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But not anymore. I could do more than rebuild a car to honor Aires. I could become the sibling he would have wanted me to be. Alexander would never face this world alone. He’d have an advocate—he’d have me. “Alexander Aires. I like it. ”
Ashley let out a relieved breath and glanced at my father with a smile on her face. “I’m happy you’re here, Echo. ”
Oddly enough … “Me, too. ”
A nurse walked in with a rolling bassinet. “Sorry to intrude, but I’m here to take little Alexander to be weighed. ” She expertly took Alexander from me and placed him in the bed. “And someone will be in to examine you, Mrs. Emerson. ”
“He’ll want to eat soon, so don’t keep him long. ” Ashley grasped my father’s hand and her blue eyes became worried.
“We’ll bring him right back,” the nurse assured her.
We watched him roll away. My father slid to the edge of the bed. “How are you?”
“Good. ” For having a slight mental breakdown and remembering that my mom had tried that murder-suicide thing with me. “They released me. ”
“Already? The doctors and nurses have been keeping me updated, but they told me you wouldn’t be released until two. I planned on being there to take you home. ” He checked his watch. Sure enough, it was only one-thirty. “I promise I sat with you. ”
“I know. Noah told me. ”
My father exchanged a perplexed glance with Ashley. “Are you and Noah back together?”
Heat burned my cheeks at the thought of the way he kissed me in the hospital room. “Yeah. ”
“He stayed with you, Echo. All night. ” He stared down at his shoes as he spoke and I heard the heavy hint of regret. Noah stayed with me—he didn’t.
My mother’s words chose that moment to echo in my head. “You and I share the same skin. ” No, Mom, we don’t. I share Aires’ skin. I’m going to do better than you.
Every few seconds Ashley’s face flickered between worry and hope. I’d loved her once. My mother reminded me of that. There was a time as a child I possibly could have called her Mom without feeling a twinge of regret. Yes, things happened. A marriage failed and a family fell apart, but Ashley … Ashley wasn’t evil. “I’m sorry, Ashley. ”
Her forehead furrowed. “For what?”
I forced myself to look at her. “For always blaming you. ” Ashley’s eyes watered. I swallowed my pride and continued, “My mom isn’t who I thought she was, so maybe you’re not the person I’ve made you out to be either. ”
At first, I meant the apology as a truce in order to start fresh with Alexander, but as I said the words, my heart became lighter. I really was sorry and forgiveness felt … enlightening.
Ashley placed a hand over her heart while the tears streamed down. “I’m sorry, too. So sorry. I never meant to hurt you. Never. Sometimes I say things and the words just fall out, and I can see by the look on your face that I said it wrong. But you have to know—I have always loved you. I’ll do better, Echo. I promise. ”
I glanced at my bouncing foot. Guilt ate at me. She wanted a clean slate. If we were starting off on a new foot, we needed to begin with honesty. “And I’m going to really try with you. Not fake try. Really try. ”
Ashley smiled through her tears and nodded, accepting my treaty.
“Mrs. Emerson, I’m here to examine you,” said a nurse in purple scrubs. “Would the two of you mind stepping out?”
My father stood. “No problem. ”
The appropriate thing to do would be to hug her. Yeah … I should. But I couldn’t. I’d save that for when I really felt it. Repairing my relationship with Ashley was going to require baby steps. I held my hand out to her and she squeezed it.
“I’ll see you at home,” she said.
“Okay. ”
Almost shocking the red out of my hair, my father placed an arm around my shoulder and escorted me out of the room. “Have I told you lately how much I love you?”
A floor-to-ceiling window ended the hall next to Ashley’s room. My father closed the door behind him and the two of us looked out on the busy parking lot. Do you realize that you haven’t touched me like this in years? “No. ”
He pulled me closer to him and kept his eyes locked on the outside world. “I love you more than you could ever know. ”
“I love you, too,” I whispered. “I wish …” That Aires had never died. That my mother wasn’t so selfish. “I wish things didn’t have to be so difficult between us. ”
