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Dani wrapped her fists in the blanket now

"She fell in love with your Jake And your Jake fell in love with her"

Dani closed her eyes as if to ward off the i assault

"She loved him because he loved you I’ve had a few years to ponder the two of theot to say that Jake loved her Hook, line, and sinker It was the part of you that she had inside of her That’s who he fell for"

Dani caught her breath and released it slowly

"Erica took a part of you that she loved and she made it a part of herself That’s who Jake fell for And I know it’ll hurt, but Jake was needed by Erica"

"What?" The words cut from Dani’s throat "You don’t think I needed him?"

"No" Aunt Mae continued, "Not like she did Jake was her soul You were his, but he was hers She needed him You didn’t, and that’s what reeled that boy in You didn’t need him, Dani You didn’t need anyone"

Did she need Jake?

What about Boone?

"That boy didn’t knohat train was co his way Erica was the train, and she barreled over him, but she didn’t know She didn’t have no stupid driver Erica was playing life just like the rest of us She was going forward, but she couldn’t stop She had no idea until you left"

Dani stood, holding the blanket around her "I don’t want to hear any ot to" Aunt Mae scrarave you haven’t ht with her"

"She’s dead!" Dani snapped "She’s dead! She doesn’t give a rat’s ass what I think"

"You’re not! That’s what I’ht in her face She didn’t blink an eye "You’re alive and you’ve survived hell, though you don’t speak about it I know! I know the look, but you’re standing, and you’re alive You survived, but you ain’t living"

Erica wasn’t either

Dani couldn’t breathe Her chest was constricted

Erica was dead She hadn’t felt her sister leave, yet she’d felt the children die