Page 58 of We Can Forever

Carol looks like she’s trying to say something, but she can’t get it out. My chest wrings tight. I’m not trying to hurt her, but how can I explain that?

Michael’s truck arrives, and Katie and Alexis help me into it, my aunt looking on like a lost puppy.

“I’ll text,” I tell Carol, voice cracking.

She frowns, eyes glossy, and then I look away.

Guilt fills me as we drive out of the parking lot, but I still know that I’m making the right choice for myself. If I go home with my aunt, she’ll hover constantly, and I won’t be able to get the rest I need.

Plus, if Michael and Katie are going to be in my life, they’ll see me flare eventually, and it’s better that they know what it looks like now.

That way, if they don’t like what they see, there’s still time to get out.

My chest constricts. Maybe this wasn’t the right decision. Maybe I should have them both stay here and gone home with my aunt instead. Other than Flick, she’s the only person who’s ever seen me have a full flare.

Well, them and Paul…

Who told me I was exaggerating the pain, that I was just stressed out.

The memories flood back, and even though I do my best to keep them at bay, they don’t go anywhere. I did the right thing and kicked Paul out of my life, but even years later, his cruel words and eagerness to make me wrong still linger.

As does the knowledge that it could all happen again.

So far, Michael has been accepting, but he really doesn’t know what he’s in for. He has no idea how bad things can get, how limiting it is to have someone like me around.

And once he sees what it’s truly like, there’s no going back. He’ll either accept it… Or he’ll leave.

Chapter Twenty

MICHAEL

“What can I get you?” I crouch next to my king-sized bed, where Katie and I have gotten Hannah settled under a pile of blankets.

She smiles at me—which seems to take a lot of effort since she’s clearly in pain. “This is good. Thank you.”

“We can watch a movie,” Katie says.

I’m about to tell her that we need to let Hannah rest—since she wanted to be alone last time, I assume she wants that again—but Hannah speaks up.

“A movie sounds great. What do you want to watch?”

My jaw drops, but I quickly close it and try to hide my flurry of emotions. I’m glad that she decided to come home with us, as I’ll be able to keep a close eye on her. Plus, she shouldn’t have to leave bed to get herself things. And the whole matter with her aunt is another boatload of issues. What does it say that Hannah didn’t feel comfortable enough going home with Carol?

“Anything Disney,” Katie says. “I’ll go get my DVDs.”

She hurries out of the room, and I take advantage of the stolen moment. “You okay?” I ask Hannah.

“Yeah.” She smiles from her mountain of pillows. “I’ll be better after some rest.”

“I mean, when it comes to your aunt.” My jaw tightens. The way Carol acted at the hospital was uncalled for. As a parent myself, I get it; she’s worried about her niece.

Hannah isn’t eleven, though, like Katie. She’s a grown woman who’s been managing her health on her own for years now. Carol’s help was only making the situation more stressful. I could see it in Hannah’s pinched face, in how she seemed to grow even weaker every time Carol spoke up.

“I feel bad.” She lowers her gaze. “Not going home with her. I just…” Her voice cracks. “She tries to help, but sometimes it’s too much, you know?”

“Hey, it’s okay.” I reach for her hand. “I get it. I know that her intentions are coming from a place of love. I can also see how they can cause more burden than help.”

“Yeah.” She sighs and looks up at the ceiling. “I’ve never pushed her away like that.”

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