A rushing, roaring sound consumed Abby. She froze, hearing the words over and over again. Your sister came home. Your sister came home. Your sister came home. It wasn’t possible. That’s what everyone said. Maybe this was a trick? Some punishment Wes had devised to get back at her for being such a bitch? But Wes wasn’t the cruel one. Everyone knew that. He was still staring at her, waiting for the news to register. Abby pushed Wes away.
“You’re lying,” she said angrily.
“I’m not…”
“You saw her? You saw Lily?”
“No, but I spoke to Eve and she said that Lily’s alive. It’s like you always said, Abs. Your sister is alive.”
After eight years—3,110 days—the darkness that had encompassed Abby seemed to evaporate. She didn’t cry. She didn’t scream. She didn’t say a word. She simply turned and headed toward the nearest squad car, barefoot, wearing her chocolate-stained T-shirt and oversized pajama bottoms. Police radios squawked as officers seemed to spring into motion. She heard Wes talking in hushed, hurried tones with a cop. Someone wrapped a coat around her shoulders, but she ignored them, settling herself in the back of the squad car. She waited, keeping her breathing slow and controlled. Moments later, Wes joined her in the backseat, slipping a pair of boots on her feet. An officer climbed into the front and started up the engine.
Lily was home. Of course she was. Why had she let them doubt her or her sister? Abby wanted to stand on the roof of the largest building in town and scream at the top of her lungs, “My sister’s alive. She’s alive. I told you all!” But Abby had to be calm. She didn’t want to give anyone a reason to worry about her, to medicate her, or try to manipulate this moment she’d spent years dreaming about.
The cruiser sped down the road, police sirens wailing. After a moment or two, Wes grabbed Abby’s hand. She didn’t pull away. His calm-in-a-crisis demeanor soothed her as she tried to prepare herself. Abby didn’t know what Lily had been through, but Abby knew she’d have to be strong enough for both of them.
Thoughts of their reunion overwhelmed her. She stared down at her stained T-shirt and ran her hands through her short red hair. Would Lily see her and think she was a fat slob? Or worse, a loser? They’d spent their entire childhood planning their escape to Manhattan. Abby had done nothing really. She was no one. A small-town nurse and former addict who wasn’t even allowed to dispense meds to her patients. Abby’s face flushed with shame as she thought about all these years that she’d wasted. Why hadn’t she done more to make Lily proud?
Just then, the alien invader kicked and Abby winced, her pulse quickening. For the first time since she’d gotten the news about Lily, Abby realized she’d have to explain this thing to her sister.
Hey, sorry, but while you were gone, I fucked your boyfriend, and he knocked me up. Jesus Christ, Lily would hate her. Trying to keep her composure, Abby let go of Wes’s hand.
“She can’t know about us,” Abby said.
“What are you talking about?” Wes looked confused.
“Lily can’t know about us. Not until I’ve talked to her. Until I can explain.”
“Abby, don’t start creating problems…”
“I’m telling you, I need time. We need time. After all these years, Lily and I deserve this. I won’t let you ruin that.”
That familiar flicker of hurt danced across Wes’s face. Whatever. Abby couldn’t worry about him. She had Lily to think about now. She would do anything to protect her sister. Maybe she could give Wes the baby, and he would go away. It was an idea, something she’d have to consider. All she cared about was seeing Lily again. Hang on, Lil. I’m coming. Just hang on.
CHAPTER EIGHT
LILY
Jesus, Eve, we’ve got half the department here, and she’s taking a goddamn bath?”
Lily could hear their voices. Men’s voices. Her mother was clearly trying to manage the situation. Only this didn’t sound like her mother either. This woman sounded nervous and hesitant.
“I know, Tommy. I know. But she insisted. She was terrified, freezing, and soaking wet. What was I supposed to say? ‘No, you can’t clean up’? God knows what she’s been through.”
Lily forced herself to block out their voices. When she’d heard the sirens growing closer, her only thought was of getting dry and clean. She’d needed warm clothes and a few minutes to think about what was going to happen.
She undressed Sky first and then slipped off her own wet clothes. Lily chucked all of their clothing in the trash can. Water gushed from the faucet in a heavy stream. Sky was staring at the claw-foot tub, her eyes panic-filled. Back home, they’d had a small makeshift shower but the plumbing was faulty. Lily had to fill buckets from the kitchenette and transport them to the bathroom. The water was never warm enough. Never. She couldn’t wait to get into an actual tub, but Sky appeared on the verge of a breakdown, her lower lip quivering.
“Don’t be afraid, Chicken. This is a bathtub. It’s going to feel so good and we’ll get all nice and clean.”