Page 94 of Ink & Desire

“Henley, I swear on everything holy, if you don’t get to the fucking point…” I say with asigh.

“It’s not like it’s a big secret,” she says. “One internet search would tell you the whole story. But fine. From what I remember, she was in a horrible car accident when she was a kid. Her dad died, but she survived. Barely. She had some head trauma and needed a bunch of surgeries. Had to relearn how to do a lot of things. She needed months of rehab. Maybe longer. I can’t remember all the details.”

Henley's words hit me like a punch to the gut, sucking the air from my lungs. Avery. My Avery went through all that? She almost died. Why didn’t she ever tell me? She was just a kid and she nearly died. I take a split second to consider a world without her in it and immediately shy away from the thought. The very idea makes me recoil.

“They have that charity gala every year to raise money for traumatic brain injury patients and their families,” Henley says. “To help pay for medical expenses. It’s a big deal. That’s where she is?”

I nod. Last night’s conversation comes back to me, and I remember her telling me how things are complicated with her family. I’d asked her why she needed to go to this party, but she’d been evasive. It’s so obvious now that I know her story. What better way to raise money for a cause than to show off a shining example of success? Avery wanted to tell me about it, but I was too busy pushing her away for her own good to let her talk.

“She wanted you to go with her?” Henley guesses.

“Yeah,” I say, still feeling sick over everything I just learned.

“So, why are you here? Why aren’t you in New York with her?”

I sigh. “I told you already. We’re too different. It won’t work.”

“Bullshit,” she says. “Tell me the real reason.”

I think about everything that happened last night, beginning with the phone call I got as I was leaving the shop and ending with Avery leaving my apartment, her voice breaking as she'd said we would never work. I’d been in a great mood before that phone call. I’d been looking forward to meeting Avery’s mom, even if I was a little nervous about it. I’d been looking forward to a possible future with a woman I was falling for. But one phone call knocked me back to reality and made me realize how impossible it all was.

I look at my baby sister and remember all the times I’ve protected her from the truth of our mother’s problems. I think about all the times I vowed to keep her from the ugliness I saw. And I realize I’ve done what I set out to do all those years ago. I helped her become a strong, resilient, and amazing woman. I'm so proud of the woman she is now. And I know I'm partly responsible for who she is today. I kept her safe until she could protect herself. But now, maybe it’s time to share the burden I’ve carried all these years.

“I got a call last night from Boston PD,” I say, meeting my sister’s gaze directly. “They picked Mom uptrying to use a stolen credit card to buy cigarettes at a convenience store. She was high off her ass. She gave them my name. Said I’d bail her out.”

Henley’s eyes close and her shoulders slump as she sighs. “Shit,” she whispers.

“I was halfway to the station before I realized what I was doing,” I say. “Cleaning up another one of her messes. Trying to hide it from everyone. Trying to keep it together so you wouldn’t see.” I shake my head. “Then I realized how fuckingtiredI was. Tired of all of it. Tired of cleaning up her shit. Tired of running to her rescue. Tired of wondering if the next phone call from the cops is going to be to ID her body. Tired of doing it all alone.”

My voice breaks on the last word and I look up to meet my sister’s gaze. Her dark eyes look so sad that it breaks my heart.

“I drove around for an hour. Trying to talk myself out of bailing her out. Trying to convince myself it didn’t make me a shitty person if I left her in jail.”

“You should have called me,” she whispers. “You could have talked to me about it. You don’t have to do it all alone.”

I shake my head. “I never wanted you to have to deal with that.”

“Corbin, I know you were just trying to protect me. You've always protected me. I love you for that, but you can stop now. I’m not a kid anymore. I can handle the hard stuff.”

“You shouldn’t have to,” I say.

“Neither should you,” she says. “You think I don’t know what you sacrificed for me, but I do. I remember you working your ass off to make sure I was taken care of. But no one was there to make sure you were okay.”

“You were just a kid, Henley,” I say.

“So were you,” she says. “You were just a kid trying to raise one. And I know I didn’t always make it easy for you. I’m sorry you didn’t have anyone to take care of you, but you do now. You have me.”

“And me,” I hear from behind me.

Turning, I see Jessie standing a few feet away. She looks like she’s worried I might be angry at her, but all I feel is relief and gratitude. I can’t quite muster a smile, but I give her a small nod of thanks.

“I’m guessing you also have Avery,” Henley says. “Or you would if you get your head out of your ass and tell her how you feel.”

I shake my head. “It’s too late for me and her.”

“I doubt that,” Jessie says. “I’ve seen how she looks at you, boss. I think you’ve still got a shot.”

I turn back to look at my sister, but she’s looking down at the phone in her hand.