UNEDITED
Not all storms come to disrupt your life, some come to clear your path.
Those are the words that Justin McCallister has been repeating in his mind since the day he was diagnosed with a non-cancerous brain tumour that's been causing partial...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Justin
It turns out that Addie and I were right about Chris's situation - my father can't do a damned thing about what Chris wants. Our father's reaction was typical. He didn't believe a word of what Chris said because he seems to have this vendetta for Mom and said she made Chris write it, but he had no proof of that. The letter was written and read by Chris. Any allegations he made against Mom would be nullified because of that. So my little brother came home early with all his stuff and a grin on his face.
It's now the week of graduation and I'm waiting in the kitchen at Addie's house for my date. Zander and a couple other guys are here too, along with the parents I already know and have just met. We're all waiting on the girls to come downstairs. After that, we're going to take some pictures, socialize a little, and then drive to a large waterfront hotel in Kelowna for a march and then a banquet that's combined with dessert and a dance.
Zander nudges me. "What do you think is taking them so long?"
I shrug. "They're girls. How am I supposed to know?"
We both laugh because we know it's true. Who knows what they're doing up there?
A couple more minutes of chatting pass by before the girls come downstairs. Sophia, Jacey, and Nadira all look amazing, but when I see Addie, I'm breathless. She's wearing her stunning dress and her hair has been done up in a sophisticated style, complete with a braid crown and some curly wisps of dirty blonde hair framing her face. Her makeup is light - just the way I like it - with a light dusting of blush on her cheeks and a thin coat of mascara.
"Hi," she whispers when she's standing in front of me.
"H-hi," I stutter, still in shock.
"What do you think?" she asks.
What do I think? I can't even describe what I think, so when I say she looks amazing, I feel like I've disappointed her. "Sorry, Addie. It's the best I can come up with," I say. "I have no other thoughts I can put into words."
She blushes. "That's okay." She looks me up and down. "You look rather handsome yourself."
I smile, looking back at her. She looks stunning, but I feel like there's something missing. She's got no jewelry like the other girls do. And that's when I realize I'm still wearing the necklace she left with me. Quickly, I take it off.
"Turn around," I say, gesturing to the necklace.
Addie looks down at the necklace and her face lights up. I knew she wanted it back, I just couldn't bear to part with it at the beginning of my recovery or while I was recovering. So I think now's the perfect time to give it back.
When the pinecone pendant is resting on her chest, I ask, "Why a pinecone?"
"Now that," someone says from behind, "is a funny story."
