Page 64 of Jaime
For a moment, I was so surprised, that I didn’t register much beyondthis isn’t Ethan.It took a moment for the familiar brown eyes and small frame to sink in.
Liz was standing on my doorstep in a thick, fluffy coat with a backpack slung over one shoulder, gripping it like it was everything she owned—which it probably was. She looked even smaller than I remembered—and more run down.
She didn’t say hi or smile. She just gave me a sheepish shrug, looking lost.
I wanted to slam the door shut in her face. I wanted to tell her to get lost even though in a way, I was happy to see her alive and looking okay. But Evie was still her daughter and she had a bigger claim to her than I did, and, for that reason, the sight of my big sister sent a spike of panic through my body.
“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” she asked. “I was kind of banking on that.”
I stared at her for a moment longer before forcing myself to step back, making room for her to enter.
She stepped into my apartment, pausing as soon as she was inside.
I followed her harrowed gaze to the baby bouncer. There were signs of Evie all over the place: her toys, her empty bottle on the table, yet to be washed, one of her blankets folded on the arm of the couch.
“Where is she?” she asked quietly.
“In the bedroom, asleep.”
I led her to my room, allowing the light from the hall to light up the room enough to see the crib without disturbing Evie.
Liz stepped up to the crib, her hands gripping the wooden edge so tightly her knuckles turned white. She looked down at her daughter, took one shuddering breath, and started crying.
I watched for a minute, unsure what to do. The way she looked at Evie’s form, with pain and longing and despair struck me deeply. I had no idea what to do or how to help. I just felt hurt suddenly, for both of them.
I turned, heading back to the living room, to give Liz a moment alone and took a seat on the couch, letting my head fall into my hands while I tried to process what was happening and what was going to come next.
“She looks so well cared for.”
I looked up at Liz’s voice, surprised to see her standing in the doorway to the hall, watching me with wide, red eyes.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
Her face crumpled again, a fresh wave of tears pouring from her eyes. She came to me, kneeling in front of me and taking my hands. For a minute, we just watched each other. She shook her head wearily.
“Jaime,” she whispered softly, “my little brother… you look so tired.”
I chuckled.
“Well, to be fair, I’ve been up since six.”
She shook her head.
“It’s more than that.” She gulped down more tears, forcing them back. “I dropped a baby on you out of the blue.”
I smiled, despite myself.
Why was it that her acknowledging the strain she’d put me under helped lessen it?
“It was—isa lot,” I said. “But I wouldn’t trade Evie for anything.”
I wanted her to know that. That if she had any inclination whatsoever to leave her with me, I wanted that. What I didn’t want to say, not immediately, not unless I had to, was that I would fight to keep her. I didn’t want it to come to that though and my heart raced while I waited for her next words.
“Evie,” she repeated. “That’s so cute.”
I smiled softly.
“It hurt too much to say Evelyn every time.”
