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I groaned, ainst her shirt "I’ll need another year to recuperate fro her shoulder underneath my head "Oh, Ems That’s what Carter’s for He’ll help you with all the rejuvenation you need" She tightened her hold on et hohts to catch up on"

I al Yes Yes, we did

Carter was still with the police and after checking in with Peter and Drake at the hospital, I went back with theetto be questioned by police soon and he didn’t want ot to Noah’s place, Aered in the hallanting to call Carter’s phone just in case I got him, but Theresa yelled from the kitchen

"Co to toast to you"

"Toast?"

Noah caerator Aled her eyebrows at lasses I’d just finished counting theainst it, tugging at his collar as he shoved a hand inside his pocket He seemed content to sit back and watch the entertainaze skirted ht he was content Maybe not

"No," Noah said, distracting e door with a bottle of rum in one hand and two beers in his other He slid a beer over the counter to Brian, who caught it and tipped it toward him in salute Noah nodded back, then plopped the rum in front of Amanda and Theresa

Theresa’sopen, and her eyebrows had shot up "Uh--what?"

He nabbed the wine bottle froetic serator With his beer, he turned to face me He held his bottle in the air "No wine for you ladies tonight You’re drinking the hard stuff because tonight--" He s back ho behind my eyes "What do you rabbed a carton of juice, filling three glasses As soon as Theresa lass, Amanda poured rulass in hand He gestured to me "Come on, raise it up This is for you, you know"

I felt ?"

"Our sister is home"

I looked at Amanda She’d said that so softly and eloquently She spoke as if it were a fact, as if she were declaring e all knew I sucked in ht it and felt it, but the fear of being abandoned was always there Because of Carter, because of who I loved, I thought they’d someday turn their backs onat the sealass "Come on, Ems You’re back with us You’re safe Your sister is safe, and hey--you have a sister! A true blue sister That’s ah I do not want to knohat all happened out there because, you know--" She winked in Brian’s direction "But you’re home You’re alive, and weto stay hidden One slipped downI tried to s the euys… Thank you" I couldn’t The words weren’t co This I really felt accepted by them, no matter what happened or ould happen I flicked some of the tears away "You have no idea how much thisrum instead of wine?"

"We love you, Eain When I turned to look, she held lanced to Brian, then back to me, and her s to convey to me then No matter what happened, ere fa after that

"Oh, Elass still in hand Alass, too "Wait" Theresa raised her glass "We should all take a sip like this"

"What?" Amanda frowned at her

"I mean it I know it sounds stupid We’re mixed up in a knot here, but let’s try it It can be a new thing, like a bonding, sisterly-drinking thing If anything, we’ll all look really duod" Amanda rolled her eyes

"Hush it" Theresa shot her a look, but she was trying not to grin "This is whatto act stupid, and we do it anyway Now drink, wolass

Alass, but I tried A up and down, jostling me "Hey," I said My lip was allass tipped I had one second to register as co, and I closed my eyes just as the liquid rained down on le" style="display:block" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7451196230453695" data-ad-slot="9930101810" data-ad-format="auto" data-full-width-responsive="true">