Page 33 of When Forever Falls Apart

“I know what you’re trying to do,” she interrupts, the light drained from her eyes. “And it’s not working.”

“I’m trying to make you see that this isn’t a bad thing!”

Suddenly, she springs off the couch, her arms crossing tightly over her chest as if to protect herself from the weight of the world. “Maddy, you’re not listening! This isnota good thing. It’s going to ruin everything!”

“Hey, calm down,” I say softly, desperate to soothe her fraying nerves. “I get it.”

“You can’t possibly understand,” she retorts, her eyes blazing with hurt. “When things got tough for you, you just ran away. I can’t run away from this! There is no excuse for me making this mistake apart from being stupid one night and taking my birth control late. I should have known better.”With that, she strides angrily down the hallway and into the dimly lit bedroom.

I sit for a while to collect myself, feeling the sting of her words as they sink in. Yes, I ran away, but why must I always be portrayed as the villain in everyone’s story? It’s as if marrying Myles would have made everything easier. Everyone would have been happy, except for me.

Outside, the sun has set and the night has fallen upon us.

Eva is lying in bed, hugging the pillow, fast asleep. I slip into my pajamas and crawl under the covers beside her, wishing I could flip the narrative and make her see how great this is. Wrapping my arms around her, I feel the warmth radiating from her body as she whispers, “I’m sorry, Maddy. Everything I said…” She sighs. “I’m just really angry with myself.”

“It’s a lot, I really get it. A big change,” I respond carefully, sensing the fragile state she’s in. “I honestly don’t know how to help you.”

Turning to face me, she offers a small, tentative smile. “Ice cream would be a fantastic start.”

A chuckle passes through my lips, the tension easing ever so slightly. “Okay, bestie. I’ll make a run for it. Chocolate or vanilla? Or are you craving something weird like pickle-flavored ice cream?”

Eva scrunches her nose. “Vanilla is just fine.”

I throw my coat over my pajamas, but leave it unbuttoned, because I can’t be bothered changing. With my keys in hand, I step out into the night. The slight chill bites at my skin, and my mind races with a whirlwind of thoughts. Never in my wildest dreams did I think Eva would have a baby with my brother. There were no signs back in high school of her being into him, but the moment their forbidden affair came to light, I realized some people were always destined for each other. The universe dealt its cards, and this is no different.

Eva will have so much support.So why does she think she’ll be alone in this?Then, I start to think about Aston. I can’t imagine him as a dad since our own dad wasn’t paternal.

As I walk the dark street, lit only by the lampposts, I’m lost in a haze of emotions until, suddenly, two firm hands grip my arms, pulling me from my reverie. Fear shoots into my chest with a potential kidnapping on the horizon. I glance up quickly and see Elliot in front of me. His features are shadowed, but there’s an unmistakable tightness in his eyes.

“Oh my God, I completely forgot about tonight!” I gasp, my heart leaping.

“Yes, you did,” he replies, his voice sharp and biting. “Clearly something, or someone, more important came up.”

“Your sister came over,” I respond quickly, my voice faltering. “I promise, I just…”

“Sure,” he answers, sarcasm lacing his voice, then drops his hands. The loss of his touch leaves me conflicted.

“Eva’s here, at the apartment. She just showed up because…” Again, I falter, shaking my head as I lower my gaze to the pavement, the weight of the secret pressing down on me. “She’s going through something major.”

“And you didn’t think to call? Send a text?”

I meet his gaze, my eyes apologetic as I try to explain. “I’m really sorry. Eva was distraught, and I got caught in the moment.”

Elliot frowns, then presses, “What’s wrong with her?”

“I can’t say.”

“She’s my sister. Of course, you can tell me,” he insists, an edge of urgency in his voice. “Madelina, c’mon. If it’s that important that you had to ghost me, I deserve to know.”

“I’m her best friend. I made a promise,” I answer carefully. “However, if you want to guess…”

His jaw tightens as he studies my face, then he draws a breath before asking, “Is she sick?”

“I wouldn’t really say that.”

“What does that mean?”

“Technically, she’s not sick,” I answer carefully.