Water Bearer by Wendi
Christner
Excerpt
She let him lead her to what resembled a bench-shaped
topiary. Undoubtedly, it was one of the trusses not completely destroyed by the
fire, now upholstered by Mother Nature. He tested the timber’s stability with
the toe then heel of his boot, then motioned for her to sit. They sat together,
neither speaking until Cassidy steadied her breath.
The place was nothing like the inferno of her dreams.
The damp moss was cool to the touch. Birds chirped, a lizard scampered over a
stack of bricks, and water pooled in the uneven concrete foundation.
“Why did you bring me here?”
In her palm, he placed a chain with a small silver medallion
of a bare-chested man balanced on the flayed tail of a mermaid and an urn
tipped over his shoulder. The silver had tarnished and the edges were rubbed
with wear. Cassidy had seen the zodiac charm a million times. It had belonged
to Jared’s mother. He’d worn it since they were kids, never once taking it off.
“I’m a Leo.” Her voice was as soft as the breeze that
brushed the grasses on the hill.
“I know.” He lifted the medallion from her hand. “This
is my sign. I thought maybe you could use it more than me.”
She swallowed the lump that had risen in her throat.
“Aquarius is the Water Bearer,” he said, reaching
behind her neck to clasp the chain. His fingers brushed her skin, leaving
goosebumps. The chain settled into place, and the medallion dropped like a
quarter between her breasts. The warmth of his touch still lingered on the
silver, and her heart swelled.
At that moment, she understood what it would mean to
leave Jared behind. She fought for a witty comment, something to break the
tension, something to make them laugh. But she could only stare at the gift he
had given her, blurred by the tears burning her eyes.
He
reached for her hand again. His thumb massaged the ridges of her knuckles, and
he squeezed as if he’d never let go. “When you’re ready to put this fire out,
maybe you can come back home.”
Water Bearer Blurb
One last summer together forever
changes the lives of best friends in a small Southern community. These
unforgettable characters and their moving story linger long beyond the
final page.
Amazon: https://goo.gl/4863fA
Wendi Christner Bio
Wendi Christner is the author of Writer’s Digest
Short-Short Story Competition winner “Throwing Stones,” a fairy self-help book,
and several novels written under various pseudonyms. Her gritty,
emotional stories tend to have a Southern voice born of her roots in
the Florida panhandle. She currently lives in Tampa with her husband, son, and
their fur family.
Twitter/Instagram @WendiDarlin
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