Now Nick has joined the discussion too.The three brothers are talking, making an absurd amount of noise, and I feel like my head is going to explode.I only stopped by to say hello to my sister, yet here I am, once again witnessing the O’Connor’s dominance.
There is no room for anyone else when they are around.
I sit on the sofa, resting my elbow on my knee and pressing my fingers to my throbbing forehead.A moment later, my sister sits down beside me.
“Are you sure you can leave Jamie in his hands?”I ask, nodding towards Nick, who has drifted away from the discussion and is now holding my niece.
“What’s wrong?”she asks instead, touching my arm.
“I missed you.”
“That’s all?”
I nod.
“You know you’re part of the family, right, Jamie?”
This is my sister.She always seems to know everything, especially when it comes to me.No one else in the world understands me the way she does.Maybe it’s because, until now, it’s always just been the two of us.She raised me, knows all my secrets and fears, and has always loved and protected me.
I owe her everything.
I’ll never love anyone the way I love her.
“What are you talking about?”I ask.
“This is what I see and feel,” she says.
I turn to her.“Are you happy?”
She gives me a tender smile.“I am.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
“I care about your happiness, too.”She strokes my cheek with her fingers.
“If you are happy, then I’m happy.”
“Your happiness can’t depend on mine.”
“I already have everything, Riley.What more could I possibly ask for?”
She gives me that look and speaks to me in the way only she can.“I can’t help you if you don’t let me in.”
I lay my hand over hers.“You’ve already done so much.It’s time for you to stop hiding me in your room and holding me all night.”
I never wanted to tell her this.I don’t want to cloud her happiness with the grey storm hanging over me, the one that presses down and keeps me from feeling the sun’s warmth and light.
“I won’t hide you from anyone anymore, because you don’t need me to.But I will always be here to hold you and remind you how great you are.And I know that one day you’ll meet someone you’ll trust to do the same.”
Chapter14
Martin
“Good morning, dear Doctor.What brings you here?”Chris greets me from behind the counter at her café,The Red Cherry.
“I’ve got a couple of hours before my shift, so I thought I’d pop in for a quick bite.”
Chris comes over and gives me a hug.
