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“Giselle isn’t weak like when she first got to the Sanctuary. She can handle her past. We all do it. She’s tough enough to do it, too. It’s also possible we’re worried over nothing. If she’s not suppressing her memories and they’re just lost from the head injury, we are hiding shit from her for no reason.”
Glancing back at Luca, I see her showing Giselle photos. Amelia touches the phone and smiles whenever her mother does.
“This sister and Giselle were tight,” I tell Apex who still pouts over how the world won’t leave his family alone. “Think of the sisters alone in that place with only each other for comfort. That’s a special kind of tight. You said Giselle feels guilt over leaving people behind. When she feels someone is missing, it’s probably her sister. Even if she never remembers this chick, Giselle’s bound to get an emotional bump from meeting her.”
“What’s the chick like?” Apex asks, turning hostile. “You talked to her, right? I know you. People can’t pull shit over you.”
“Man, I already told you how she was willing to leave the Sanctuary to avoid upsetting Giselle.”
“Maybe she should.”
Shaking my head, I hate playing the rational one. “Thorn’s got the hots for Celine. I don’t see her leaving the Sanctuary. Hell, she’ll probably end up being your neighbor.”
“Fuck that. Thorn shouldn’t be sniffing around those Dolls.”
I stare at Apex until his mind circles back to how he was on Giselle immediately after she arrived at the Sanctuary. I see the exact moment when he accepts how he wasn’t patient with her at all.
On the couch, Giselle looks at pictures of the Dolls and staff. I see Luca hesitating with each photo, just in case there’s any recognition. Giselle stares at the phone like she’s looking at a test and doesn’t know the answers.
When Luca glances at me, I nod at her silent question. She swipes through the photos before stopping at what I assume is Celine.
Giselle blinks a few times. “Is this one important?”
“Why do you ask?”
“You stopped swiping.”
“She says she’s your sister.”
Gasping, Giselle looks to Apex who shrugs like he doesn’t know the answer.
“Do you think she is?” Giselle asks Luca while tearing up.
“You have the same eye color.”
“Why would I leave her?”
“You couldn’t both escape.”
“I just left her.”
“No, you came here for help.”
“And then I got married and had kids and enjoyed my life. She was stuck in that place.”
“Look, Giselle, I know you’re going through some shit,” Luca says, losing her soft tone. “But you’re also looking for reasons to rag on yourself. I need you to think rationally, okay?”
Giselle is startled by Luca’s change in demeanor. Apex goes rigid and hostile next to me.
“Okay,” Giselle mumbles and strokes Amelia’s head as if thinking about stealing the child from Luca’s lap.
“Celine couldn’t escape. She wanted you to be free. You came here to get help and lost your memory. You didn’t just leave her behind and move on. Even without remembering, you kept asking people about Texas. You can choose to feel guilty for shit you couldn’t control or you can feel pride at how you got to Metamora, fought off those men, and sent help.”
Giselle blinks a few times before glancing at an irritated Apex. “I want to feel pride.”
Luca nods, completely oblivious to Apex’s bad mood. “That’s good because you weren’t raised to be strong, yet you escaped and got help anyway.”
Though Giselle has heard this shit from other people, I feel her taking it more to heart when it comes from someone who doesn’t kiss her ass all the time like Lady Bug or Apex.
