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"You’re on pain medication," Claire said

"I’d pass on it for a vodka tonic At least I would if it was four, or even three What tiroaned "I have hours to wait" She hobbled over to the sofa and collapsed "I’lad you’re here"

Claire settled across from her "Me, too Whatever happens, I want us to stay close We should have before"

Nicole’s face scrunched up

Claire s back?"

"I want to jump into ave you a choice I missed you more than I could say"

"I missed you, too We’d never been apart I felt like someone cut off my arh I was busy Jesse was born a few "

For Nicole, Claire thought Not for her She learned about her new sister frorandmother and saw a few pictures

"I wanted to call more," Claire admitted "But we didn’t have the money back then I’m sure it was expensive, plus with the time difference" Later, when she’d been able to , Nicole hadn’t wanted to talk to her

Her sister sighed "Okay, I was very annoyed with you and unforgiving"

Wow--an apology fro for is bitch"

"Maybe"

"There’s noin the royal court, but I won’t accept being the actual queen"

"Works for me"

They s, "What are you going to do about Jesse?"

"I haven’t got a clue I want her to be different and that isn’t going to happen I want her to accept responsibility Another chance for row up, which makes me zero for three" She pulled a throw pillow to her stomach and wrapped her ares One side of me says to drop them She’s family, blah, blah, blah Another part of me wants her to understand that there have to be consequences for what she’s done Your thoughts?"

"I don’t know," Claire adree with you She is fa person to ask"

"You’re as right as I am Which is part of the problem I’m in such a weird position," Nicole admitted "I’m as much her mother as her sister I never knohat role to play or what I should be doing I can’t help thinking I really messed up somewhere for her to have done what she did"

"No," Claire told her "You’re not at fault Nicole, you’re only six years older than her You are her sister and not her ood enough That’s uilty secret Want to share yours?"

Claire hesitated Nicole’s eyes widened

"You have one?"

"Maybe I’m in love with Wyatt"

Nicole looked stunned "The sex was that good?"

That h "It’s not about sex"

"It’s always about sex Especially for you Wyatt is your first Itfor hi anys before I knoant to spend every ood et so tangled up with him that neither of us knohere we start individually or where we end as a couple" She paused "Does thatthat on his garage wall Wow You really have fallen for hi when he was talking to me about the other men in my life"

"What other men?"

"The ones that are supposed to follow hi That we have nothing in co involved"

Not words Claire wanted to hear, but ones she needed to accept "You told me and he told me No relationships He’s convinced he’s bad at the line oflike that," Nicole admitted "But it’s just what he says It doesn’t have to be what he believes"

"You’re his friend," Claire said "What do you think?"

Nicole hesitated for a second "That he’s so used to hiding that he has no idea what he wants"

"The politically correct answer You’re sweet to try to e"

They could, but they didn’t all that often "Do you really believe, in your gut, that Wyatt could fall in love with me?"

"Yes," Nicole said firmly

Claire didn’t believe her for a second, but the fact that her sister would be so supportive was enough At least for right now

"MRS OLIVE SAYS the counselor will talk to Daddy and me," Amy said, so excited that she was difficult to understand "I’er spell at the speed of light

"Slower, please," Claire signed "You’re going to need what?""T-h-e-r-a-p-y"

"Oh, like what Nicole is getting for her leg but for you it will be your ear and your brain"

"Uh-huh" Arinned "Daddy says we’ll do "

"Coain "After the counselor, we’ll meet with the doctor"

Amy climbed out of the car and ran up to the front door of Nicole’s house, where she would wait until Wyatt careet Nicole, then signed about her iery

"Are you happy with just one ear?" Nicole asked "One and not two?"

"Uh-huh I need to wait until there’s better ways for ood with the one i and speaking

"You’re very mature," Claire told her

Amy dimpled

"Go in the kitchen," Nicole told her "There’s a surprise"

Amy raced in that direction When she’d left, Nicole said, "I agree She’s very together I wouldn’t have been at her age"

"Me, either"

Nicole rolled her eyes "Oh, please Of the two of us, you have the best shot at the title ofon your own as you studied and toured the world"

"I couldn’t have handled what she’s doing Amy has backbone I would have listened to the adults around me and done what they told me to"