The Butterfly and The Moth

44

The anticipation was loud, the light air of the night now filled with an unspoken tension. The warmth had been replaced with worry. The silence swallowed us as we prepared to head back. 

Our small sanctuary on the water, under the vast night sky, now felt like an oasis slipping through my fingers.

Sterling was the first to stand, his gaze lingering on the horizon before he turned to offer me a hand. His grip was firm, an anchor amidst the sea of uncertainty we were suddenly thrust back into. I held on to him, grateful for his steady presence. Colt was silent, his normally lively eyes clouded with concern. He gave me a reassuring nod before pulling preparing the barge for our return journey.

As we floated back towards Sapphire Cove, I couldn't help but take one last look at the starry sky. What was once a source of wonder and calm was now a stark reminder of how small we were in the grand scheme of things. How life, with its twists and turns, could take us on unexpected journeys. And in the face of such uncertainty, all we could do was navigate the choppy water, hoping to find a way back to shore.

The barge docked quietly, the hushed whisper of the water against the barge was the only sound in the still night. The lights from the town of Sapphire Cove spilled out onto the dock, illuminating our path. Daisy's call had cut our night short, the pull of reality unavoidable. But despite the uncertainty, I couldn't deny the sense of belonging that still lingered. Here, with Sterling and Colt, I felt a strange kind of home.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I turned to see Sterling, his face wore a look of calmness, but his eyes betrayed him, holding a hint of worry. He gave me a small smile, the kind that didn't quite reach his eyes. He nodded towards the path, and we began our walk towards the unknown.

Walking back towards the car, I couldn't shake off the unease settling in my gut. We reached the small parking lot, each step echoed in the quiet. We wordlessly entered Sterling's car, me in the front seat and Colt in the back. The engine rumbled to life, the sound slicing through the quiet night. We drove in silence, and I knew we were all wondering the same thing. 

Did Daisy know? 

We dropped Colt off at his house, his parting look filled with an uncharacteristic gravity, the impact of my story still weighing heavy on his mind.

"It will be okay," Colt said as he exited the car, looking at both Sterling and I. I knew he was talking to both of us. Sterling waited just a second before driving away, watching as Colt reached his door.

Now, it was just Sterling and me, the silence in the car stretching tight between us as we began our way back to Daisy's. I felt the weight of the impending conversation with Daisy, anxiety gnawing at the edges of my consciousness. I was spiralling, the echoes of my past clawing at the inside of my skull, the potential scenarios of Daisy's call amplifying my anxiety.

Sterling broke the silence, his voice steady. "Dahlia," he started, hesitating for a moment before he continued. "I don't know what Daisy wants to tell us. But... Daisy might know about Erik. And if she does..." He let his words hang in the air, his grip on the steering wheel tightening.

The knot in my stomach twisted tighter, a visceral response to the mere mention of Erik's name. But Sterling's voice was calm, his words carefully measured, as though trying to piece together a riddle. His reassurances were like a lighthouse in the storm of my fears, a beacon of hope in the dark.

"Maybe it's a good thing if she knows," he continued. He glanced my way, his eyes holding a quiet intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. "If Daisy knows, she would never let Erik hurt you again. She won't stay with him. She'd be on your side, Dahlia."