The front door opens before I can answer, and Halle and Asher walk inside.
Halle’s smile is thin, fragile, as Sarah leans in to hug her. Asher gives me a brief nod, his attention immediately shifting back to Halle, watching her every move.
“I’ll be out back, if you guys need anything,” Sarah says.
I fidget with the hem of my shirt, the tension between us thickening by the second.
“Jesus Christ,” Asher mutters, dropping onto the couch. “You both pull at your shirts when you’re nervous.”
The air shifts at his words, the tension loosening.
Halle and I face each other. Her eyes shimmer, swimming with something that looks a lot like understanding.
“I’m sor?—”
She cuts me off, crossing the room in two steps, and throws her arms around me, hugging me tight.
“I’m sorry.” I pull back, motioning for her to sit on the couch.
I take the seat beside her, angling myself so I’m facing both her and Asher. Leaning forward, I grab the letters.
“I should have given these to you the first day I came back,” I say.
“Yeah,” Halle agrees, taking them from my hands. “You probably should have.”
She stares down at them, tracing the edges, her finger following the curve of Mom’s handwriting.
“They’re all written by her?” she asks.
“They are. I swear I haven’t opened any of yours,” I say quickly, then hesitate.
“No more secrets, man,” Asher says, as I find my words.
“I didn’t want these to cause another spiral,” I admit. “I’m so scared of losing you, Halle, that somewhere in my stupid brain, it made more sense to keep them from you. I convinced myself I was protecting you.”
“I get it,” Halle says. “I’m not going to sit here and be mad at you. Am I upset? Yeah. Am I a little scared… a little nervous about what might be written in these? For sure.” She exhales. “But I made peace with Mom’s decision to leave us. I’ve made peace with my trauma. Some days are harder than others, but I’m working through it.” She looks at me. “Do you know what helps?”
I shake my head.
“Having everyone around me.” She smiles faintly. “Asher, who lets me word-vomit at him every day. Who holds me tight when I need it. The girls, who know when to step in without me even having to ask.” Her grip tightens on the letters. “Their support strengthens me.”
Her eyes soften. “And you. Hunter, you’re my big brother. Out of everyone here, you’ve been protecting me for the longest.” She nudges my shoulder. “But I’m older now, and I don’t need to be treated like a kid anymore. Okay?”
Letting out a breath, I dip my chin, pressing my lips together. My fingers curl into my thigh, fighting the instinct to pull her closer, to shield her the way I always have.
“Yeah, okay.”
Her face lights up, and I lift my hand before she can say anything. “I can’t promise the protectiveness will disappear overnight, but I promise I won’t hide things from you again.”
“Good.” She beams.
I tap the top of her letters. “I’ve been opening mine. They’ve been hard to read. Madi was helping me… before everything happened. Make sure you don’t do it alone.”
“I won’t.” She lets out a long breath, hugging the letters to her chest. “I don’t know if I’m even ready to open them. I might hold onto them for a little bit. If it gets too much, I’ll tell you. Hell, maybe one day, we could trade.”
The weight of these letters finally slips from my shoulders, relief washing over me as I smile at her.
A couple of hours later, we’re gathered in Madison’s room.
