Page 69 of Finding My Forever

She looked about as disappointed as I felt.

“He probably hasn’t seen it yet.” I could tell there was something she wanted to say. “Sky?”

She wouldn’t meet my eyes.

“Skylar? What is it?”

She huffed. “I’m just being a pessimist.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just that you can delete a message without reading it.”

That thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but now…now it felt like the truth. He could have easily just deleted the message instead of reading it, and I’d never know. The hope I had washed away.

“I’m sure he didn’t do that. I’m just saying…it’s possible.”

“You’re right.” I pulled my apron over my head and hung it up. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“April, wait!”

She didn’t need to apologize. She was just telling the truth. “It’s okay, Sky. I’ll see you later.”

I was in my car and pulling out before she or my mom could catch up. I didn’t need other people feeling bad for me. I felt bad enough. I drove home focusing on the roads to distract myself from crying.

There was no point in more tears. I wasted too many since Friday night and it hadn’t done anything for me. It didn’t make anything better. All it did was give me a headache.

Once I was in my room and changed into sweats, I collapsed on my bed and called Beth back.

“Hi, sis.” Her voice lacked the usual pep.

“Hey.”

“Sorry I missed Sunday dinner. Mom caught me up on what happened though.”

“Pretty bad, huh?”

Beth laughed. “You and Elise certainly have had to try harder than the rest of us.”

I rolled my eyes. Of course, we did. “You probably think we deserve it.”

“No, I don’t.” She laughed again. “You two may have caused a lot of trouble over the years, but I’d never want either of you to struggle. I think each of us meets our soulmate exactly when and how we should.”

I huffed. “That sounds pretty cruel right now.”

“I don’t mean for it to. I’m just saying that we all have different lessons to learn. Do you think it was any easier on Aunt Becky? She had to wait until she was thirty-seven to meet hers.”

I hadn’t really thought about it like that.

“Everyone’s story is different and happens exactly as it should. Yours just happens to have a few more curves and loops than the rest of ours. It’s not bad, just different.”

“You’re right.” It pained me to say that. Those were the two words she loved the most.

“I didn’t call for you to tell me that.”

I laughed at that. “Then why did you call?”

“I wanted to make sure you were doing okay and to see if there’s anything I can do.”