I take a sip of the tea and set it back down on the table before joining her at the counter and rolling up my sleeves to get to work. I want to bake out this sadness and frustration, get my hands dirty and feel in control of the situation.
And I never want to see Jake ever again.
Chapter Six
Someone is screaming.
My eyes fly open and I blink a few times as they adjust to the darkness of my room. My heart thumps wildly in my chest. I sit up in bed, unsure that I actually heard anything, until I hear it again.
Tossing my covers off, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and get up. It only takes a few steps to get to my bedroom door and the wooden baseball bat I keep behind it. I open the door quietly and glance down the hallway.
There’s a different noise now, something more like a whimper, from the other end of the hallway. I realize it’s Thea and not an intruder. Padding down the hallway, I set the baseball bat down ather door. She must be having a nightmare; agony flashes across her face in the pale moonlight that streams in from the windows.
“Thea,” I say, as I walk to the bed. The sheets are bunched up beneath her fists as she thrashes. She doesn’t hear me.
“Thea,” I repeat, a little louder. I sit down on the edge of the bed and brush her hair off of her forehead. She jerks under my touch.
“Thea, wake up,” I say, raising my voice. I grab her shoulders and gently shake her. “Wake up, it’s okay, you’re having a nightmare.”
Her eyes fly open and she blinks a few times, confusion dancing across her face for the briefest of moments.
“Hey,” I whisper, moving hair away from her face. Her skin is coated in a sheen of sweat. “It’s okay,” I add, “you’re safe. It was just a dream.”
She rubs at her eyes. “I’m sorry I woke you up,” she says after a moment, covering her face with her hands.
“There’s no need to apologize. Do you want to talk about it?”
“I keep having the same nightmare, over and over,” she sighs, “it’s always the wreck. It never goes away.” She sits up and puts her head in her hands for a moment. Her shoulders slump as her hands fall to her lap and fingers begin to fidget.
“I’m sorry,” she repeats.
“Thea, seriously, it’s okay.” I reach for her and pull her closer to me, tucking her head just under my chin as I hug her.
“I’m here for you,” I murmur as I run my fingers over her hair.
She nods. “How are you so strong?”
“I have my moments,” I whisper, tears forming in my eyes as I think about my sister. “Trust me.” I feel a tear slide down my face and I wipe at it. “She loved you so very much,” I add, my voice not above a whisper. “And I do, too. Together, we’ll get through this.”
“Some days it doesn’t feel like it. Some days it feels like this is all I’ll ever be.”
“I know. I’m sorry you have to go through this so young.”
Thea pulls away from me and searches my eyes. “I’m really glad I came out here,” she says quietly after a moment. “I’m glad I have you.”
“I am, too.” I smile. “You’re keeping me young.”
This elicits a laugh out of her and I watch her relax a little.
“Really, though,” I say, “you’re not alone in this.”
She nods and yawns.
“Go back to sleep,” I murmur as I stand up.
“I never could back in Seattle,” she says. “I’d be up for the rest of the night whenever I had one. So…thank you, for comforting me.”
“No thanks needed. That’s what I’m here for.”
