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He laughed softly. “Darlin’, don’t even worry about me. I’m fine. I’ll be happiest when I knowyou’rehappy. And right now, it seems as if you need some time to yourself to figure out your new normal and whatmakesyou happy.”
“And if I realizeyou’rewhat makes me happy?” I asked.
“God, I hope I am,” he said with a smile in his voice. “But I need you to learn that for yourself. And I’m going to give you the space to do it. In the meantime, I’m just over here, holding down the fort,stillloving you and waiting for you to find yourself again. Does that answer whatever questions you have regarding us?”
“I…” With a cringe, I nodded. “Yes. Whatever is between us definitely makes more sense to me now. Thank you for that. But I still wish I knew what the hell I was supposed to do about everything else in my life.”
Foster’s chuckle spilled through the receiver. “You’ll figure it out,” he assured. “But maybe not tonight. It’s getting late. I recommend sleep. Things always look clearer in the morning.”
I made a face but answered, “Yeah, probably.”
“You’ll get through this,” he added. “Life changes too much for you to stay stuck like this for long.”
“True.” Heaving out a breath, I yawned and closed my eyes, already starting to drift off. His assurance had released so much of my stress, it left me plumb exhausted. “Thank you, Foster. Good night.”
“’Night, Raina,” he murmured. “I love you.”
* * *
When I openedmy eyes again, I was on a beach. Cheek pressed against warm sand, I sputtered and rolled onto my back, wiping the grit away before I sat upright to peer through the darkness surrounding me.
“WhereamI?” I asked aloud, as I slowly pushed my way to my feet.
In front of me, water rippled and frothed, surging toward the shore and trying to make landfall, only to recede away again, unsuccessful. When I glanced behind me, a row of beach cottages lined the edge of the sand with a night lamp blaring from one place down the way.
It seemed so eerily familiar that I blinked and shook my head, wondering where I’d seen this very view before.
I took a step toward the lightened house, only to glance down at my bare feet when sand squished between my toes. And there, I realized I was wearing a black-topped jumpsuit with multi-colored shorts and a belt to match. The same outfit I’d been in the night Kinsey had died.
The night my life had changed forever.
A cold finger of dread crawled up the back of my neck. I hugged myself and started to breathe a little harder until I heard a distant voice shout my name.
“Raina. Over here! Hey, Raina!”
I spun to the water and saw a figure wading in the surf. When it lifted its hand to wave, I waved back, grateful to find someone who knew me.
I hurried that way.
The closer I drew, the more my brow furrowed in confusion, though.
He was just a kid, some blond-headed boy who couldn’t be over seven or eight years old. And when he smiled at me, there was a gap where he’d lost a tooth.
“I finally made it back through!” he greeted with a flourish, opening both arms as if to display himself cheerfully. “Can you believe it? The pathway grew all murky and cloudy after you woke up from your coma, but I never gave up.”
“I…” Squinting at him, I cringed before hesitantly asking, “Do I know you?”
His mouth dropped open. “Are you serious?” he countered, looking hurt. “You don’t remember me?”
“I’m sorry,” I immediately gushed, hoping he didn’t cry. “I—I—I’ve forgotten a lot of things lately, it seems.”
“Oh.” His shoulders fell as if that made sense. Then, he nodded thoughtfully. “I suppose that was a possibility after you woke up. It explains why it was so hard for me to get through to you. But as long as you remember Foster, it’s okay.”
When I immediately winced, the boy widened his eyes and cried, “You don’t rememberFoster?”
“I mean, I know who he is,” I rushed to say. “And I was told my spirit was, like,tetheredto him, or something, while I was in my coma, but I don’t remember any of it.”
“But…” He blinked at me as if he didn’t understand what I was telling him. “You have to remember that part,” he said hollowly. “That’s the most important part.”
