I roll over to my back, and shift into a sitting position, one hand still curling around Jonah’s beneath the blankets. I let Cameron know it’s okay for Cicely to come in; it’ll be good to see her doing okay.
She bounds into the room, wearing a pair of bright pink scrubs covered in unicorns, followed by a woman whose ringlets match her daughters. “Mama! This is Chloe! Isn’t she pretty? I told you the Creator was pretty!”
I reluctantly let go of Jonah’s hand and get out of the bed before she tackles me. And then she’s in my arms, warm and perfect, like nothing had happened. “I’m so glad to see you, Cicely.” When I set her back down on the ground, I accuse, “How did you swing those cute scrubs?” I motion to my own plain blue ones that match Jonah’s, purposely keeping my mouth from curving upward. “Mine are so boring.”
She pats my cheek; now that she’s out of that house, away from the Elders, her smile is so wide and adorable. “You’re funny. You should just make yours like mine, and then we can be like twins.”
Her belief in me is truly a wonderful thing. So, once more, I do as she asks; once more, she claps her hands in joy when I’ve done so.
Twins, indeed.
I make her a stuffed unicorn, one that matches our scrubs. She squeals, clutching it close to her chest. “Mama! Isn’t it the best?”
Her mother steps forward, a bouquet of beautiful flowers in her outstretched hand. “Ms. Lilywhite—”
“Whitecomb,” I quickly correct. I’m glad my voice is steady as I take the bouquet. “I recently got married. But in any case, please just call me Chloe. Thank you for these.”
Cameron swoops in, taking the bouquet. “Let me put these in some water for you.”
The woman watches him cross the room, appreciation reflecting in her eyes. I can’t say I blame her; Cameron is a pretty damn good-looking man. But she quickly refocuses back on me, her empty hands now twisting together. “My husband and I just want to thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for everything you did for our little girl. He’s downstairs filling out the discharge paperwork, but ...” Tears glisten in her eyes. “Cicely is our everything. We owe you so much.”
She neglects to mention that her daughter wouldn’t have even been at that house if it weren’t for me. That her daughter was kidnapped because of me, tortured and frightened out of her mind.
I tell her the truth. “You’ve got a very brave and wonderful daughter, ma’am. One who saved me. She’s the real hero here.”
Cicely beams, squishing the unicorn up against her cheek.
“Please let us know if there’s anything we can ever do to repay the favor,” her mother is saying.
Her generosity is painful. Why isn’t she screaming at me, pointing out that, had I just given Enlilkian what he wanted all those months ago, her daughter would have never been put in harm’s way?
“You’re still sad,” Cicely is saying. But she’s no longer next to me; she’s over at the bed, looking at Jonah. “Is your friend not getting better?”
I’m confused for the tiniest moment before I realize she believes this is Kellan. But, she’s too young to have to worry about all of this. I put as much cheeriness in my words as I can manage. “He’s just tired.”
She lays her hand over his heart, like she did with Kellan. “It’s good,” she tells me. “His heart is really strong. You made a wonderful heart, Chloe. He’s going to be so pleased, knowing his new heart is so strong.”
I purposely ignore the confusion flashing in both Astrid and Cameron’s eyes on the other side of the room.
Cicely stays for a few more minutes before her mother convinces her I need my rest. She’s going home today, and I’m glad for it. She deserves her rest. We pinkie promise before she leaves, though; this won’t be our last time seeing each other.
Once she’s gone, Astrid asks, without glancing up from the blanket she’s knitting, “Sweetheart, what did that child mean when she was talking about Jonah’s heart?”
I walk over to the table they’re sitting at and pour myself a cup of water. I can’t help but peer through the slightly opened door nearby. Callie and Will are in Kellan’s room. Between the five of us, neither twin is ever left alone.
So far, I’ve yet to tell anybody about Kellan dying back at that house, not so much because I’m hiding it, but because yesterday was so crazy it slipped my mind. When Karl found me sitting in a room with no walls and smoldering furniture, as fire raged around the house and trees burned, all he knew was Kellan had been hurt trying to save me.
I sip the water slowly. “She was confused. She thought he was Kellan.”
Astrid sighs softly before getting up to shut the door. “Kellan is fine, though. Kate said, outside of cuts and bruises, he’s fine. Nothing was said about his heart.”
I curl my hands around my cup to steady the shaking. Thank the gods. “He ought to be awake, then. If he’s fine, he ought to be awake.”
They know I don’t mean just Kellan.