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Back Pack Up the Moon Save as PDF
Chapters (46)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for Kristan Higgins
  3. BERKLEY BOOKS BY KRISTAN HIGGINS
  4. Dedication
  5. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. EPILOGUE
  43. Readers Guide
  44. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
  45. About the Author
  46. What’s next onyour reading list?

“Hey, Josh,” she said. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“I saw a psychic today,” he said without preamble. “She said Lauren showed her a person who wasn’t a sister but like a sister. Purple sparkly dresses at a dance recital or something.”

The color drained from Sarah’s face. “Jesus, Josh. A little warning next time?” Then she turned away. When she spoke next, it was a whisper. “It was the eighth-grade talent show. We wore purple sparkly dresses and danced to Soulja Boy. ‘Crank That.’ We were awesome.” She took a shaky breath. “The psychic knew that?”

“Apparently. She said to tell you Lauren is still . . . with you.”

Sarah put both hands over her face and started to sob.

Hug her.

He did. She hugged him back. He felt something loosen inside him and, after a few seconds, became aware of the fact that he was crying, too.

It wasn’t horrible.

In fact, it felt kind of great, just to cry with someone who had loved Lauren, too, and not worry, just for a second, if he should be doing something different. No. Hugging was . . . it was okay.

“Oh, Josh,” she whispered. “I’m so sorry for the two of us.”

The thunderclap took them by surprise, and they jumped apart. Josh straightened, wiped his eyes on his sleeve. Sarah got a tissue and blew her nose.

“You want to see a movie?” she suggested, and for some reason, that sounded perfect to him.

“Something violent,” he said.

“A war movie.”

“Horror,” he countered.

“Whatever you want, pal. You just talked with your dead wife. You get popcorn and soda.” She smiled at him, and he felt himself smiling back.

“Thanks, Sarah,” he said. “You’re a good friend.”

Almost to his surprise, he realized it was true.

The psychic had mentioned a woman in his life who would be his second wife. Someone he already knew.

He wasn’t ready to think about that, though. Not today. Maybe not for a long, long time.

But it was there just the same.

22

Lauren

Twenty-five months left

January

Dear Daddy,

Help me. Oh, Daddy, please help me. Please don’t let this be true. I’m so scared. Please help me, Dad. Please let this be wrong.