And I Keep Holding On Novels & Stories

Now he could hold her freely, and the simple joy of it made his chest ache. Outside, Maxwell stood at his car for a moment, staring up at the apartment windows. A strange mix of emotions swirled within him, relief that his sister and best friend had finally stopped dancing around each other, worry about what would happen if things didn't work out, and an unexpected pang of something like loneliness. He'd always been the third wheel in their trio, but now it was official. His phone buzzed in his pocket. It was his mother. "Well?" she demanded without preamble. "Did they finally figure it out?"

Hold on to me. I hold on. I hold on to him as the only certainty in this chaos. I clench my fingers on his forearm, so hard I feel the muscles contract under my grip. He doesn't flinch. He wipes the sweat streaming from my temples with a cool cloth Élise hands him. He murmurs, disjointed words, memories, promises, a litany of encouragement and love. His deep voice mingles with the reassuring voices of the midwives, who accompany me, soothe me, bring me back to my body.

I will follow it, like I always do. “There are people relying on me. Just hold on a little longer, Sinclair. Hold on.”

“There is more than one way to get you to take it my love, and when it’s gone I’ll personally put a new one in for you if you want one so badly.” A wave of panic and disgust rush over me immediately and I clutch unto my tummy again, reminded myself what’s worth fighting for. I just have to hold on until Kain gets here, I know for a fact that he will get here and saves us both.

“Maybe longer.” I nod, but I don’t release him. I can’t. My grip tightens around him, as if letting go will make him slip away completely. My breath shudders out of me, my chest tight, my pulse pounding. I keep holding him, keep waiting. Because the second I let go, I might lose him for good.

But he doesn’t let go. He just holds on.

" I didn't know what to say. So I just held him.

“you are welcome, it’s the least I could do…” “your appointment with your dentist is still slated for next week?” Christopher adjusted his seating position “yes, it is, I’m anxious, I can’t wait to get these braces of my teeth” “I hope to be there too, I need to witness that” “you being there would mean everything to me, I hope you would be able to make it” “if I’m discharged from this shit hole, I’ll definitely come, let’s keep our fingers crossed” There was a knock on the door, interrupting their conversation, they waited for a second, then the knock came in again

Just as I turned to walk away, he grabbed my wrist hard. “Zoe, I’ll never let you leave me again. My only mission today is to take you and the baby home. You don’t understand. When I thought I’d lost you, I nearly went insane! My heart broke, and I thought of you day and night. This time, no matter how you torment me or test me, I will not let go. I swear it.” How laughable. Who was he even trying to fool with this sudden act of devotion? I yanked my arm free with all my strength.

bodega with the cat that is three parts lion, the nail salon two doors down that is always playing a true crime podcast at a low murmur, a teenager on a skateboard practicing a trick like persistence is oxygen. I buy a second apple because the first one was a betrayal and I am stubborn. I come home feeling more like a person and less like a cursor blinking without a sentence.