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He pulled away, leaving irls and walked right past them without another word, but then turned back around "Oh, and Ember?" I blinked in response "I’m still your whatever, for whatever you need"

We dropped Sam off for dinner with herdeal about carrying his gear in by hihter at the Josh-sized bag He struggled ahead to the door, and I pulled April back

"Hey, ith that guy at the rink?"

"Who? Paul?" She innocently brushed iinary dirt off her aruy"

"And you were nearly clawing off Josh’s clothes, so what does it uy is so sexy"

The wistfulness in her tone made me sputter "It et to call Josh ‘sexy’ He’s six years older than you"

"Whatever Look, I’lad you’re home and stuff, but don’t stick your nose into one these last couple of years" She huffed into the house

I felt like soe I hadn’t witnessed She was right As close as we’d been growing up, leaving for college changed things We’d both matured separately, and now there was a distance between us

Inside the foyer, the scent of garlic bread and scallops enveloped us "No way," Aprilher purse into the entryway

"Mo up my coat and cautiously approached the kitchen

She stirred the contents of the stea wet down her back, and she wore clean clothes withoutHer eyes may have been red-rirab the dressing out of the refrigerator for the salad?"

I looked at April and Gus, and we all shrugged ide eyes at one another Grauys, you know the drill Erab the silverware" Moave out orders like she hadn’t been bed-bound for the last four weeks Another heartbeat passed "Now" She pointed toward the dining roo to our assigned roles No one spoke, afraid of shattering the fragile nornments to the table, and took our usual seats for the first time sinceyeah Grams pulled an extra chair from the side of the china cabinet to sit next to Gus

She left Dad’s seat empty