Poppy orders.
Holly takes a deep, shaky breath.
"Okay. Dexter got into a dragon riding accident, and he hit his head really hard, and now he can't remember anything from the last eight years!"
There's a long silence as Holly, breathing heavily, continues to throw clothes into the suitcase.
"Yikes," Poppy finally says, her voice tight. "That's horrible!"
"I know," Holly groans. "I'm packing for me and you right now, and as soon as you get home, we're leaving! We'll get some fast food burgers on the way."
Holly knows that Poppy would normally object to Holly packing for her, but she must know how serious the situation is.
"Okay," Poppy says resolutely. "I'll be ready to go as soon as I get home."
"Okay, good," Holly replies. "I'll see you then."
"Okay, sis. Bye for now."

Holly continues to race around the room, throwing belonging after belonging into the big purple suitcase. After high school, she and Poppy moved to Jackville, which is an hour away from Book End where most of their fellow Ever After High students stayed. Poppy moved with her, as the two sisters are inseparable, and started her own hair salon in Jackville. It's become a wild success. Holly got into the prestigious University of Jackville where she's majoring in English literature. Holly works as a writer for a book blog called The Jackville Book Review. She reviews and writes analyses of the latest books. She's been writing up a storm for years, and is finally finishing up her first novel. They pay their friends monthly visits. Briar stays in close contact with her and Poppy, as she does with all her dozens of friends.

One friend that Holly misses the most is Darling. The girl she didn't become close with until senior year of high school, but has taken such a large place in her heart. She still imagines sometimes that they're girlfriends, that Darling never got with Apple. She tries not to dwell on those childish fantasies, though. Darling and Apple are true loves. They're meant to be together forever. She needs to accept the truth. She and Darling see each other every month, but it's not the same as it was in high school. They don't go on nighttime adventures anymore. They don't paint each other's nails and sing along to Taylor Quick songs. They catch up over coffee or lunch. They take walks in the park. Sometimes she stays the night at Darling's and Apple's house. She lies awake in the guest room, painfully aware of Darling and Apple sleeping together in the next room. Holly sometimes wishes that she could go back to the days where she and Darling were closer than ever; but they're adults now and she needs to accept that.

She sighs, throwing her and Poppy's snow gear into the suitcase. It's always a white Christmas in Book End. She makes sure to pack a lot of books. Reading is one of her favorite pastimes. Being read to also comforts Darling, and Holly has a feeling Darling's going to need a lot of comfort right now.

XXX
Holly and Poppy arrive at the hotel in Book End after nine. Holly sighs with relief as they enter the warm lobby. Her teeth still chatter from the bitter wind outside.
"I have a reservation for Suite 122," Holly tells the woman behind the counter.
Once they're checked in, the woman hands Holly the room key.
"The pool and spa are open eight to ten," she says. "Continental breakfast is served from six to ten."
Poppy's eyes light up. She sure loves luxury. Holly laughs at her sister's starstruck expression.
"Thank you," she tells the woman. "Have a good night."

XXX
Holly and Poppy stretch out on the king-sized bed.
"It's so nice in here," Poppy says, sighing contentedly.
"I know, right?!" Holly exclaims. "I love this place!"
"There's a bit too much air freshener, though," Poppy says. "It's making my eyes water. I'll go open the window a crack."
"What?!" Holly splutters. "It's like twenty degrees out, Poppy! No way!"
"Awww," Poppy whines. "Fine. Too bad you're so cold-blooded. You're like a reptile."
Holly snorts. "A reptile?!"
Poppy giggles. "Yup!"
They look at each other before bursting into laughter. They laugh until their bellies hurt. As their laughter dies out, a thought occurs to Holly.
"I should call Darling and let her know we're here!"
She sits up, pulling her Mirrorphone out of her pocket.
"Isn't it a little late to call anybody?" Poppy says.
"No, Darling always stays up late," says Holly.
"Alright," Poppy says, shrugging. "I'm going to go change into my pajamas."

When Darling answers the phone with a feeble "Hello," Holly doesn't think she's ever heard her friend sound so defeated.
"Hey, Darling," Holly says, her voice soft. "How are you doing?"
She mentally curses herself. Why would she even ask that? Darling is obviously far from okay right now. Still, Darling answers with a quiet, "I'm doing okay," and Holly doesn't know what breaks her heart more–Darling's condition or the fact that she feels like she needs to pretend to be okay. Holly takes a deep breath.
"I heard about Dexter," she says, her voice soft. "I'm so sorry."
Holly's eyes burn at the sound of Darling's shaky sigh.
"Well, I'm here now," Holly continues. "Poppy and I are staying at the hotel in Book End. Is it okay if I come to see you tomorrow?"

There's a long silence. Holly's stomach crawls. She lets out a breath of relief when Darling speaks.
"Yeah, that sounds nice, Holly. Maybe we could meet at the Golden Egg Cafe and get some lunch? Then maybe we could go see Dexter for a little while?"
Holly smiles, her chest filling with warmth.
"That sounds lovely, Darling. I can't wait to see you!"
"I can't wait to see you too," Darling replies, sounding much happier than she had when they first started talking. "So, does twelve o'clock work for you?"
"Yep, that works perfectly."
"Okay. See you soon! Have a good night."
"You have a good night too," Holly answers. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye."

After they hang up, Holly sits still for a minute, her heart racing. Just hearing Darling's voice is enough to sweep her off her feet. She's prayed for the attraction to fade, but it stubbornly remains, intent on tearing Holly's heart to pieces. There's a special kind of pain that unrequited love brings. And Holly is an expert at it.

XXX
Holly can't sleep that night. Images of Darling swirl through her mind like snow. What state is Darling going to be in when she sees her tomorrow? How broken is she? What should Holly say to her? The indecision is paralyzing. She closes her eyes, trying to breathe deeply. Her heartbeat slows as she listens to the sound of Poppy's steady breathing next to her. She scoots closer to Poppy. Poppy heats up like a furnace at night, and Holly just realized how cold she is. Finally, surrounded by her sister's warmth, she is able to fall into a restful slumber.

XXX
Holly taps her foot impatiently as she waits for Darling to arrive at the restaurant. When is Darling going to get here? Could she have forgotten about their lunch date? The thought of the word "date" sends Holly's heart racing. Calm down, she tells herself. Don't be a hot mess when Darling comes. She sighs with relief as she sees Darling walk into the restaurant. Immediately, her heart starts racing at the sight of her friend. She swears that there's a light around Darling, accentuating every one of the girl's beautiful features, from her platinum blonde curls to her strong, lithe form. Holly takes a deep breath, willing her nerves to die down. She raises her hand, waving.
"Over here, Darling!" she calls.
Darling's face lights up when she notices her. Holly's heart skips a beat as she sees Darling's joyful smile. Darling being this excited to see her makes her overwhelmingly happy.

"Hey, Holly!" Darling exclaims as she approaches.
"Hey, Darling!" Holly replies, barely able to contain her excitement.
She jumps to her feet, sighing happily as they embrace. The hug is warm and tight and feeds Holly's soul the way only Darling can. It feels like an eternity before they slowly part. Holly squeezes Darling's arm before sitting back down, hoping that her cheeks don't look as flushed as they feel.
"Sorry I'm late," Darling apologizes. "I was talking to Raven on the phone trying to calm her down. She has classes this afternoon, and Apple is at her castle doing royal business, so she called me rather than Apple when she got a panic attack. She's really taken this whole incident hard." She sighs sadly.
Holly frowns sympathetically.
"I'm so sorry," she says, "about, you know, everything."
Darling smiles softly.
"I'm sure everything will work out," she says. "It's difficult right now, but we've all gotten through rough times just fine before." She sounds like she's trying to convince herself.
"We have," Holly says reassuringly. "And I'm here to help with whatever is needed."
Darling smiles appreciatively.
"Thank you, Holly. That means a lot."
"Of course," Holly replies, her voice soft. "Anything for you." She stiffens. "And everybody else, of course."
Darling smiles. "So, I know you and Poppy are staying at a hotel right now, but you can stay with Apple and I of course. I mean, Raven's with us at the moment as well, but there's still plenty of room."

Holly's stomach drops at the thought of staying at Darling's and Apple's house, witnessing their cozy domestic life up close. The thought jabs her heart like a needle.
"Thank you for the offer, but Poppy and I are good in the hotel for now. I'll be sure to let you know if anything changes."
"Okay," Darling says, "if you're sure."
Holly smiles. "I am. Don't you worry."
She knows how much Darling worries about everybody else. She doesn't want to put any more pressure on Darling than there already is.
"So, how have you been?" Darling asks.
"I've been good," Holly replies. "Just working hard at school and work. It's stressful sometimes, but everything is going according to plan."
Darling chuckles. "You've always been a planner."
Holly laughs softly. "I sure have."
"So, how long are you going to be staying?" Darling asks. "And how are you going to do school while you're here?"
"Well, I guess I'll be staying as long as I'm needed," Holly replies. "We'll just have to see how long that is. And as for school, all my classes are on Monday and Thursday; so, I'll just commute those days. It's only an hour away, after all."
Darling nods. "Well, it sounds like a good plan to me."
Holly smiles.

A waitress comes and takes their orders. Holly orders a Caesar salad and Darling orders a Greek salad.
"You've always been a Greek salad girl," Holly laughs, as the waitress leaves.
Darling giggles. "You know me too well."
Holly smiles, the familiarity and comfort of being with her best friend filling her with warmth. Though the circumstances surrounding her visit are unfortunate, it feels so good to be back with Darling, to be seeing her for more than a few hours. It might even be a little bit like high school. A thrill rushes through her at that thought. She's not sure what the future holds, for her, Darling, Dexter, or any of their friends; but with Darling by her side, Holly knows that everything is going to be okay.

XXX
Darling takes a deep breath before opening the car door and stepping out into the hospital parking lot. Holly follows suit, walking around the car to meet Darling. Darling lets out another breath before turning to Holly and giving her a small smile.
"Let's go," she says, clearly trying to sound more confident than she feels.
Holly reaches over, squeezing her hand.
"I'm right here with you," she murmurs.
Darling smiles gratefully at her.
"Thank you for everything, Holly," she says, her voice shaking slightly. "For coming to stay here, for visiting Dexter with me, for being there for me when I need it."
Holly smiles, her chest swelling with pride.
"Of course, Darling," she says, giving the girl's hand another long squeeze. "That's what friends are for."
Darling smiles at her, and just as Holly's heart feels like it's going to soar out of her chest, she turns away, facing the hospital building.
"Now, let's really go."
Holly chuckles, following Darling across the parking lot.

The breath is sucked from Holly's lungs as she and Darling enter Dexter's hospital room. He's sleeping in the bed, his face pale and covered in gashes and bruises. Seeing him like this makes Holly want to sob, to scream at the world for being so unfair. She takes one look at Darling's solemn expression, though, and knows that she has to keep her cool. Darling needs her. And Holly's number one priority is to support her. So she forces an encouraging smile onto her face. Darling gives her a small smile, but her blue eyes are stormy.
"Let's go sit down on the couch," Darling says softly. "He'll probably wake up soon."
Holly follows Darling to the gray couch in the corner of the room. They settle side by side. Holly is acutely aware of the distance between them. More than anything, she wants to snuggle against Darling, to wrap her in her arms. She knows she can't, though, and it hurts; this distance between them that Holly so desperately wishes she could fill.

Instead, she takes a deep, calming breath and tries to relax. She slumps back against the cushions. She turns to Darling and frowns when she sees the pained expression on her face. Her heart hurts for Darling. All she wants is to make it okay for her, but there's no way to do that. All she can do is be there for her. So she takes Darling's hand and gives her a reassuring smile. She needs to distract Darling with something she enjoys, and she thinks she knows just the thing.
"Hey, do you want to read my latest book review? It's about the Whitacher's Creek book by Suzanne Hoffman. You read it, right?"
Darling's face instantly lights up.
"Yeah, I read it," says Darling. "And I read your review, too. I read every one as soon as it comes out. You know that, right?"
Joy surges through Holly. She almost squeals, but bites her tongue, pushing down the excitement.
"That's so sweet, Darling," she says happily, squeezing Darling's hand. "That means so much."
Darling squeezes her hand back.
"Of course I do, Holly. You're one of my very best friends, and reading your reviews and seeing how far your writing has come makes me so happy."
Holly's eyes sting with gratitude.
"Thank you," she says, her voice shaking.
Kingdoms, she is so sappy. Crying over compliments? Yeah, that would be her alright. But it's extra special when it comes from Darling. Darling means more to her than she could ever know.

"Hey, Dexter," Darling says softly.
Holly quickly looks over and smiles as she sees Dexter sitting up in bed. It's such a relief to see him alert and focused, to know that he still has his spark. Holly follows Darling over to him. They sit down in chairs by his bed. Holly is opening her mouth to greet Dexter when she remembers that he doesn't know her. She and Poppy were homeschooled until high school, so Dexter didn't meet her until freshman year. Eight years of his memories have been wiped away; so she and Poppy are literal strangers to him. She isn't prepared for the wave of emotion that overtakes her when he looks at her, his brows creased with confusion. Don't cry, she sternly tells herself. Stay strong. She takes a deep, shaky breath.
"Hey there, Dexter," she says, her voice soft. "I'm Holly. I'm a friend of yours. We went to high school together. I know you don't remember me, but don't worry. We'll make new memories together. I promise."
Darling gives her a soft, grateful smile. Holly squeezes her hand.
"Hey, Holly," Dexter says, his voice hoarse. "It's nice to meet you. Again."
The three of them chuckle, smiling warmly at each other. That's right, Holly thinks to herself. We will make new memories. Things will never be exactly the same as they were before, but everything is going to be alright.

XXX

Holly and Darling get burritos from Chipotle on the way home from the hospital. They arrive at Darling's and Apple's house at seven thirty in the evening. Holly continues to shiver from the cold outside as they walk into the kitchen. Darling sets the paper bag of food on the counter. She takes her Mirrorphone out of her pocket and looks at it. |
"Apple isn't going to be home for a couple hours," she says. "She and Raven met up and ate out for dinner, and now they're going to go see Dexter for a while."
Holly hates herself for feeling as happy as she does when Darling tells her this.
"I'll start us a fire in the fireplace," Darling says.
"Ooh!" Holly exclaims. "We can eat our burritos by the fireside. Doesn't that sound lovely?"
Darling smiles softly. Still, the quiet sadness that's taken over her since they left the hospital remains.
"That does sound nice," Darling says.

Holly unwraps their burritos and puts them on plates, while Darling starts the fire. There's already a pile of logs by the fireplace. Darling always keeps firewood stocked at home in the winter. She's ever the survivalist.

Holly sighs happily as they settle on the couch by the roaring fire. She looks into the beautiful orange flames and smiles. Sitting by the fire, eating a delicious burrito with her best friend by her side makes her more content than she's been in a long time.
"Do you want to watch a show?" Darling asks, picking up the television remote.
"Sure," Holly says. "Any show is good with me."
"How about The Office?" Darling suggests.
Holly chuckles. "You can never go wrong with The Office."

They fall into a comfortable silence as they watch the show and eat their dinner. When Darling finishes her burrito, she sets her plate on the coffee table and picks up a blanket from the other side of the couch.
"Want to cover up?" Darling asks.
"Yeah," Holly replies, setting her plate down as she too finishes her burrito.
Darling spreads the blanket over both of them. Holly lets out a contented sigh, melting back into the cushions. They continue to watch the show, laughing at the characters' antics. A few episodes in, Holly notices that Darling is not laughing anymore. Concern rises in her, but she continues to watch the show, sensing that Darling wants to be left in peace.

Suddenly, as the end credits of an episode roll, Holly hears sniffling. She turns and gasps when she sees tears streaming down Darling's face.
"Oh, Darling," she cooes, her heart sinking. "It's okay. Come here."
She scoots closer to Darling, draping the blanket over the girl's shoulders before wrapping her tightly in her arms. Darling buries her face in Holly's chest, her body shaking with sobs. Holly fights the urge to cry herself. She hasn't seen Darling break down in a long time. She'd forgotten how much it hurts to see her friend like this.
"Everything is going to be okay," she murmurs, gently rubbing her hand over Darling's back. "I'm right here."
"I'm just so sad!" Darling chokes out. "My brother's never going to be the same, and I just-" She can't continue, as her sobs overwhelm her.
Holly holds her tighter.
"I know, sweetie," she whispers. "I know."
She gently presses her lips to Darling's head.
"Just don't let go of me," Darling sobs, gripping Holly like a lifeline.
Holly's eyes burn.
"I won't, baby," she promises, her voice trembling. "I won't."
And that's how they remain, holding tightly to one another, as the flames in the fireplace slowly die out.