Page 124 of Make Us Yours
Despite her constant obvious flirting, she’s the one who’s been most involved with my sister. Whenever I had long away stretches during hockey season, she would spend time with Trinity, even coming in on her days off to talk and read to her. She’s been a real friend through it all.
She nods against me and steps out of my hold, wiping her wet cheeks as Everly comes in for a hug as well. “I know you have no reason to come back here, and probably don’t want to, but know that you’ll always be welcome here, Noah.” She smiles, taking a step back and looking over at my Kitten. “You too, Ronnie.”
Veronica hugs them both next. “Thank you.”
“We’ll leave you to say goodbye. Take all the time you need,” Everly says as theyexit the room, closing the door behind them.
Veronica steps into my arms, pressing her cheek against my shoulder. “You ready?” I nod, and she laces our fingers together and walks us over to the bed.
She lets go and takes my sister’s hand, then passes her fingers through Trinity’s hair as a lone tear finally falls. “Hey, girl, I’m going to miss seeing you, talking to you. But this isn’t a goodbye, Trinity. I know we’ll see each other again someday, and then you’ll finally get to tell me all those stories you’ve been dying to say about your brother. We’ll finally be able to get those mani-pedis like we talked about.” She laughs sadly through her cries.
“Sweet dreams, Trinity. Watch over your brother from wherever you are.” She kisses her forehead and turns, wiping away her tears as she walks over to the door, giving me space.
I step up closer, my fingers trailing over the features of her face, down her arm, to her hand, then back up the same path. Something inside me breaks as I realize this will be the last time I’ll ever get to touch her, to hold her. To look at her beautiful face.
I take a deep breath and lean in, cupping the side of her face as I plant my lips over her forehead, my thumb strokes back and forth along her cheek. “Goodbye, baby sis. I’m sorry it took me so long to let go, but you’re free now… Say hi to Dad for me. I miss you both... I love you, Trinny.”
I give her one last kiss and straighten, taking one final look at the little girl I’ve loved since the day she was born. Then join my girl by the door, take her hand in mine, and walk out for the very last time.
We make it to my car and Veronica stops me at the hood. “I know no one drives your car, but let me. You might look put together, but I can see it in your eyes that you aren’t. Let me drive us home.”
I don’t even fight her on it, simply nod and climb into the passenger side. She’s right, I’m not okay. I feel… hollow, empty, numb. I haven’t cried, and I won’t. I never cry. I didn’t when my father passed, I won’t for my sister either despite the pain and heartache I feel inside.
The last time I did was when my mother walked out on us. And I swore I’d never do it again. People die and leave all the time, why waste my time crying? What good does it really do? Nothing. So instead, I hold it together and move on.
Tomorrow is Maddison’s funeral, and we all promised Emma we would be there. Even if we didn’t know her, we’ll attend to support our friends, our family. The only one I have left.I don’t know how I’ll sit through that after everything that happened today.
Two days ago, I made all the funeral arrangements for Trinity. Veronica told me I should have spaced it out a little longer, given myself time to grieve, but I wanted it over and done with as soon as possible. It’s easier that way, and it’s not as if we’re making a big event out of it.
The only people outside of me and Veronica that will attend are those who knew of her existence at the facility. Even when she was living her life, my sister wasn’t very social. She didn’t have any friends she kept in touch with or any boyfriends. It was just the three of us. Then my father died, and it was only her and me.
Veronica takes my hand once we’re seated in my car, and given her height, she barely has to adjust anything in my car to fit her. She offers me a tender smile, kisses my hand, then pulls out of the parking lot and drives us home.
VERONICA
~ The Next Day ~
Noah hasn’t been the same since yesterday. When we got home, he excused himself to his room and hasn’t left it since. I brought him food and asked him to come watch a movie with me and Gabe, but he wouldn’t. Just shook his head and went back to drinking in one of the chairs and watching the TV in his room. He’s barely spoken since either, and it has me worried.
Gabe knows something happened, but he doesn’t ask any questions like I asked him not to. He’s trusting me in helping Noah, but I don’t miss the worry and pain in his eyes for his friend. We’ve been busying ourselves with aHarry Pottermarathon and Gabe trying to teach me how to cook. It’s been fun, distracting. But it’s all hard.
I keep a smile on my face when I’m around Gabriel, but late at night, when I crawled into bed with Noah, I let my tears fall as he held me in his arms. I feel guilty for being the one crying when it should be him. But he tells me it's okay, that I have every right to cry.
Today is Maddie’s funeral and I don’t know how I’ll keep it together, knowing that in just a few days we’ll be attending another. One that belongs to a person that quickly became important to me.
I finish straightening my hair and applying my makeup, then slip into my little black dress. Half sleeves wrap around my arms with the top portion of the dress hugging my chest before flowing down from the waist to my knees, and a pair of black pumps on my feet.
I collect my little black purse and make my way down the stairs to my boyfriends, who wait in the living room. One stands in the center of the room, the other sits on the couch with a drink, both dressed all in black with Gabe’s hair styled backwards with some gel.
I head over to Gabe first, pecking his lips as he tells me I look beautiful, then over to Noah. The second I’m within a few inches of him, I can smell the booze oozing off him, and his eyes look a bit glossy and distant.
He stays seated on the couch and lifts his hand to drain the rest of the Scotch in his glass, but I take it away before he can. Walking to the kitchen, I dump it in the sink, then get back to his side and pull him up off the couch. He sways a little but rights himself quickly.
Jesus, this is not a good start to the day.
“You’ve had enough,” I tell him quietly.
All he does is scoff and head for the elevator.
