The closer I get to my car, the more it’s as if every injury from the accident is awakened. Like the pain in my heart has reached the ultimate capacity and is overflowing to every space I’m trying to heal.
My shoulder and hips ache along with the pulsing in my head until finally, my lungs burn as if on fire. As if taking the slightest breath will squeeze the life out of me.
I close my eyes as I reach my door handle and nearly collapse from the weight suddenly pressing down on me.
I tip my chin up toward the gray sky and see it seems to reflect what I’m feeling…like the sun has disappeared. I whisper and wish my words could reach across time and space to my sister, “I need you. I can’t do this without you. There’s nothing left to shield, but I could sure use some of your heart to embolden mine.”
But as expected, my whisper is the only one carried in the wind.
27
DASH
My front door slams behind an angry Audrey.
“How could you say those words to her after pouring your heart out to me about how you couldn’t live without her, Dash?” she shouts, zeroing in on me.
“I can’t live without her. So, every day for the rest of my life will be simply existing, not living,” I explain.
She grabs my face in her hands forcing me to look her in the eye.
“You’re being dumb! You just let the love of your life walk out the door and she has no intention of coming back! Do you get that? You were so cold to her! I’m ashamed of you right now!” she shouts.
“You don’t know what this feels like, Audrey. Stay out of it. I didn’t ask you to come,” I remind her.
“No, you didn’t, but I’m here anyway and it seems not a moment too soon. Explain it to me,” she says.
I drag a hand down my face. “Explain what?”
“What does this feel like? You told me everything from the wreck to everyone except you thinking she was London, to the stalker. You’ve told me she showed signs of remembering your love even before her memories returned. So now that you’ve got her back, how can you let her walk out the door without a fight?”
“I always knew she’d come back to me. But I never expected getting her back to be the same moment we lost the trust we had in each other. She doesn’t trust me, and after what I saw today, I don’t know how to trust her.”
Audrey narrows her eyes. “She just lost her twin sister, Dash. Me and you losing one another in the way she’s lost London would be bad enough, but she lost hertwin. Can you imagine what that must feel like? She’s been with her since literal conception. Not to mention she woke up with no memories and was told a lie. You’ve gotta give her a chance to plug everything back in.”
“I did,” I say trying to defend myself.
“No, you didn’t. Instead of doubling down, reinforcing your feelings for her, and reassuring her, you walked away from her. You let her lose sight of you while she was processing something she didn’t understand about the night that almost took everything from her. She came here to talk. To tell you something important. Don’t you want to know what it was?” Audrey asks as her own chin quivers.
“No,” I answer aloud when my head silently screamsyes!
Audrey’s lips part in disbelief.
“And you’re just okay with letting her go while knowing her stalker is still out there waiting to finish what he started?” she asks.
“I can make sure she’s safe from a distance until it happens,” I reply as if I wouldn’t burn the world down for her.
Audrey blinks at me a few times before throwing both hands in the air.
“You’re making a mistake,” she says matter-of-factly.
“Maybe, but it’s none of your concern.”
“The hell it isn’t. You’re my brother and I love you. I just want to see you happy. And she’s your happiness. I love her too. And if I’m going to keep Full Tilt Racing off your back until everything is resolved, I need to be able to defend you,” she says.
I roll my eyes. “Dear old Dad only cares about the race and our image.”
“No, he loves you, Dash.”
