Page 86 of Wicked Truths
Poppy’s lower lip trembles as she slowly sits on the edge of my bed. “It’s okay,” she says, though her voice cracks. “The doctors said it might take time.”
Caleb moves back toward the door. “I’ll get those painkillers for you now. I’ll be right back.”
As he leaves, Poppy reaches out tentatively and touches my face, her fingers gentle against my cheek. But I flinch back instinctively, the sudden movement making my head throb harder.
The girl freezes, hurt flashing across her delicate features. Tears spill from her eyes.
“Sorry. It’s okay,” I whisper to her, the lie tasting bitter on my tongue. Nothing about this is okay. “Tell me about us.”
“We’ve been friends since you moved to the Gold Coast,” she says, her voice thick with emotion.
The door opens again and a beautiful young woman with features similar to mine steps in. My sister, I realize with a jolt. Milly.
“Poppy insisted on coming,” Milly says with a small smile. “Wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Of course I insisted,” Poppy sniffles, wiping at her tears. “She’s my best friend.”
Caleb returns and hands me pills and a glass of water. He looks at Poppy with a frown.
“Poppy, you need to dial it back,” he says firmly. “Crying all over her isn’t helping. She needs calm right now, not emotional overload.”
Poppy sits back, looking thoroughly chastened. “Sorry, Dad. Sorry, Amara.”
I swallow the pills, grateful for the promise of relief they offer.
“It’s okay,” I tell her, though I’m not sure if it is. But I feel that I’ll be saying those words a lot.
“You don’t remember me at all, do you?” Poppy pulls back, wiping at her tears.
I shake my head, hating the hurt that flashes across her face. “I’m sorry.”
“Dad, can you...” She turns to Caleb, unable to finish her sentence.
He nods, understanding whatever she can’t say. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s give Amara some space.” He puts his arm around her shoulders. “I’ll be back soon,” he promises me.
“I’ll show you out,” Milly says, giving me a smile as I watch them leave, feeling hollow.
The door closes behind them with a soft click, and I’m alone with my thoughts again.
Everything feels wrong and disjointed, like I’m watching someone else’s life unfold around me.
And it’s not okay.
Since Caleb left with Poppy, I’ve stared at the door, wondering and waiting for more snippets of my life to be presented to me.
But it’s my sister, Milly, who comes back into my room.
“Do you think it was an accident?” I ask her as she sits with me on my bed.
Sunlight streams through the window, casting a deceptively cheerful glow across the room. Milly’s face, however, remains shadowed with concern.
“I don’t know,” she says carefully. “Do you remember having any enemies?”
I laugh, but there’s no humor in it. “I don’t even remember having friends.”
She winces. “Right. Sorry.” She takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “You need to try to remember who you were talking to that night. What you were doing.”
I close my eyes, trying to force my mind back to that night, but there’s nothing there. Just a black void where memories should be.
