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“Almost three in the afternoon. You slept for a long time, you were hypothermic, and there was some water in your lungs from the river.”
“What about Asher’s party?” she asked, pulling back. She didn't want her brother to miss his son’s second birthday because he was here with her.
“We just changed it from lunch to dinner. You should be able to get out of here within an hour or two, enough time for you to come. If you’re up to it.”
She was up to it.
Nothing would make her miss her nephew’s birthday, especially now that she and Fin had made up. She hadn't felt this close to her brother since she was nine years old.
“Where’s Michael?” she asked. She was surprised that he wasn't here with her waiting for her to wake up, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
“Why don’t you get a little more sleep and I’ll go see about getting your discharge paperwork started,” Fin said, taking hold of her shoulders and trying to lie her back down.
Samara shrugged off his hands, her panic amped up another notch. “Is he hurt? Did Dante do something to him?”
“No, he’s not hurt, and Dante is dead, he won't ever hurt you again.”
If Michael wasn't dead or injured, then where was he?
The gnawing ball of anxiety in her stomach grew. “Where is he?” she asked.
Fin sighed, and she didn't miss the anger that flashed through his eyes. “I’m sorry, Samara, he left.”
“Left?” she echoed, unsure what that meant exactly.
“He’s gone.”
“Gone where?”
“I don’t know. He left the hospital as soon as he was discharged. Brady went by his house early this morning, and Michael was leaving. With a suitcase.”
A suitcase.
Michael had left with a suitcase.
She knew what that meant.
She had lived through it three times before.
He was gone.
And he wasn't coming back.
DECEMBER 25th
8:24 P.M.
“Are you sure you don’t want to spend the night again?”
“I have to come home sooner or later,” Samara reminded her brother as he pulled into her driveway.
“But it doesn’t have to be today. Come and stay at our house again. You know Asher is going to be thrilled, and Chloe and I are happy to have you as long as you want to stay,” Fin said.
She appreciated his offer.
Shereallydid.
Fin had stayed with her in the hospital then driven her back to his place for Asher’s party. Everyone had tried really hard to keep her busy and distracted, and while she appreciated their effort, it had just made her feel like everyone felt sorry for her because she’d nearly died and then instead of being there for her when she needed him, Michael had bailed.
