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Calli needs to say goodbye to him alone, and I get that. So, I lead Jamie out of the house. We halt beside the Mustang.
She clasps my hands. "Dinnae want to go."
"And I don't want you to go either. But your family needs you, and I've gotten to know you well enough that I can say with absolute certainty that you will never forgive yourself if you aren't there when Aidan needs you." I brush my thumb over her cheek. "He's your best friend. You told me that."
"You're right, I know. But I..." She raises onto her toes to look straight into my eyes. "I love you, Gavin."
"I love you too. And we will see each other again, that's a promise."
Aidan shambles out of the house, looking as dejected as I feel. He hides it pretty well, but guys can tell when one of our buddies is upset. We might not want to talk about it, but we can tell. Women aren't the only ones with insight into the human condition.
I give Jamie a quick, soft kiss. "I won't forget about you, not ever. You're the only one for me, and I'll fight for us. However long it takes, I'll wait."
Jamie and Aidan climb into the car.
I stand here watching while the only woman I've ever really loved rides out of my life. A hard pang hits me in the chest, and for a moment, I have trouble catching my breath. But I won't fall apart. The way I'd behaved five years ago, and for too long after that, will never happen again. I'll take care of my sister this time. She won't be alone.
And somehow, some way, I will reunite with Jamie.
Once the car has moved out of sight, I walk into the house.
Calli sits there in a lump on the floor, just under the window, with her legs splayed and her head bowed, sobbing.
I kick the door shut and crouch in front of her. "Jesus, Calli. What can I do?"
She shakes her head while tears pour down her cheeks.
Yes, I will take care of my sister this time. So, I sit down beside Calli, tug her close to my side, and throw my arm around her. When I rest my chin on her head, she sags against me, her sobs growing louder and stronger, shaking her entire body.
"It'll be okay, Calli. One day it'll be okay, I promise."
"He's gone." Her voice had cracked on the final syllable. "I lost him."
"One thing I've learned about Aidan is that he's not the kind of guy who gives up easily. He loves you like crazy, and that's how I know he'll do whatever it takes to get back to you."
She buries her face against my chest and keeps on sobbing.
I've never seen my sister like this. Never. Not even when Mom and Dad died. I think she's broken right now because she held in all that grief for our parents and the strain of knowing she'd violated the law to help Rade. Losing Aidan was the last straw, and she can't hold it together anymore. But I'm here for her this time, and I won't leave until she's okay. Screw my job. Calli needs me.
We sit here sprawled on the floor while her sobs gradually become silent tears, and eventually, she stops crying altogether. Even when that happens, she doesn't move away from me and keeps her face buried against my chest. But she does unclench her hand, the one that had been fisted in my shirt. I switch from rocking her gently to just combing my fingers through her hair.
I get why Calli fell apart. She's never really had a boyfriend, much less been in love. I've watched her with Aidan, so I know what they have is real. Maybe even the fairy-tale kind of love.
Do Jamie and I have that? Not sure, but I want to find out.
At last, Calli raises her head. "Sorry I got your shirt all wet."
"It's just a little damp. Don't worry about it." I still have one arm around her, and she doesn't seem to mind that. "How do you feel? Sorry, that's a dumb question."
"No, it isn't. I feel like somebody shoved a melon baller inside my chest and scooped out my heart."
"I know. I felt that way when Leanne left me, though not because I wanted her back. I didn't love her the way you love Aidan."
She almost smiles. "But you love Jamie that way, don't you?"
"Yeah, I think I do."
"Then don't let her go. I want you to be happy, Gav. One of us should be, at least."
