Page 164 of When a Soul Cries

“Zari—”

I crossed the kitchen before she could finish.

I wrapped my arms around both of them.

Halo was trapped between us for half a second before I loosened my grip, one hand cradling the back of her little head.

“Why?” I cried.

Sol broke down against me.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

My hands trembled as I pulled back and looked at her.

“Why the fuck would you keep telling me everything was okay?”

“I knew what you were dealing with.”

“I don’t give a fuck!”

Halo whimpered.

Sol bounced her gently, but she was crying too hard to calm anybody.

“You were burying your aunt,” Sol sobbed. “You already don’t deal with your family. Everybody was stressing you out. I didn’t want to call you with more problems.”

My eyes searched her face.

“So what happened?”

Sol dropped her head.

My heart shattered.

“Sol.”

“I thought I could fix it.”

Her voice was barely audible.

“I kept thinking if I could just make it one more day…”

Halo started crying harder.

Rome shifted from where he’d been standing quietly near the island.

He hesitated before stepping toward us.

“Sol.”

She wiped at her face and looked at him.

Rome glanced down at Halo, then back at her.

“Can I get her?”