Puffy eyes brighten as the hospital room fills with friends. Marion is so genuinely shocked, it’s obvious she never expected anyone to do something like this for her.

But you’ve gotta rise above when it’s the right thing to do. Sure, she belittles me every chance she has. Marion feels important by making others feel small. But I don’t think it’s a chronic condition. Pretty sure it’s something that can be healed with a little love.

And some hard boundaries.

It’s partly my fault it’s gone on for this long. I just ignored it, so how could she know how intensely her constant digs annoyed me? Or see how much other people knew what she was doing and therefore developed a dislike of her in general.

Her eyes fill with fresh tears as she gasps, “Oh my gosh, I can’t believe you guys are here!”

A couple of the singers take credit for it, but my sister isn’t having any of that.

“It was Samantha’s idea,” she interjects with enough volume to make it clear she means business.

Marion locks eyes with me, face a mess from crying. “This was your idea?”

I nod, a lump forming in my throat.

“Thank you!” she whispers and covers her face as her shoulders shake.

Some of the guys start shouting, “What kind of pizza are we having?” “I’m starving!” “Me too!” Toppings fly out on a wave of enthusiastic suggestions.

Asher strolls into the room, and we lock eyes. I give him a smile. He goes to Marion to ask how she feels. Lexi chooses now to tug me toward the door, demanding this instant, a private conversation.

It’s gotta be hard working in a hospital the way our brother, Caden, does. It feels like they’re always this busy. And so much pain. I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I’m not that tough.

Lexi’s bright green eyes zip over serious faces of nurses and doctors heading in different, urgent directions. “I could never be a doctor.”

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

“The hours are too long.”

I laugh, “You mean the ones in college?”

“And there’s that.”

“I don’t think it feels like long hours when you love what you do.”

She shrugs off the persistent fact that she hasn’t found her purpose yet, “I wouldn’t know,” and leans to me while darting a quick look around. “So this guy Asher.”

Double checking we aren’t being spied on, I whisper, “He kissed me tonight.”

“I know, I watched the performance!”

“Before the show.”

Lexi grabs my arm. She knows it’s been forever since I’ve dated anyone I liked. “How was it?”

“Good. But Dad and Mom interrupted before I got a chance to really find out. Logan was with them. You should’ve seen his face. He felt so bad they caught me.”

Her eyes widen. “Logan saw you kissing him? How did he take it?”

I frown, “How did he take it?”

Lexi jumps out of the way of a racing gurney. “You being kissed by some other dude. I know you are just friends.”

“Don’t do air quotes when you say that, Lexi, we are just friends.” She tilts her head like I’m being naive, so I insist, “He’s a brother to me. You know that, come on! It’s like we have four brothers, not three!”

“Maybe when we were kids, Sam. I don't know if you noticed, but he is not a kid anymore. You want to talk about gorgeous, look no further.”

“Gross.”

She stares at me and shakes her head, turning on her heel for Marion’s hospital room. “I need pizza.”

I follow her, annoyed she’s joined the Mom-and-Dad-train suggesting Logan would be a great boyfriend for me.

I can’t even imagine us kissing.

I’ve known him my whole life.

Every awkward phase.

He’s seen.

I’ve seen.

Kissing is out of the question.

We would crack up!

Gag.

Promise never to do it again.

Asher turns around as I walk in. He puts his hands on my waist and backs me up until, hello again, hallway!

Glancing over his shoulder to make sure Marion’s hospital door has firmly closed, he pulls me further up the corridor and says, “Finally.”

He’s so handsome, my insides go squishy when he looks at me. Feeling heat rise everywhere, I smile, “Finally what?”

His volume is intimate as his warm fingers go down my arm. “I finally get to tell you that you did an amazing job tonight. From the first rehearsal, I saw it. You move like you were meant to be there. And now you are.” His eyelashes drop to my lips. “How did it feel?”

Feeling lightheaded I confess, “Amazing.” Like how you’re looking at me right now. “I didn’t even see the audience. I was really there. I was Izzy.”

“The zone. I know. I felt that vibe coming off you. I’m so jaded from having done so many of these. It was really cool to be dancing with someone like you. You made me remember what I love about it”

“Really?”

“That's why I improvised that kiss. It felt right.” He leans in, about to kiss me again, when three of our cast members kill the mood by shouting for our order. Asher chuckles and rolls his eyes. “We keep getting interrupted.”

Tucking my hair behind my ear, I gave him a flirtatious smile. “We do.”

“To be continued,” he says, taking my hand and braiding our fingers. We walk into the hospital room and I lock eyes with my sister who throws me an almost imperceptible nod of approval.

Asher gets drawn into a conversation about what this production will be like when it goes north.

I take advantage of him not watching me to glance over to Zoe.

Her barely contained excitement is so obvious I purse my lips, silently telling her, Shh.

She mouths, He looks like Ryder.

No, he doesn’t. Maybe the hair color. But she’s so obsessed with Tanner’s nephew she’d say a skillet looked like him. Anything dark. Anything hot.

When pizza is finally getting passed around the room, Marion calls my name. I let go of Asher’s hand, crossing to her bed.

“How long before this heals?”

“Are you and Asher dating?”

My neck flushes as I glance back to where he’s laughing with two of the male dancers, chomping basil and goat cheese. We’re not supposed to be eating carbs, but what’s a celebration without rebellion?

“I don’t know if it’s official. He just took my hand so I didn’t object, and that’s really all it is.”

“Wow,” she dryly mutters. “That’s convenient for you.”

I sigh, “I really don’t like it when you’re negative with me.”

“Negative? When am I negative?”

“Pretty often. For years.”

“I don’t know if you noticed, Sam, but my leg is in a cast suspended in the air. I’m sorry if I’m not super sweet right now. Kind of got fucked over.”

I’m torn between wanting to tell her that this is the reason people don’t like her very much, while simultaneously feeling sorry for her because she’s right. What happened to her I wouldn’t wish on my enemies, not that I have any.

“I’m sorry this happened. I can’t imagine what you must be feeling. If it were me I would’ve cried all night, too.”

“I wasn’t crying.” She wipes her eyes, blinking rapidly. “I’m allergic to something in this blanket. I think it's what they wash it with. A harsh chemical or something.”

Yeah, sure. They use harsh chemicals in hospitals where sick people are. “Did they give you an allergy pill?”

“I haven’t asked for one yet. But I’m sure they will. They’re taking very good care of me.” Frustrated with keeping up the lie she looks around. “Any more mushroom pizza left?”

Someone hands it to her and I glance around for Logan, wondering if he heard any of that. Only he would understand what I’m thinking right now.

But he’s not in the room, so I abandon Marion’s side now that she’s turned away from me like I’m no longer here, and walk over to Lexi and Zoe. “Where is Logan? Bathroom?”

Lexi gives me this knowing look. “He left while you were outside talking to Asher.”

On an annoyed smile, I turn to our cousin and demand, “Do you think Logan has a thing for me?”

Her nose crinkles. “That would be so weird. No way.” Glancing to Lexi she accuses her, “You are addicted to love. Not all of us are supposed to be paired off.”

And with that unusual outburst, Zoe stomps out of the hospital room, pushing her way through because it’s so crowded in here.

We stare at her until the door bars our visibility.

We exchange a look.

Lexi mutters, “Do you think she’ll die a virgin?”

The door swings back open and it’s Zoe. I grab my sister’s arm thinking there’s no way she heard that virgin comment. Especially since she’s grinning as she cups her hand. “Emma just got admitted! She’s having her baby!”