I reach across the table and take her hand in mine.Her fingers are cold and trembling.“I’m so sorry, Bay.”
She looks at my hand placed on top of hers for a moment before pulling away with a sharp movement.“What time is it?It must be late.”
I look at my phone and see there are a bunch of texts and missed calls from Frankie and Kelly.“I think your assistant is worried about you.Do you want to call her?”
“I’ll deal with her when I get back to the hotel.”
I rise from my seat and leave some cash on the table to cover the cost of our meal.
Bayleigh watches me intently and says, “I’ll make sure Kelly pays you back for this.”
I shake my head, insisting that it’s no trouble at all.
As we leave the restaurant, I offer to walk her back to the hotel.Without hesitation, she agrees, and we make the short journey in silence.Her bodyguard, so discreet, I forget he’s even following us.
Once we reach the front of the hotel, I turn to her.“Thanks for tonight.That was fun.”
“It was.Thank you for taking me and, well, everything.”
She leans in and leaves a friendly kiss on my cheek, but I yearn for more.
I breathe her in for a moment before stepping away.“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night,” she says, turns and starts walking into the hotel.
So many thoughts and feelings are running through my mind.She still has such an effect on me, even after all this time.Will it ever stop?Exhausted and with another full day of rehearsal ahead of me, I stay until she is out of sight before turning to leave.
At least after tonight, I have a bit more closure.Some of my questions have finally been answered, but I still have so many more.I wonder if I will ever get answers to them.
CHAPTERSEVENTEEN
Bayleigh
Maxand I head up the elevator and to my room.He slips a key card from his pocket and enters before me to do a sweep of the suite.As I wait in the corridor, I let myself think of Harper.
Years of therapy have helped me understand that I tend to compartmentalize aspects of my life, especially when it comes to my childhood.I can’t remember a time before Harper; she was born just three years after me.
We were more than sisters; we were best friends.We always knew we could count on each other for entertainment and support.
My passion for singing blossomed early on.I loved listening to songs on the radio and memorizing all the lyrics.Harper would join me, and we’d started harmonizing together.Our bond grew stronger over the shared love of music.
It was Harper who came up with our first song lyrics.She shared the words with me one day, and I instantly heard a tune in my head.We never had a chance to finish that song though, as that fateful journey which would take her away from me occurred the very next day.
Max appears in the doorway and, with a nod, resumes his stance outside my door.I type a quick message to Kelly, letting her know that I am back safe and going to bed, and that I’ll see her in the morning.
I head to the shower to wash the day off my skin.The warm water is comforting, and I start humming, lost in memories.
It’s not until I wrap a towel around me that I recognize the notes replaying in my head and realize it’s the song Harper and I started writing together.A song hidden away for so long, yet always bubbling close to the surface.I remember a line and sing it out loud, then frown.That’s actually quite good.
I quickly put a dressing gown on then open the Notes app on my phone to record the lyrics.
It is as if I release a dam within me.The words pour out effortlessly, just as they did when Harper and I first wrote them together.Even though it has been eighteen years, the lyrics are still crystal clear in my mind.
I write and hum and sing, completely lost in the creative burst of inspiration.It’s almost like Harper is sitting right beside me, and I am simply transcribing her thoughts.It’s magical but also bittersweet.
As I reach the chorus, tears fall down my face.They start slowly at first, but soon turn into uncontrollable sobs.I set my phone down and curl up on my bed, overwhelmed by emotion.
“Harper, I’m so, so sorry.”I weep as tears stream down my face and I finally let go of all the emotions I’ve been holding in for such a long time.The sorrow and regret consume me, a heavy weight on my soul.I weep for a life taken too soon, for the talent that will never be seen, and most of all, for my sister, who lost her life because of me.As exhaustion overtakes me, a single line from our song lingers on my lips:
