“No.” Rice stands, still a little shaky from his wound. “We’re going to do more than try.”
“Jacks,” I say, “we’re sending some supplies for now. My mother’s going to be talking to the citizens here, and we’re going to figure out how to fit you all in. Let everyone know they’re welcome here. Let them know they’ll be safe.”
“All right, Amy,” Jacks says. “Thanks. I . . . I can’t wait to see you.”
There’s a silence in the room. Rice gives me another look, and I feel my face go hot.
“I . . . can’t wait to see you too, Jacks. I’ll check in with you soon.”
We click off. I still ignore Rice’s questioning gaze. Rice has done so much for me. He was the first boy I ever had feelings for, but he was too consumed by his work. Like my mother, he had all of humanity to worry about. How could I compete with that? Jacks was different. He understood what was important. He understood I needed to protect Baby at any cost.
I kneel next to Baby. “You may not know what’s happened to you, or why,” I say to her, “but I promise that you’re going to get better.”
When I squeeze her hand, it twitches in mine—and then her fingers begin to work into my palm.
Thank you, Amy, she signs.
I look into her eyes and see a spark of comprehension. You know who I am? I ask, signing into her hand.
She nods slowly. “You’re my sister,” she says aloud, her voice uncertain. I’m still not used to hearing her speak, having spent so much of our time together in silence.
“Yes,” I say firmly. “We’re sisters.”
She smiles her sad little smile, her face looking much older than her six years.
“Amy”—my mother puts her hand on my shoulder—“let’s go home.”
I gather Baby in my arms and walk her out the door and down the hall.
Finally, going home.
Acknowledgments
I’d like to thank so many people for making In the End possible. Karen Chaplin is the best editor anyone could hope for. Thank you, Karen, for always making me dig deeper and for your much needed guidance and encouragement.
I’d also like to thank everyone at Harper Teen who made In the End possible, including my amazing editorial director, Rosemary Brosnan, and my fantastic production editor, Jon Howard. In addition, I’d like to thank my marketing director, Kimberly VandeWater, and my publicist, Olivia deLeon, and everyone else at Harper Teen whose tireless efforts have made In the End what it is today. I’m so lucky to have such an amazing team, I couldn’t have written this book without them. And thank you to David Downing and Katie Crouch for additional editorial advice.
Thank you to everyone who picked up In the After and took a chance on a debut author, and who wanted to follow Amy as she concluded her journey in In the End. I am so grateful to all of my readers.
Thank you to my husband, whose time serving in Iraq gave him a base of knowledge to answer all of my weapons/combat questions. I couldn’t have written this book without his unwavering support and his uncanny knack for bringing me coffee exactly when I needed it the most.
And last but not least, thank you to my super agent, Katherine Boyle. She is, simply, made of awesome.