Chapter 18: Long goodbyes and second goodbyes.
The ground was fresh around the area of the grave, the recently dug up soil was soft and wet to the touch. The gravestone was simple and elegant, the words cursive:
Elliot Dawson
Loving brother and son
1988-2016
Buried amongst the sleeping, living amongst the stars.
I touched the cold marble of the stone one last time and a tear slipped onto the grey. I felt a hand wrap around my waist and I looked up to Austin's face looking down into mine. The bruises were gone and the wound was healing. He was on the mend and so was my broken heart. It was hard to give up someone I loved so much but I knew that he was happy and safe now and nothing could touch him anymore.
"Ally we should go… the road is getting slick and we need to make it out of here before you know who turns up." His look was apologetic but I knew he was right, we had overstayed our safe welcome here and she was bound to know we were here by now.
I touched the headstone next to Elliot's, the rough stone cold beneath my fingertips. "I love you mom. Keep him safe up there." I let the last tear fall from my eye and the turned around, into the arms of the man I loved and walked slowly away from my sleeping family.
Goodbyes were hard, but second goodbyes… they were harder.
