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With a heavy heart, I looked down at the tiles in the foyer through blurry eyes and sniffled “Horseshit”

It took et nation left me as Ion the bed in her dress with her shoes kicked off The small, jerkythe friend I was, I groaned as I pulled her droopy body up in an atteet”

Her head flopped from side to side, and she sulked, “I’m tired”

Unzipping her dress, I worked the sleeves down her arhed under et you into so more comfortable, and you can sleep your little heart out”

“Okay” She yawned sweetly

I struggled to work a nightie over her head, and when she threw herself back on the bed, I slid her dress down her legs, leaving the nightie pooling around her stoet With a little swat to her hip, I whispered, “You’re good to go, babe Get some sleep”

Another yawn, then she , “Nastasia, why don’t you love Vik anymore?”

A record scratched in my head

My heart skipped a beat, not only at the bluntness of her question but at horong her assumption was I peered out into the darkness a lazed eyes blinking up at me as she pulled the covers up to her neck

I didn’t knohat to say Anika and I had this unwritten rule since ere teenagers that we simply didn’t talk about my relationship with her brother But the fact that she asked suddenly had me desperate to talk about it Or more accurately, to explain myself

Honesty always carated so hard they hurt “You aren’t asking the right question, Ani” I pulled htly “You should be asking why Vik is so scared to commit”

She lifted herself up onto her elbow, hercrazy “Scared to co a sound I can only describe as half laugh, half groan When she stopped, she let out an incredulous, “Vik has been co about?”

I knew Ani well enough to know she didn’t , but it did This was hard forabout it only made me feel so