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The realization hits me like a bag of bricks, but instead of elation, I only feel more dread. If I love Aiden, and we keep going as we are—he’ll get so deep in this thing with me that he will stubbornly hang on long after I’ve proven to be bad for him and Sophie. Or what’s worse, he’ll toss me aside. Both options make mychest hurt, and I know that going through either would break me to pieces.
I can’t escape the sick suspicion that the longer I stay, the more of a burden I’ll become for them.
“You look like shit.”
I sit straight up, seeing Wanda squinting at me from her bed.
“Oh my God, you’re awake,” I say with relief, pushing out of my chair to go to her bedside. “How are you feeling?”
“Eh. They didn’t have to open me up, at least. I’m sure they’ll be on my ass about changing my diet after this.”
“Which youwillbe doing.”
“My mama has been dead for years, girl. Quit talking like you’re her.”
Despite everything, this makes me laugh. “You scared the shit out of me, Wanda. I need you to live for at least another twenty years.”
“Lord, I hope not,” she grumbles. “How’d you sneak in here anyway?”
“Told them I was your granddaughter.”
“Slick. Real slick.”
I frown. “Seriously, are you okay?”
She gives me a tired smile. “I told you that you were gonna give me a heart attack one of these days.” Her smile dissipates at my crumpled expression. “Oh, stop it.” She struggles to sit up in bed, and I put a hand behind her back to help her up. “I’m not dead yet.” She looks worried then. “Where’s Sophie?”
“Aiden took her home.” Just the mention of both of them makes my chest throb. “How much do you remember?”
Wanda shrugs. “I told her to call 911 when I started having chest pains. She did real good. There’s bits and pieces from the ambulance but nothing much after that.”
“She couldn’t get in touch with us,” I say guiltily. “We both forgot to keep track of our phones last night.”
Wanda chuckles. “Imagine you were too busy shaking the sheets.”
“It isn’t funny! We both feel like shit. Sophie had to call her aunt Iris.”
“Damn. That harpy that keeps bothering your fellow? That sounds like a fun time.”
“It was awful, Wanda. The way she tore into Aiden...” I can feel my eyes welling, and I have to take a moment to stave it off. “She threatened to take it to a judge.”
“Oh, let her. She’s just being bitter.”
“She threatened Aiden because ofme, Wanda. If he hadn’t been with me last night...”
“Then I might be dead for all we know,” Wanda says assertively. “That girl saved my damned life. That’s how fate works, girl.”
“I know that, but if I hadn’t—”
“Shut that shit up,” she says, clucking her tongue. “Quit trying to put this on you. It isn’t your fault I got a shitty ticker.”
“I don’t know what to do,” I admit quietly, those tears I’d been willing away are pooling at the corners of my eyes and threatening to spill. “If I stay with them, she’s going to use it against Aiden.”
“The hell do you mean ‘if I stay’? You aren’t thinking of leaving, are you?”
“I—” I swallow thickly, feeling a single trickle over my cheek. “I can’t be the thing that ruins things for them. I don’t—” I suck in a breath, trying to choke back a sob. “I don’t want to be someone’s burden. Not again.”
Wanda is quiet, watching as I hang my head and wipe my eyes. So many emotions are hitting me all at once, and I feel evenshittier sitting here whining about my problems when Wanda just lived through a damned heart attack. She waits for me to calm down, waits for the sniffling to stop as I stare at my knees.
