“It doesn’t matter now.”
“It does matter,” I groan. “Maddie will never know you.”
She doesn’t answer. She only begins to drift away in the shimmering golden light. I think I hear the sound of sparkling water or tinkling glass. It’s like high-pitched wind chimes.
Her eyes hold mine, lingering as if she’s waiting for me to regain control.
“Maddie knows you,” she says gently. “Take care of her. Take care of you, and let me go.”
My legs are weak, and I lower to my knees. My entire body is drained, and I put my hands in front of me on the rug, moving all the way down to lie on my side.
The vision expands as if I’m in a movie theater, and she’s on an IMAX screen, looking down at me with large, doe-eyes. The light around her grows brighter until I have to squint, then I can’t see her anymore. It’s blinding white, slowly fading, growing dimmer and dimmer until the room is completely dark.
The house is quiet.
I’m lying on the floor in my bedroom, hidden betweenmy bed and the wall. I’m alone, flat on my back, staring at the ceiling.
I touch my face. My cheeks are damp, but my chest is calm. I sit up slowly, a little shakily. My mouth is completely dry, and I hold onto the side of the bed to help me stand.
Gina is there, lying in the center with her arms and legs spread wide like a starfish. I reach over to touch her hand, and I can tell she’s only sleeping. Leaving her, I go to the door and open it to see the party is over. Everyone’s gone, and my sister is lying on the couch also asleep, a crystal ball cuddled to her chest.
19
GINA
“She’s telling me it’s time to come out now.” My hands are up, and rainbow lasers shoot all around us from the disco ball. “Her voice is not squeaky like in a cartoon. It’s like a regular voice.”
“Whose voice?” Heather’s blue eyes are wide, and she holds my arm, looking all around the room.
“Can’t you see her?” I point to the fluffy white Bichon Frisé sitting on the rug watching us. “She’s wagging her tail and telling me it’s time to be born.”
Heather moves her hands in an arc in front of my face. “You’re the lady with the dog.”
“I am.” I reach up to hold her hand in mine. “I’m the dog lady.”
“My sister.” Her eyes flutter closed, and she squeezes our hands together. “I dreamed about you. I told him it was you before we even met. I saw you through the mist holding a dog. You will heal him, and he will heal you.”
The Bichon Frisé shakes its ears and rises up on its back legs before running down the hall.
“I have to follow this dog. This dog is my spirit animal!” I take off running after it, leaving Heather dancing under the rainbow lasers.
We run upstairs and down, and then we go outside, where I slow to a stop.
Looking up, I see a sky full of stars. They swirl together like that painting by Van Gogh, and I sit down to watch them curl like waves then uncurl and slide apart.
“It’s so beautiful,” I tell the dog sitting beside me also watching.
Then the stars swirl to form a heart, and I see a man and a little girl. I reach out my hands, and they reach back. The circle is complete, and we’re so happy. We dance around the heart holding hands like it’s “Ring Around the Rosie.”
My eyes close, and I’m stars now, too. I’m light and fizzy, smiling so big as we release hands, all drifting down together.
The next thing I know, a large hand strokes the top of my head, moving my hair off my cheek. My lips are stuck together, and I have the worst cottonmouth.
“You okay?” Owen’s voice is soft, and he pats my shoulder gently. “Need a sip of water?”
Nodding, I sit up slowly. My eyes are still closed, but I reach for the water. I’m desperate for it.
“Here,” he says. “Let me help you.”
