Page 38 of Haven

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s fine.”

“You’ve been hurt. I heard the alarm.”

“Caden got himself a Wolf Pack and made a move, but it’s okay. We took care of it. No worries.” I don’t tell her about Brett. She doesn’t need to know that. It would only hurt her needlessly.

“Okay. I’m glad you’re all right. How did the trip go?”

“We couldn’t find any antibiotics,” I say, pulling the side chair closer to her bedside and sitting down in it. “We looked everywhere.”

“I know. It’s okay.” She seems to get choked on the last word. Her breathing is too loud. Kind of wheezy. “I think it’s too late for them to work anyway.”

I make a sound, but it’s not a word.

“It’s okay, Faith.” She goes on as if I managed to speak. “I’m so tired. I want it to be over.”

I reach out to where her hand is resting on the covers, and I take it. “I understand. I’m sorry I couldn’t find anything to make you better.”

“You did everything you could.” Her blue eyes are focused on my face now. Sober and tired. “You’ve done so much for me. But I’m going to ask you to do one more thing.”

“Anything. You know I will.” I know what’s coming, and I already know my answer. It’s why I was so desperate to find another option.

“I don’t know how long I’m going to hang on like this, and I don’t want to do it anymore.” A couple of tears stream out of her eyes. “I’m thinking clearly right now, and I don’t know if I will be again. I’m so sorry to put this on you, but please, Faith, can you make it quick?”

For a moment I’m too choked to speak. But I manage to nod.

“Thank you,” she says with a little sob. “I don’t mean to be a wuss, but I’m just so tired.”

“I know you are. You don’t have to do this anymore. It’s okay. It’s really okay.” I reach over and stroke her thin, tangled hair back from her face. I usually comb it in the morning, but I wasn’t there to do so today.

Molly is smiling now. She leans slightly into my hand. “It hasn’t been a bad life even if I had to live through an apocalypse. I loved your mom and dad. You and they are the closest I ever had to family.”

For a moment I’m not sure I can do this. I don’t think I’m strong enough to live through this moment. But this is a world where punches never get pulled—where salvation never falls from the sky—and so I have to be strong enough to meet it. My vision clears and my hands stop trembling and I’m able to say in a mostly even voice, “You’ve been a sister to me.”

Molly nods and shifts uncomfortably on the bed. She’s in pain. It’s obvious although she’s never once complained. “And we had a lot of good times. We used to pick strawberries in the summer, and we’d eat them by the creek.”

“And we’d sneak out to ride horses at night.”

“And Jack would drive us all out to get ice cream in town, and he’d turn the radio on real loud and we’d all sit and eat it in the truck bed.”

“And Monica would always try to get us to dance.”

“And I always loved working in the garden. Making things grow. And doing the reading every night with everyone.” She’s smiling for real now, even as her voice is growing fainter. “I had a good life. I knew love. I loved you all, and you loved me.”

“We do.” I’m still stroking her hair back. “We always will.”

“It would have been nice to fall in love. To have someone look at me the way Jack looks at you. But I had a really good life without it.”

“I’m glad you did.” I can’t process anything except the feel of her hair against one of my hands and the knife I pulled from my belt with the other. “And my life wouldn’t have been nearly as happy without you.”

“Thank you for saying that. I know it’s hard for you to open up. You always have to be so tough. You’ve done so much to take care of all of us, and now I’m asking you for even more.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m just fine.”

“At least you have Jack.”

I don’t know what to say to that. It’s too much for me to wrap my head around. I wouldn’t argue with her right now for anything, however, so I respond in a mumble, “Yes. I have him.”

Molly licks her lips and gives me a faint smile. “Do you remember that night last year when Langley left the door open and the pigs escaped? We were all running around like crazy, trying to round them up.”

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