Page 63 (1/2)

As the words leave Damien’s lips, there’s movement from the hallway, and I turn to find Sandy dressed in just the sweet pajama set that Damien chose for her at the mall Her hair is a riot of messy chestnut curls, and her lips are pink and plunetized, and all I’ into the middle of a difficult conversation, Luna is already turned in her direction

There’s a moment of aard silence

A moment where the memory of the last tih my mind There’s so ether with longing I would give everything I have and everything I will ever be to go back to that e what happened next If I could lie in that bed with irl and her arms wrapped around et back to that moment

“Who’s this?” Luna asks, her nostrils flaring

“I’m Sandy”

My eyelids drop as though they can shut out everything in front of me, and none of it will be there when they open Except, when I force the at me

“The Sandy?” Luna says with her head cocked to the side

She never , but she knew about her She knew that I loved Sandy, and I was planning to ask her tothat she deserved to wear on her finger for life

I nod, even though I don’t want to Exposing this fragile thing between us to Luna’s anger and resenterous I love my sister, but her tender little heart has become encased in steel since Jake died

She’s beco abrasive and razor-sharp

“What the fuck is she doing here?”

A quick glance at Sandy reveals the confusion on her face She takes a step back as though putting some distance between her and the rest of the room will calm the atmosphere It won’t

“She’s staying for a while,” I say