“Do you think she’s dead?” the voice asks, and I feel something sharp poke my hip.
“No, but I think she smells like she is,” another voice replies.
“It does smell . . . funky in here. I wonder, if we move her, what’s going to be growing on those sheets.”
“Ugh, Maddi—you’re so gross!” Lila snaps.
“Shut up, you two,” Lyn mumbles.
I feel the bed dip, but I pull the sheets over my head. “Go away.”
“Fat chance in that happening. Time for some tough love, bitch,” Lyn snaps before pulling my comforter off my body. “Seriously, Dani. It’s time to take the shirt off.”
“No.”
“Oh yeah, it’s happening. Either you can take it off on your own accord or I’ll be forced to cut it off. Do you want me to cut the shirt? Huh, Dani? Do you want me to cut it into tiny pieces?” Lyn barks, standing from the bed and placing her hands on her hips.
“You wouldn’t dare!”
“Try me. It’s been three days since Cohen left. Do you see Lila and me moping around the house? No, you do not. You’re acting pathetic, and it’s time to snap the hell out of it.”
What the hell? Who does she think she is?
“What the hell, Lyn! Who do you think you are to tell me that I shouldn’t be upset?”
“I’ll tell you who I think I am! I’m your best friend, but I’m also his sister. I get to live this right along with you, but I have the added benefit of watching you fall apart all the while I’m holding my worry about him in because I don’t want to make you snap any more than you already have.”
Oh.
“I love you, Dani. I’m so happy that you and Cohen had that before he left, but right now, you have to stop acting like he isn’t ever going to come home because he will. He will, Dani. I swear.” Her eyes start to water, and I want to kick myself for making her feel worse when I should have swallowed my upset and been there for them.
“I’m sorry,” I offer weakly. And I am. It hurts still, having the memory of his body holding mine so fresh, but she’s right. I’m grieving him as if he won’t ever come back.
“Go get a shower and you can get your ass to work today so I don’t have to deal with Sway going nuts over you missing another filming day.”
I nod my head and climb out of the bed. When I go to pull off Cohen’s shirt, I look over my shoulder to where she is standing. Maddi and Lila must have dipped out the door while we were talking. She raises one of her black, perfectly sculpted brows and looks down at my hand on the hem. I narrow my eyes and instantly decide that this shirt—and the others I’m sure she doesn’t know about yet—will be hidden well.
And I’m not even ashamed of the smile I have when I drop some of Cohen’s body wash on my loofa and start to get lost in the memories.
Memories that will keep me going long after he comes home.
Yeah . . . totally normal.