We survived family. We survived fire. We survivedhellon earth.
But here we are. Breathing, thriving,alivewith this second chance. And I’m never letting that go.
15
Stan
March 2 — Glass case of emotion (AKA greenhouse)
I’m ugly crying.
Like, fully embarrassing, lungs-on-fire, eyes-stinging ugly crying. I hate it, so naturally, I decide to cope the only way I know how.
Bug someone about it, while I’m armed to the teeth with charm.
I scrub at my face with the sleeve of my jacket and shuffle closer to Sterling, keeping my voice low so I don’t ruin the moment taking place a few feet away.
“So…” I whisper to my emo middle brother. “Sorry your honeymoon got cockblocked by this surprise sibling reunion. Bet that wasn’t on the itinerary.”
Sterling doesn’t even look at me while I’m speaking to him. He’ssorude. It makes me wanna cry harder.
His attention stays on Elle and Nil, embracing each other in the middle of the greenhouse. Sterling’s posture is completely still like the man’s seriously made of stone.
Then he turns his head slowly to look at me. His stare’s stern with his cold, silver eyes matching his snow-like hair. And now, thegreenhouse feels icier than it is outside.
“Worth it,” he whispers, almost silent.
“What?” I crease my brows.
He steps closer to me, speaking with a voice that’s barely there. “I’d do anything to help Elle rebuild her old life.” He crosses his arms. “Anything.”
Well… That’s what does me in.
My throat squeezes like I’m being choked, and the tears come back even worse. I press my fist to my mouth, shoulders shaking while I’m trying to hold myself together.
“Goddammit, Silver,” I whisper. “You can’t say shit like that.”
“Why not?”
“Because that’s how I feel too, but I don’t know how to do this,” I admit. “I can’t be all serious like you. I joke. I run my mouth. But I want…” My voice cracks, so I clear my throat. “I want to give Nil that too. A life where he can take back everything that was taken from him.”
Sterling shrugs, his gaze going to the side. “Then give it to him.”
“What?” I step into his view. “That’s it?”
“Yeah, that’s it,” he says, like it’s that simple. “Aren’t you already doing that for him?”
That somehow lightens my shoulders. I swipe at my eyes again and let out a shaky laugh. “Great. Awesome. I came to the greenhouse to surprise my boyfriend and crack some jokes, but now, I’m being ambushed by personal growth.”
Sterling’s mouth twitches. “About time.”
I look back at Nil, still in his sister’s arms. But over her shoulder, he meets my eyes. I must look like a weeping mess. Still, he gives me a smile that shines like the damn sun.
My chest does this stupid, painful thing. “Shit,” I whisper. “I’m so gone for him.”
Sterling glances at me. “Anyone with eyes can tell.”
“Eyes…? That’s in poor taste, Silver.” I frown. “Didn’t Kaye tell you? Someone lost their eyes and died on my Kys cruise. Don’t make jokes like that.”
