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Back A Flicker of Light
Chapters (62)
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Books by Katie Powner
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright Page
  6. Dedication
  7. ONE
  8. TWO
  9. THREE
  10. FOUR
  11. FIVE
  12. SIX
  13. SEVEN
  14. EIGHT
  15. NINE
  16. TEN
  17. ELEVEN
  18. TWELVE
  19. THIRTEEN
  20. FOURTEEN
  21. FIFTEEN
  22. SIXTEEN
  23. SEVENTEEN
  24. EIGHTEEN
  25. NINETEEN
  26. TWENTY
  27. TWENTY-ONE
  28. TWENTY-TWO
  29. TWENTY-THREE
  30. TWENTY-FOUR
  31. TWENTY-FIVE
  32. TWENTY-SIX
  33. TWENTY-SEVEN
  34. TWENTY-EIGHT
  35. TWENTY-NINE
  36. THIRTY
  37. THIRTY-ONE
  38. THIRTY-TWO
  39. THIRTY-THREE
  40. THIRTY-FOUR
  41. THIRTY-FIVE
  42. THIRTY-SIX
  43. THIRTY-SEVEN
  44. THIRTY-EIGHT
  45. THIRTY-NINE
  46. FORTY
  47. FORTY-ONE
  48. FORTY-TWO
  49. FORTY-THREE
  50. FORTY-FOUR
  51. FORTY-FIVE
  52. FORTY-SIX
  53. FORTY-SEVEN
  54. FORTY-EIGHT
  55. FORTY-NINE
  56. FIFTY
  57. FIFTY-ONE
  58. FIFTY-TWO
  59. Acknowledgments
  60. About the Author
  61. Back Ads
  62. Back Cover

“It’s been a long day.” She knew how to take her husband’s mind off his worries. She slid her hand across his chest. “Maybe we should talk about this tomorrow.”

He exhaled. “You’re probably right.”

Though the room was dark, she found his chin with her fingers and turned his head toward her. She met his lips with hers, and he kissed her back, gently and deeply, but when she moved closer, he pulled away.

“Bea, I can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your dad’s downstairs.”

“So?”

“So what if he hears us?”

She let go of his chin and laid her head on her pillow. “Jeremy.”

“I told him about your tattoo.”

She sat up with a gasp. “What’d you do that for?”

“He asked about mine, and it just kind of slipped out. I’m sorry.”

Bea plopped back down in bed and stared at the ceiling, imagining what her dad’s face must’ve looked like when he heard that little bit of news. She reached for Jeremy’s hand under the covers and grabbed hold of it tightly.

It was going to be a long three months.

SIX

ch-fig

The darkness is one of the things I love most about this place. No city lights. No streetlights. Only stars and stars and stars, and a crescent moon.

Rand’s boots rub against my bare calves as I stand in the yard looking up at the immense, all-encompassing sky. My boots were right there by the back door, too, but shoot, I like wearing his. The mountain stands before me like a sentinel keeping watch, but I wonder if it’s doing its job. ’Cause I heard what she said. Beatrice. She thought no one could hear, but I heard.

Mitch and Rand were sitting in the living room, having one of their silent conversations, and Bea and her husband were in the kitchen doing dishes. Like I couldn’t do them myself. Imagine, telling me to go sit down and take a break.

But I didn’t do that. And I heard her say it.

Baby.

An owl hoots, and bats swoop and dive like acrobats in front of the moon. I put my hand in the pocket of the old dress I wear as a nightgown and wrap my fingers around a penny. Would there be any shine left in it if I held it up to the moonlight? I pull it out and lay it flat on my palm.

The screen door slaps shut and startles me. My heart shakes.

Oh, Lord, I dropped the penny.

“June, what’re you doing? It’s two in the morning.”

I drop to my knees and skim my hands over the grass, searching.

“You got no coat.” The porch steps groan as Rand limps down them one at a time. “You’ll catch your death.”