“I’m nearly there.”
“What’s with the heavy breathing? Are you walking?”
“I’ll be there soon,” I reply and hang up. I turn off my phone, take the SIM card out, then snap the card in half and throw it away.
When I reach the clearing, I can see the silhouette of a person swinging on a swing. I have an inkling it’s my sister, and I hobble in her direction. The swing stops abruptly.
“Ava,” she calls out and runs toward me.
I close my eyes and brace for the impact. Her arms come around me, and she hugs me fiercely, taking all the air out of my lungs. Everything is painful, especially my ribs.
When she pulls back, she asks, “What’s going on?”
“Yeah. What is going on?” a deep voice asks. I jump. The familiar panic makes my stomach churn.
Elena touches my shoulder gently. I try not to flinch, but I can’t help it. Every part of me is on edge.
“It’s okay,” she says, her voice soft. “It’s only Jake.”
I nod, though my heart doesn’t slow.
We are in the shadows, so I can’t see her clearly. She grasps my sore hand, and I pull it from hers at once. “I fell over.”
“Um... okay. Well, let’s get you cleaned up?”
I follow the two, who are whispering to each other.
He unlocks a van, and as he opens the door, the inside light comes on. When he gets into it, I get a better glimpse of him. He looks the same as he did at their wedding, though his playful mood from that night is nowhere to be seen.
Elena gasps, one hand covering her mouth, and so many emotions cross her face. Sadness and anger, then sympathy. It burns me to see that in her eyes. This isn’t supposed to be how my life turned out. My shoulders drop. I’m so pathetic.
She wipes the corner of her eye with her hand, but she doesn’t speak. She stands rigid and stares at me.
Jake clears his throat. “C’mon, Elena, let’s get out of here.” When I turn to look at him, his eyes widen, then he looks at his wife and frowns.
“Get in,” he says to me, underscoring his words with a jerk of his head.
I avoid eye contact with Elena as I pull the backpack off, get into the back of the van, and slide the door shut.
Her soft cries follow the slam of the car door. His hand goes across to her thigh to comfort her. The guilt of making her cry fills me with regret. I hate seeing her sad because of me.
Once we’re driving, Jake’s eyes flick between the road and the rearview mirror.
“Do you have anything for her?” Elena asks through sniffling. “Like first aid or a clean towel or something.”
“Ah, yeah. There should be a metal box in the back there.”
“I’m good,” I say.
Elena turns to face me, with her eyes slightly narrowed. “You are far from good.” A tinge of frustration weaves into her tone.
“I... Thank you for picking me up. I promise I won’t stay for long. As soon as I get a job, I’ll be out of your hair.” Being a burden is my worst nightmare come true.
Her voice softens. “You can stay as long as you like.”
“Let me run it through Reaper first before you make promises for a long-term stay—” says Jake.
“I have money. Not much, but I’ve been saving. I’m happy to help clean and cook and whatever I can until I find a place of my own.”
