Between Hello and Goodbye

by Emma Scott

Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with heart and soul there is no such thing as separation. —Rumi

“You’re a mysterious person, Asher Mackey.” And you’re making it difficult to dislike you, Faith Benson.

“Shoo.” She waved a hand. “There are other damsels in distress waiting for you to save them. And I have your number if I need you again.” “I didn’t give you my number…” “911?” She arched a brow at me. “You walked right into that one, Asher Mackey.”

“Are we in trouble, firefighter?” I understood her meaning. Because I could read her, and she could read me, and neither one of us wanted to do much else besides figure each other out. “Not yet,” I said quietly. “But we’re getting there.”

“Everything you do and everything you are, Asher, just makes me want you more.”

“I have five days off. That’s probably too much for you with your work schedule…” “No, it’s fine. I’ll take personal leave, or I can work around it… Hell, I’ll tell them I’ve been kidnapped and won’t be released for exactly five days.”

thinking all the while about the crazy curveballs life threw at us. And that maybe the key to survival wasn’t trying to avoid them—impossible—but how we reacted to them.

“We’re stuck, aren’t we? Trapped somewhere between hello and goodbye.”

Because that is the measure of a life, my dear. The love you have. It’s worth everything.”

“We’re going to be okay. We’ll miss you like hell, but we’ll be okay.” Sudden tears flooded my eyes. “The fuck. Are you kicking me out?” “Yes,” Momi and Morgan said together. My brother chuckled. “We are voting you off the island.” I laughed and wiped my eyes. “Asshole.”

I have a feeling a lot of the misery we go through is because of the story we tell ourselves.” I shrugged. “You rewrite the story, and you get a different ending.”