First There Was You

Chapter 41 Part 1: Greyson

August 2

Lake Muskoka, Ontario

Watching Elle through the tinted lenses of my sunglasses, I smile to myself. She's bubbling with nerves and excitement, jittery with it too. I let her excitement and energy roll over me, lifting my own spirits with it.

Facing backwards, facing the stern of the boat in the hot summer sun, I watch her; I watch my friends gravitate towards her, around her.

"You doing okay, Grey?" Ry's quiet murmur is meant only for me.

I shrug, but respond when he nudges me. "Better than yesterday, at least. You?"

Ry's silence worries me enough that I turn around to face him and push my sunglasses onto my head. "Ry?"

"Better than yesterday."

It's not saying much for either of us. Yesterday had been our worst day at the hospital and it was becoming clearer and clearer Liam was fading away, right in front of our eyes.

Yesterday, he told us he didn't want to stay in the hospital anymore. He didn't want to keep fighting.

Even with Elle's hand in mine, her reassuring smile, comforting presence, and compassionate eyes, there was nothing that could have prepared me for that moment.

It already feels like a hundred years ago, that Ry and I had wept in the parking lot. Elle's tears were silent as she'd pushed them away to comfort us. The only reason I knew she'd been crying was the tear streaks through her makeup.

She just stood there, hugging us both as we'd wept. Something about the way Liam looked, so hopeless, so miserable had chewed me up. Sam's eyes were red rimmed, swollen, like she'd been crying for hours, maybe days.

Elle simply weathered the storm, whispering soft reassurances until we'd calmed down enough to stand and get in the car. She held both our hands for the entire ride back north. Ry managed the drive home.

Before I even had a chance to adjust to Liam's decision, Liam's mom called this morning.

They're moving him up north with some nursing staff for at home care until, well until. They'll arrive Saturday morning.

"I quit my job, Grey. I'm going to spend the rest of the summer with Liam and Sam."

I nod, I wanted to do the same, but the small family business couldn't handle losing it's only full-time employee. "I can't quit, not straight up, but I've switched to part time, and Elle's going to help me split shifts, so will Hunter. Hud's offered to help, too. I'll be there as much as I can."

At least I'll be busy this week, to keep my mind off things. I'm on horse show duty with Elle, since her folks are heading to visit Wes and Logan at camp.

And today, both Elle and Theo insisted that I need something to take my mind off my grief, that I take some time to be happy. They'd suggested a day of cliff jumping, picnicking in the boat, then skiing and wakeboarding. It sounded like a good idea, at least before I got Jacqueline's call.

So, here we are, floating at the end of Ry's dock, waiting for his sister.

When Sarah finally jumps in, wearing a skimpy little bikini, she hugs Elle, then waves at the rest of us. Every time I see her, I'm slapped in the face by how much she's changed from brat to babe. Shit.

If I were her brother I'd lock her up, knowing exactly what boys like us think about girls who look like that. I glance at Elle, hypocrite; I think to myself. I'm thinking the exact same things about her.

Elle climbs onto my lap for the fast ride to Brydons Bay, and I sigh contentedly. Just her presence puts me at ease. I rest my head against her chest and close my eyes, listening to her friendly conversation with Sarah. I can see the bond the two of them have built over these past weeks, and I'm happy for it.