I knew what the doctor was going to say before he said it. I feel it in my bones. Death. It’s like our nervous system is bound by an invisible string. I’ve felt like this once before. The day of my accident. I thought I had the flu and was on my way to the doctor. Out of nowhere, I was gasping for air and then darkness. When I woke, everything was different. I was different.

It’s strange to feel someone else’s emotions and not know them. We’re bound by something so supernatural, it’s surreal. And now I’m going to lose her. Tears spill down my cheeks and I lean forward onto my arms. She found me and the only memory I’ll have is her saving me. Wayne leans over and slides his hand into mine, squeezing. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles into my back. I shift to his chest and he holds me while I let out the emotions I’ve been clinging to, hoping I was wrong.

Ellie is dying.

Last night was the longest night of my life. I was in labor for seventeen hours and it still didn’t compare to last night. Every time the emergency room doors opened, no matter how close to sleep I was, I would jump up, ready for news. But none came.

No news is good news, I kept telling myself before settling back in, waiting for the next false alarm. But here we are, eight in the morning, Max has brought everyone breakfast and we’re all anxiously awaiting an update.

When the doctor comes out telling us she made it through the night, I almost respond with, ‘I know’ but rather kept that to myself. Wayne walks up to my table with my favorite drink from Starbucks in hand.

I smile, grateful he’s here. “Thanks.”

He bends over, kissing me on top of my head and returns the smile before walking away. I watch him pass the sliding glass doors, exiting to the outdoors, the tension in his shoulders weighs heavily on my heart. We haven’t talked. He has no idea what happened at Kase’s before we were whisked away to a hiding place. He’s in his own hell trying to keep it together but be supportive at the same time.

I glance at Cody and Reed, who’s sitting right next to him. “Hey, I’ll be…” I point outside and Cody nods. “Find me if there‘s any news.” Kase went back to sit with Ellie as soon as the doctor let him, so I’m not sure how long he’ll be. 

The cool air hits my face. It won’t be long until winter is here. I shiver at the thought of the winters in this place. This sixty-degree weather is our normal winter. I tighten my jacket around my stomach and scan the area for Wayne. He’s sitting on a bench, staring up to the sunny blue sky. When I approach the bench, he rolls his head in my direction.

“Can I sit with you?”

He nods once. The wooden bench squeaks as I sit down. The uncomfortable silence between us is new. It’s the first time he’s not begging and I’m not fighting back. Is there anything left to argue about?

He thinks he’s lost me and I don’t feel like fighting.

Where does that leave us?

“Thank you for coming,” I murmur, breaking the silence.

He nods again, taking a deep breath. “I would do anything for you and Reed.”

I play with the buttons on my jacket. “I know.”

“Are you comin’ back to Texas?”

I snap my eyes to his. “Why wouldn’t I go back? That’s my home.”

He shrugs half-heartedly. “Kase is here. And so is your sister. What’s left in Texas?” The indifference in his voice knots my chest.

“Well… my mom is there.” Tears threaten to fall as they pool in my eyes. Is this the end of us? Our final chapter? My gaze darts around, fear ricochets in my head. But I didn’t want him last week. Am I only panicking because Kase doesn’t want me?

I dig the heels of my palm into my eyes, I’m so tired of being confused. Why do I think I’m making a mistake letting him go? I’ve been on my own for ten months, what’s different now? 

“There’s also you, Wayne,” I whisper. “I told you I wouldn’t take Reed away. But Kase will be in his life now, too.”

“And what about us? Are we done? Say yes and I’ll sign the divorce papers. I can’t do this anymore.”

“Why do you sound bitter? I did nothing wrong.” I sit up taller, irritated by his tone.

He pulls in a deep breath, blowing out his cheeks. “I’ve lost my wife and I’m losing my boy—”

I clear my throat, wishing he would stop saying I’m taking him away, I‘m not. 

He pauses for a moment, grimacing, but then continues between clenched teeth, “I have nothing left to be happy about.”

His hand wraps around the edge of the bench, and I lay my hand over it. “Reed loves you. And so do I…” He peers over at me with apprehension. “I need time to figure everything out. I’m not saying we’re done, but I’m not saying we have a future either. I don’t want to go back to you, and we both question whether it was because Kase chose Ellie.”

His eyes come back to life at my words. Hope fills his body as he jumps up and then kneels in front of me. “I will wait forever for you, Everly. As long as there’s hope, I will fight with everything I have to prove that we belong together.”

I grin at the man I’ve loved for ten years. Admitting out loud that I wouldn’t have searched for Kase had I known the truth from the beginning, was eye-opening. Wayne dedicated his life to making mine perfect. And it wasn’t a simple task. Standing by a woman who couldn’t remember her parents or how to drive and help raise her baby was proof enough he loved me.

“You need to accept that Kase will always be a part of our lives, though.”

He shrugs one shoulder, smirking. “I put up with the guy for eighteen years, what’s a few more?”

It’ll be harder for Kase to accept Wayne. Kase has nothing to lose hating Wayne, unlike Wayne who has everything to lose. I push that aside, not wanting to deal with that at the moment.

“I need to go back inside.”

He nods and stands back up. “Are you going to be okay while I run to the store?”

“Yeah. Do you want to take Reed, he’d probably like to get out of here for a little while?”

“Do you have to ask?”

“Thank you, again, for being here.” I rub his arm and he moves in to hug me but stops himself and smiles instead.

“Anytime, Jade.”

I can’t help but smile at the name. When I was terrified, not knowing a soul in this world, Wayne showed up in Arizona to help me. One day, he asked me to pick a new name, said I could be anyone I wanted to be. I wanted to be Jade. No idea why, I just liked the name. It didn’t stick, but instead turned into a joke only shared between the two of us. Leave it to Wayne to make me laugh when I needed it the most.

Kase hasn’t left Ellie’s side all afternoon. The doctor came out once and gave us an update. She’s stabilized, but she’s still in ICU due to all the blood loss. I want to see her, but I don’t want to take Kase away from her. Cody strolls in with lunch, setting at least twenty bags of Chick-fil-A on the table. My eyes widen wondering if he brought food for the entire waiting room.

“You better grab a bag before they’re all gone,” he says, leaning over.

My mouth opens to ask why, but then I snap it shut when oversized muscled men bombard the table, digging in the bags, taking handfuls of sandwiches and fries. Instead, I jump in and grab two and back away with the bags gripped tightly in my fist, eyeing the guys. I’d hate to cook for this crew.

“I’ll go see if Kase is hungry.”

Nobody is listening, so I slip away easily. The bright hallway is empty, my shoes squeak across the floor so I try to walk lightly, but it doesn’t help. It’s like eating popcorn in a theater when there is a lull point, you try to chew slower, but you feel stupid thinking everyone is staring at you.

The door to her room is closed and I pause outside her door questioning if I should even be here. I’m not here for Kase, I’m here for Ellie. She’s my sister. My twin sister. She’s inside me, part of me, of course, I belong here. My knuckles tap against the door and I wait.

Kase opens the door, and in a flash, I’m taken back to when his mom was dying. His blue eyes are dull and his face is tight with worry. I offer a small smile and hold up the bags. “I thought you might be hungry.”

His brow lifts and it’s the first sign of life I see in his face. “I’m surprised you could grab a bag.”

I chuckle. “Your friends are savages. Good thing I’m quick on the draw.”

His lips twitch and he nods, stepping back so he can open the door wider. I freeze at the sound of beeping and air being pumped into Ellie’s lungs and stare at her body, framed by the blanket and riddled with tubes and wires. My gaze darts to Kase and I squeeze the bags of food to my chest.

“You should sit with her.” He motions for me to keep walking. “I’ll give you some time together.” He squeezes my shoulder as he passes and the door shuts behind me. Wait, I‘m not ready. The room's walls close in and I draw in a ragged breath. I’m having an out-of-body experience, looking down at myself, fighting for my life. My steps are heavy as I take a couple toward my motionless body. ‘She’s not you’ my subconscious repeats and I shake out of the dreamlike state.

Sitting beside her, I cover her hand with mine. “Hi, Ellie, it’s me. Everly.” Tears threaten as our touch sends a flurry of emotions inside me. “I… I hope you can hear me.” I wait for a reaction, a squeeze of the hand or an eye twitch. But nothing changes so I close my eyes and rest my head against the cold sheets on the bed. “I just found you. Please don’t die.” 

I take long deep breaths, focusing on our connection. We were once one, maybe being connected again, we can share my energy. She has to feel it. Feel me. When a hand touches my back, I flinch, jumping out of my seat, knocking it backward, the sound of wood hitting the floor rebounds through the room. My heart thumps and I scramble to regain my bearings. 

“Hey, it’s just me,” Kase says, eyes wide open and hands up. He bends down to pick up the chair.

“Sorry. I must have dozed off.” I glance at Ellie, hoping to see a change. But she hasn’t moved. Disappointment I couldn’t help her tugs at my heart. “I can feel her. She’s still fighting,” I say when he sits down on the opposite side of the bed, weaving his fingers through hers.

“I would question how realistic that twin voodoo really is if I didn’t know better.”

“Twin voodoo?” I smirk as he nods. “If only I could use some of those special powers we have to help her.”

“You being here is helping her.”

I blink back my tears. “I hope.” Kase’s face jerks to Ellie’s and I look at her, but she hasn’t moved. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he beams, standing up and staring at her face. “She squeezed my hand. Ellie, can you hear me?”