Page 57 of Want You Back

Thanks.

Try to get some rest yourself at some point. You won’t do Faith any good if you wear yourself down to nothing.

Adler is making me eat. Should I send him for Hannah in the morning?

Don’t worry about Hannah. It’s Saturday and I’m off, and Aunt Georgia and Mom can help if needed.

Thanks.

Another highly inadequate reply, but it was all I had.

Sometime later, I was finally ushered back to a glassed-in ICU cubicle where Faith lay surrounded by beeping and buzzing monitors. No breathing tube, but her gorgeous face was bruised almost beyond recognition. The hair she took such pride in had been shaved around a very nasty-looking scalp wound. One leg was immobilized in some sort of air cast.

“Jesus, Faith,” I muttered before collecting myself. “What happened?”

I shook my head because I meant so much more than what had caused the accident. What had led us to this place where she was lying here, fighting for her life, the latest in a series of bad choices? What happened to the little girl who dreamed in ballet pink?

“I’m so sorry, Faith.” I sank into the lone visitor’s chair. My sister looked so small and vulnerable that my eyes burned and the words seemed to tumble out of my mouth.

“I meant what I said yesterday. You deserved more from your childhood. After Mom and Mel died, you tried hard to fill in the cracks. You took me into town so many times that first summer. You lost them too, and maybe you never really had a chance to grieve.”

I’d been a typical fourteen-year-old that summer, inwardly focused on my own pain and insurmountable loss, forgetting that Faith had lost a mom and brother she loved as well.

“And Dad was hard on us all. He ignored us unless it was to lecture or punish.” I’d suffered so much pain from my father’s emotional neglect and chilly demeanor, but Faith had as well. “You thought you’d found your escape in Houston, but all your prince charmings turned out to be a bunch of frogs. The world hasn’t been the kindest to you.”

No matter how hard I blinked, tears escaped my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

“But the world also gave you Hannah. And she’s the best Lovelorn yet. She’s kind and generous and scary levels of smart. All summer, you’ve been battling your demons while she’s been flourishing with the horses. You need to watch—really stop andlook—at her on horseback. She’s all the good parts of our gene pool.”

“And she’s why you have to fight, Faith.” I turned my voice stern. “Hannah loves you so much, and you know firsthand what it means to lose a mother young. You can’t do that to her. And for better or worse, you’re my last sibling. I don’t want to lose you. I want to help you, but you have to want that too.”

“Need help,” Faith mumbled, voice so low I almost thought I was hallucinating. “Need help.”

“You’re awake.” I inhaled sharply, pushing up to stand next to her. “I better tell the nurse?—”

“Not yet.” Despite her condition, Faith managed a firm tone. “I fucked up, Mav.”

“You did.” My shoulders slumped. I couldn’t lie, even now.

“How…bad?” Her eyes went wild and frightened.

“No one died.” I patted her hand that didn’t have an IV. “But there’s likely going to be charges.”

“I deserve it.” Faith grimaced. Whether from pain or the weight of her actions, I wasn’t sure. “You…you take care of Hannah.”

“You’re not dying, Faith.” I glared at Faith.

“I’m…not well.” Her mouth drooped.

“You’ll get better.” I tried for a reassuring tone I didn’t quite feel. “And yes, I’ll help with Hannah. As long as you need.”

“Year. Have the year.” Her hand twitched in mine. “Figure my shit out.”

“Thank you.” I squeezed her hand. “And you will.”

“I’m not a good person.” She let out a weak cough.

“You can be.” I kept holding her icy hand, hoping the warmth in my voice helped a little. “You’ve been there for me before. Let me be here for you now.”

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