Page 47 of Remade

James came over and clasped his hands behind his back. “If she puts on her headphones at any point, she just needs a minute or two to gather her thoughts. But if it takes longer than that, come get her mother or me.”

“Of course, sir.” I nodded once.

He smiled and gave my arm a squeeze on the way out.

Without facing me, Willow gestured for me to sit on the bed across from her, so I did as instructed and hoped she’d warm up to me eventually.

She was holding a notepad, a larger one, and she clutched it to her chest as I sat down across from her.

Compared to the biological Quinns, Willow stood out with very dark hair, pale skin, and green eyes. She was also much shorter and much younger. Her cargo pants looked baggier and way softer than normal utility pants. I didn’t know what that top was called, but it fit fairly tight, and it had long sleeves and a wide neck.

She made eye contact for the briefest moment before she turned the notepad in her hands and showed me the first note.

I appreciated her handwriting was easy to read, and the words weren’t too small either.

1.) I’m sorry if I come across as cold. I’m very overwhelmed.

2.) Save your questions for the end.

I nodded dutifully and swallowed my nerves. “I understand.”

She nodded once too, and she tore off the first note to reveal the second.

I love my brothers and sister equally, but Jake was my first friend. He listened to me even when I didn’t speak. He was the first to understand my language. We could spend a whole day together barely saying a word. Or he talked. He’d make me laugh with corny jokes. He recharged my batteries with his presence, and I miss him every day.

Jesus Christ. My vision became blurry right away, and my throat felt thick.

She tore off that note too.

I’ll show you pictures sometime from when Jake was your age. You look just like him.

I nodded and swallowed hard, but a couple tears rolled down anyway, and I quickly wiped them away.

Her hand trembled as she left that note in the neat pile she created with others she’d shown me.

The next note was longer, and I had to lean forward a little to see better.

Since he died, people around me have tried to keep him alive in one way or another. My sister and brother-in-law named their firstborn Grace, because Jake once said if he had a girl, that’s what he would’ve named her. If he had a boy, he liked Todd and JJ. Thankfully, Todd died with Jake, but Ryan named one of his boys JJ. The only surviving soldier in Jake’s unit also named their kid after him.

We’re still big on Easter in our family because Jake loved that holiday for some weird reason. Ryan and Darius still quiz each other about a stack ofhomemade trading cards of Medal of Honor recipients that used to belong to Jake. Lias named his business after him. Mom lights a candle for him every Sunday, on his birthday, and on all holidays. Before I got married, my brother-in-law Avery would drive me to the airport and tell me stories about Jake for my annual visit to his grave. These days, since I go with my husband, Avery will text me a memory. They went to college together.

Now there’s you.

I coughed into my fist and sniffled.

I’d thought being attack-hugged by Mary would’ve been the biggest emotional assault, but this was quickly rising as a strong contender.

Willow cleared her throat and proceeded with another note.

Tears started rolling down her cheeks too.

When Mom told me about you, I almost shut down. All this grief came back, and I didn’t know how to process anything. But then I found out you’re at Hillcroft to become an operator, and that helped. Anger always helps. I’m so fucking angry, to this day, because Jake gave his life to save others. I don’t care how noble that was. What a hero he was. Because he’s dead. I’ll never get my brother back.

Unfortunately, he’s alive and well in my head, and he would’ve been pissed if I tried to make you feel guilty. So I will ask. Are you sure you want to become a Hillcroft operator? And before you answer…

I knitted my brows as she tore the note and went to the following note.

If you moved to Washington, you’d have your whole family in one place. You could easily find work. Ethan has his gym, Darius runs a fish camp, Ryan isin the process of opening a bar, Lias runs a wilderness resort in the mountains, and no cartel members or human traffickers will ever kill you.

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