Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Maddox keeps me tucked into his side as we exit the elevator. I keep my head down because I feel as though I’m seconds away from losing my grip on my sanity.
I’m not ready to lose him.
It’s not until I hear my name do I look up from the tile flooring. My mouth drops open and it takes me a few heartbeats to find my voice.
“Briar?”
Her eyes soften, and she smiles. “Hey.”
“What are you doing here?” I can’t pull my eyes away from my twin sister.
She shrugs. “I was in the neighborhood.” I give her a disbelieving look, and she chuckles. “Fine. I knew you were nervous about today, and I wanted to be here for you. I’m just going to sit out here and wait, and if you need me, I’ll be here.” She glances at my husband, who has yet to speak but still has his arm wrapped tightly around my waist. “I know she’s yours now, and I know you’ve got her, but I needed to be here. I could feel it here”—she places her hand over her heart—“that you needed me.”
“She is mine,” Maddox tells her. “But she is also yours. We’re a family, and our girl needs both of us.”
Tears well in my eyes. For so long, it’s been Briar and me against the world, and now, here is this man who I’ve completely fallen for standing tall next to me, supporting me in ways I never thought possible.
Heels clicking gain our attention, and I turn to see Susan walking out of her office. “Good morning.” She smiles. “Briar, I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Just hanging out here in the lobby. I have a book with me.” She pats her purse.
Susan nods. “Hi, I’m Susan.” She offers Maddox her hand.
“Maddox Lanigan, Brogan’s husband.” He introduces himself, and if I’m not mistaken, there’s a hint of pride in his voice.
“Nice to meet you, Maddox. Are we ready?” Susan asks us.
I nod, because I can’t seem to find the words. Maddox and I move to follow Susan into her office, but I stop and turn to look at Briar. “Come with me?”
Briar is up and out of her seat and making her way toward me. She grabs my hand and leads me into the office. Susan doesn’t say a word about Briar being here with us. Briar takes one of the chairs, while Susan takes the other, and Maddox and I sit on the love seat facing them.
“Maddox, I asked Brogan to invite you to a session so I could help assist her with working through telling you about some past traumas.”
“Thank you,” Maddox replies.
“Brogan, are you still okay if we talk freely with both Maddox and Briar here?”
“Yes.” I nod and twist my hands together in my lap.
“Briar, since you are also a patient, I have to ask you the same. Are you okay to proceed with Maddox here?”
“He’s my brother. Of course I am.”
My eyes snap to my sister, and she smiles at me, mouthing, “I love you,” and bobs her head.
Maddox reaches over and places his hand over mine. I stop twisting them together and instead open my palm, accepting his, linking our fingers together. I can already feel the calm washing over me. How he does that, I’ll never know.
“I don’t know how to do this,” I blurt.
“That’s what I’m for,” Susan says gently. “Brogan, tell me how you feel.”
“Broken.”
“What?” Maddox turns in his seat to look at me. He studies my face, and even though I want to look away, I can’t seem to force myself to do so. “Brogan, baby, you’re not broken.”
“Aren’t I?” I counter.
“What are you afraid of, Brogan?” Susan asks.
“Losing the people I care about.” My eyes fall to my lap. I can’t face him or my sister.
“Loss is a part of life,” Susan reminds me kindly. “What else weighs heavily on you?”
I want to yell at her to shut the hell up, but I remind myself she’s just doing her job. She’s here to help me, and even though she knows the answer, she’s going to make me say it. Something I’ve never said out loud to anyone but her.
“Guilt,” I mumble.
“Do you want to talk about that?” Susan asks.
No, Susan, I don’t want to talk about it. “Not really,” I admit, keeping the snark to myself.
“Brogan.” Briar’s voice cracks, and I lift my head to look at her. Even from my spot across the room, I see the tears swimming in her eyes.
Something inside me breaks, as I feel my own tears burn behind my eyes. “I wanted to go that night.” My voice is raspy. I swallow past the lump in the back of my throat and keep going. I knew this is what today would be, so I need to pull up my big girl pants and rip off the Band-Aid.