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Chapter Six
ALEX
BellaandLivhavearranged to visit my house this Saturday afternoon, but Bella has been here since eight in the morning, making herself at home.
It’s nice that she’s spending more time with Harlan, but I’m exhausted and would rather be resting now.
All I want is to sleep, but she’s got me involved in a jigsaw puzzle, and Harlan is obviously loving it.
“Here,” I put a piece in Harlan’s hand, doing a half-assed attempt at helping. “Try it here.”
I point at a spot, and he tries to fit it in immediately.
“It doesn’t fit!” he frowns.
“Then try to fit it somewhere else!” Bella says, very energetic for someone who wasn’t a morning person at all growing up from what my parents would say.
I joined the Navy right out of high school and Bella was only three, but my parents would keep me updated on her, and when I’d visit, I remember she’d always sleep in.
She tosses a piece of the puzzle at me, and it hits the corner my eye.
“Careful!” I curse her amid Harlan’s giggles.
“What are you thinking about?” Bella asks in jest. “It looks like your head is in the clouds!”
“I’m sleepy!” I complain like a child, burying my face in my arms over the table. “When does Liv arrive?”
“At two this afternoon,” Bella informs me. “We can even grab lunch before she comes!”
“Any reason for her not to come with you in the morning?” I ask, lifting my gaze to her and trying not to show too much curiosity.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her since the gun incident. I always found myself interested in her since I first met her, but now it’s escalated. I catch myself waking up from nightmares where she almost gets hurt and I can’t get there in time.
“She had a conflict with another assignment. Plus, I could use some quality time with my family, couldn’t I?” She hugs Harlan and places a kiss on the top of his head, which he rubs away the same instant.
I dive back into the pieces, smiling, if only because Bella is making an effort to get to know Harlan a little better.
“Tell me, Bella…” I start trailing around what I want to say. “How did you and Liv meet?”
She hands Harlan another piece. It makes a match and drives him into wild cheer. Bella raises her eyes at my question, and then nods.
“We were in many of the same classes in college. The professor paired us to work together in Photojournalism and the rest is history!” she says.
“Nice,” I feel my lips curve into a small smile. “And how’s she like… Um… Overall?”
At that, my sister raises an eyebrow, certainly finding my interest in Liv weird, but still not dismissing me.
“What do you mean?” she shrugs, confused. “You know… She’s a nice girl. Only child. I went to New York to go to school, but she’s from there originally. Why do you ask?”
“Just curious,” I try to disguise my interest. “We talk off and on, but I still feel like I barely know her.”
She throws another puzzle piece at my face, hitting me with a corner just under my nose.
“Can I know what I did now?!” I say, feeling my upper lip.
“My friend is off limits, you hear me?” Bella says, threatening me with yet another little cardboard piece. “Off. Limits.”
“I hear you,” I say, dispirited and arms raised in surrender.
