No. It was the wrong choice.
I’m saying that here because if you’re reading this, I don’t get to pretend anymore.
But, I was scared that anything connected to me would become a target. I didn’t know his sister and I didn’t want to drag a total stranger into something dangerous.
Just my twin, apparently.
Maren made a sound that hurt coming out. Colin reached over with his free hand and wiped the tear from her cheek. She leaned into his touch for one second, then forced herself to read the final words her sister wrote:
If the danger is over, find Arden. Find Sean’s family. Juni deserves them. They deserve her.
And you deserve support, Maren. I know they’ll love you.
I know you. I know what you’ll do. You’ll say you’re fine. You’ll say you can handle it. You’ll say you have everything under control while secretly wondering if you are ruining my daughter because you gave her frozen waffles twice in one week or let her watch too much Bluey.
You are not ruining her.
You are the best thing that ever happened to her.
Maren closed her eyes as a sob tore out of her.
The letter blurred.
Colin unbuckled, shifted closer, and pulled her into his arms. He didn’t take the letter. Didn’t tell her to stop. Just held her steady while she broke a little more. Maren cried silently for a minute, curled into a ball on his lap. Colin wrapped around her as much as the airplane seats allowed.
Then she drew in a shaky breath and kept reading.
I know I was the wild one.
Fine. The reckless one.
Fine, fine, the evil twin.
You were the good twin. You always hated when I said that, but it’s true. You see people. You take care of them. You remember the things they love. You can turn a bad day into pancakes and a blanket fort. You can make a scared kid feel safe. A scaredsisterfeel safe.
You always thought I pushed you because I wanted you to be more like me. I didn’t.
I pushed you because I knew you were braver than you thought.
I sold my soul when I worked at LRH. But, maybe I’ve redeemed myself a little bit. I don’t know. I’m not asking you to make me clean. Just finish it if I can’t.
Then go live.
Please, Maren. Live. Not just survive. Not just raise Juni and work and worry and make lists.
Have fun. Fall in love if someone good finds you. Let someone take care of you sometimes, even though I know that will make you itch. Kiss Juni for me. Tell the brothers I love them and that they’re still annoying. Tell Juni to be good.
And if she can’t be good, tell her to be careful.
You be careful too.
But not too careful.
You deserve a good life.
I hope you get it.
I love you, Sister Mine.
