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CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Zac made a point of not letting go of her until the tears in his eyes had cleared. This was the third time she’d tried to say goodbye to him, and now her time was swiftly coming to an end.
"Ring me, ok? Anytime. Reverse charge. I’ll pay it all" He whispered as he pulled away. "Just don’t be expecting Mr Bright & Breezy to pick up at 3:00 in the morning."
Shannon smiled despite the tears swimming in her eyes.
"I love you Zac." She whispered.
He understood, and smiled.
"I know." He breathed.
"Shan?" Her mother called, and gestured towards the gates. The attendants were waiting for her. She was the last. She stared past them apprehensively. There was a long walk through the rain to get to the staircase leading into the huge plane. She could just see the last person before her running into the cabin, probably soaked. How dodgy.
She turned back, and glanced over Zac’s shoulder, scanning the airport lobby. Empty. She closed her eyes for a moment sadly.
"Give Taylor a hug for me ok?" She whispered to Zac.
He nodded sincerely.
"Goodbye Zac." She breathed one last time.
"Bye."
She began walking backwards waving goodbye to Isaac, Lara, Zac and her mother Caroline as she went. She glanced across their faces one by one for the last time, loving them, and using all the character changing strength she’d learnt through them to hold back her aching tears. For the last time, she looked beyond them into the emptiness and saw nothing. With a sigh, she turned, handed across her boarding pass, and walked out into the rain.
She didn’t run…and she didn’t look back.
_ _ _
"Thankyou. Thankyou a thousand times, I don’t know what to say." Taylor exclaimed as he jumped from the police car.
Murray smiled.
"Kai would have wanted it. Now get outta here!"
Taylor smiled and slammed the door before sprinting into the airport, his heart racing.
It was 6:01.
_ _ _
Isaac glanced across at Zac. His eyes were glassy as he stared motionlessly out at Shannon’s disappearing figure. Even though he’d never admit it, Zac had depended on her too. He was going to miss her friendship. But that wasn’t going to hurt as much as her lack of love would hurt Taylor. Sadly, Isaac glanced behind him at the empty foyer. It all seemed so wrong. With a sigh, he looked away, but something caught his eye, and he glanced up again. What he saw took his breath away.
"Oh my gosh." He whispered.
_ _ _
The first thing Taylor noticed was the shock on Isaac’s face. The second was that Shannon was missing. He slowed to a distraught jog as he neared them, glancing from one face to another, searching for a glimmer of hope. All they offered him was his worst nightmare. This couldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when he’d been so desperately close. Not after all he’d been through. He felt tears start to burn at the corners of his eyes. And then suddenly Zac’s eyes went wide, and he started yelling.
"You can still catch her. You can still catch her. Go…run…she’s through there, go!"
Zac grabbed his brother’s arm and pushed him in the direction of the gates. Taylor didn’t hesitate, and ran straight past the attendants before they had time to react.
"Hey!" They yelled, and started after him.
Zac and Isaac ran to the door and blocked it with a grin. The two attendants glanced at each other. Hanson were blocking their door. Were they going to complain? Hell no!
Shannon breathed in the scent of the rain. The rain that she loved so much...but that also reminded her of memories she was trying to forget. She was almost in the staircase now, and her mind was filled with farewells for her country, and the amazing people she was leaving behind here.
"Shannon."
She paused for a moment, her heart skipping a beat. She shook her head, and continued walking.
"Shannon."
Now she whirled around, her eyes searching the rainy runway in disbelief.
And suddenly she saw a figure coming towards her.
"Oh my gosh." She whispered.
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