Page 141 of Break Out the Girl

Sky narrows her eyes at him. “I don’t know if you’d be the first person I’d go to if I wanted name advice,” she teases.

“Hear, hear,” Tally mumbles.

London gives Sky big pleading eyes. “Don’t you want to hear?”

“Fine, spill,” she giggles, the sound making me want to dance.

“Drumroll…” London taps on the table. “I now declare you Sky Fuckwad!” He gestures toward Basil, who is hanging in his hammock above the table, still chewing a sausage. “You two are basically siblings anyway. Double the Wads, double the fun. It’s a very prestigious lineage.”

“Shut up, London,” Basil grumbles, though he doesn’t actually look angry.

And even though Sky’s face is pale with exhaustion, her eyes twinkle. “Very prestigious,” she agrees, “but I had a different thought.” Her face grows more solemn as she turns to Tally. “What was Immy’s last name?”

The table goes still as the poignancy hits us all. Tally’s eyes soften as he looks at the girl. He smoothes a hand over her hair. “Haddad, Imran Haddad.”

Sky nods. “Then maybe my new name could be Sky Haddad.” She pauses, her fingers together. “If that’s not too weird.”

“Not weird at all,” I quickly reassure her. “I think it sounds great.”

“Really?” she beams. “And I was wondering, maybe sometime I could meet his little brother?”

“We can definitely make that happen,” Tally tells her. “And his parents. They’d love to hear how you and Imran became friends.”

“I only met your Immy for a bit, but he was a stalwart soul,” London adds. “And such a lovely little Madge Howlett.”

By the time the last plate is cleared, everyone else squeezed around the tiny table looks content, but I am not happy.

François isn’t with us. He drove off into the dark with Cosmo and Ludo a couple of hours ago.

He left us.

Just got in the SUV and headed out to Havengard City, not looking back.

It’s his right, of course, I just wasn’t…expecting it.

Tally and London know I’m hurting, so does Sky, but they’re plowing on trying to act light and normal. If any of us can ever be normal again.

No. I mustn't complain. François saved us time and time again. He did more than his part.

But living crammed in a double-wide trailer was never going to be something he could tolerate for long. I’m sure the idea of a ride back to the city, access to his funds, wardrobe and lifestyle, was too big of an urge to fight.

"I think..." Sky says, yawning and shifting in her seat, “that I want to try sleeping on my own tonight, if that’s alright, Rory? All the real nightmares are over, so maybe the ones in my head will be gone as well.”

“Are you sure, sweet girl? There’s no rush, it doesn’t matter if you have to sleep beside me forever.”

Tally mumbles something then hides it behind a cough as he squeezes my leg under the table.

“I know, Rory. And truly, I love you so much, but I need to start being strong, and this seems a safe way to start.”

“I’ll sleep in the adjoining room,” Basil pipes up from above. “We can keep the door open.”

“Oh, thanks, Bas, that would be perfect.”

“Good lad,” London beams, reaching up to ruffle Basil's hair as the kid ducks away, telling him to fuck off.

With the two kids finally tucked away, the tiny bedrooms go quiet. I stand staring at the corridor, biting my lip. Sky wanted this, but she’s been waking up screaming most nights. I’ll just try and sleep with one ear open.

Everything is alright.