Sam knocked on the door and for a second she pictured her brother swinging open the door and grinning at her. God, she missed him. She smiled and thought about how happy he would be that she and Nick were having a baby. He always supported them as a couple. Sure, he teased her mercilessly over her crush on him, but he saw beneath that crush, and knew Nick had always been something more than just a silly crush to his sister. Cara pulled open the door; it took her a minute to focus her eyes. “Sam? What’re you doing here?”
Sam’s eyes widened as she took in Cara’s appearance. She looked as if she had been up all night. Her hair was wild; her eyes looked as they were struggling to stay open. Suddenly her expression changed and she peered at Sam suspiciously.
“He sent you here didn’t he?” She clenched her fists. Shaking her head, she bellowed, “I can’t believe him!”
Sam held up her hands defensively. “Who are you talking about? Luke?”
Cara placed a hand on her hip her body trembled slightly as she looked at Sam expectantly. “Who else?”
“No one sent me Cara. I’ve been trying to call you.” She watched as Cara’s guard came down slowly, relaxing a bit she opened the door wider. She stepped aside, inviting Sam inside.
“I’m sorry.” She muttered and ran her hands through her tangled hair.
Sam looked around inside the apartment. Everything looked the same as it had when Jake lived there except for the couch that was full of his clothes. She chose not to question it, instead she turned around and looked at Cara.
“No need for apologies.” She watched as Cara closed the door, leaning her back against it her arms folded over her chest. Sam looked her over and noticed her eyes held no life in them. They were blank, much like her expression. “Has Luke been giving you a hard time?” Sam threaded softly.
Cara pushed off the door and walked passed her into the kitchen. “Luke thinks I’m his responsibility now that Jake is gone.” She said flatly. “Do you want something to drink?”
“No, I’m good thanks.” Sam said as she pulled up a stool at the kitchen island and sat down. “That’s just Luke’s nature, he’s always been the protective brother. He needs to be helping someone or thinking that he is.” She shrugged her shoulders. “I think it’s what gets him by.”
Cara braced arms on the countertop of the island pinning Sam with a glare. “I don’t care what he needs to get by.” She sighed. “I’m not his charity case Sam. I have enough to deal with without having him on my back.”
“Losing Jake is a lot to deal with.” Sam agreed, knowing that Cara was having a hard time coping, and probably was worse off than anyone else when it came to that.
“Living without Jake is a lot to deal with.” Cara conceded. She closed her eyes, the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I just want to sleep. I never want to wake up because, in my dreams he’s alive.” The tears slid down her cheeks and then she opened her eyes and stared into Sam’s, so similar to Jakes, she thought.
“I don’t know how I can make it better for you.” Sam said honestly, her heart breaking for Cara.
“You can’t.”
“No, I probably can’t.” She reached out and placed her hand over Cara’s. Suddenly she was hit with a wave of nausea. She stilled and hoped she could will it to pass. Cara drew her eyebrows together as she looked at Sam’s face change.
“Are you okay?” Cara asked with concern evident in her voice. “Sam?”
She couldn’t answer as the bile rose in her throat. She jumped off the stool hurrying as quickly as she could to the bathroom, praying she didn’t toss her cookies before she made it to the toilet bowl. She kneeled before it and pulled the lid up just in time as she began to vomit violently. She hated throwing up more than anything. She hated the smell, the heaving, absolutely everything. Sam felt Cara lift her hair on top of her head and heard the running water. Moments later Cara was patting her down with a damp cloth.
The torture went on for about five minutes, but it felt like an hour. She was certain she had cleared her system of everything she had digested in the last week as well as whatever bile her stomach created. So this was morning sickness, she thought. Great. She rocked back and sat on her heels.
“Here, drink this.” Cara said, holding out a bottle of water to her. Sam took the bottle and chugged it down as if it was her salvation. Her mouth tasted disgusting and she hoped the water washed down the taste. When she felt hydrated she risked a glance at Cara, knowing very well she would be asking questions. Cara crouched down beside her.