Page 18 of Stoney Gazes for Helpful Gorgons

RHEA

Sage closes my bedroom door behind me and hurries over to put her arm around me. "Are you okay? I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't," I assure her. "It's just a hard day." And Shiran makes things worse just by breathing, but I keep that part to myself.

"I still feel bad."

"Don't, Sage. The party's great. I promise I'm fine and I'll be back out to have fun in a second." And I mean every word. I plan on having a good time tonight.

The door creaks open.

Sage gets up and stands between me and the door, but not before I see who's there.

"Jack." My voice cracks.

"I came to see if you were all right," he says. "One of the others said this was your room."

Sage looks between the two of us, clearly confused. Probably because she's never met him before.

I take a deep breath. "This is Jack, from the grief support group. Jack, this is Sage."

Understanding dawns in her eyes. "Do you want me to stay?" she asks me quietly.

I shake my head. "Go enjoy yourself, I'll be out in a bit."

She nods and heads to the door, giving Jack a small smile as she passes.

"Where do you want me to sit?" he asks.

"Here is fine." I pat the bed beside me. Considering all the emotions he's been helping me deal with, I don't think there's any harm in him sitting on my bed.

"So there's not going to be a boyfriend storming in and getting jealous?" he asks.

"Definitely not. I don't think I have the emotional bandwidth to date right now, and I wasn't really trying before Granny died either."

He nods. "I know what you mean, I haven't tried dating at all since Mum died." A haunted expression enters his eyes and I almost ask him what it's about until he shakes it away. "What happened out there?"

I sigh. "Honestly?"

"As honest as you want to be about it," he responds.

"Someone I can't stand from home said something that made me realise this is the first thing I'm celebrating without Granny. And that there aren't going to be any more.”

"Ah."

"She used the words very brave."

He grimaces. "That's never good."

"No. But it's not about her. I just miss Granny. I...have a present from her, but I haven't been able to open it." I get to my feet and head over to where the gift bag is sitting on my desk. "She gave it to me before term started again, but told me I couldn't open it yet even if I wanted to so she could see my response. But she insisted it's for my birthday, so that's when I should open it."

"Sounds like the kind of thing grandparents would say," he observes.

A smile spreads over my face as I pick up the bag. "It was just the kind of thing she always said. She always insisted on giving me presents before the event, but not let me open them until then." I take it back with me to the bed and stare down at the gift bag. "I know I shouldn't let opening a present get to me this much."

"It makes sense," he promises. "Once you open it, there's nothing else. It'll be the last thing she got you."

I nod. "At least I know it's not going to be food that goes rotten or something."