Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
She looked around at the large room, similar to my own, and then the pile of boxes, a few duffel bags with a matching flowery pattern, and one pink suitcase. Her shoulders rose and fell with a deep sigh. This conversation wasn’t going to make it easier on her either.
“We need to talk about Irish’s funeral details. It will be private with armed guards, for obvious reasons. I want you to be free to mourn your sister in safety and peace,” I began, and her eyes started to fill with tears. Dammit, I hated this. “I need to know if you want her buried in a casket or if you want her cremated.”
Aspen covered her face with both her hands, and a small sob shook her shoulders. Shit, I should have kept Trinity with me for this. I reached for her and held her against my chest. I’d known this was going to be hard on her, but knowing it and seeing it were two different things. She moved her hands from her face and buried her face against my chest as her hands fisted my shirt.
I worried that her crying like this was bad for her heart. I needed the fucking cardiologist here to tell me exactly what I should be careful about. How to keep her safe. If putting this kind of shit on her was bad for her health, I needed to know.
She turned her head, pressing her cheek against my chest. “She wanted to be cremated. She always said that she was too claustrophobic to handle being buried underground.” She paused, and a sad laugh escaped her. “I would tease her about the fact that she would be dead and therefore not know she was underground. She’d threaten to come haunt me if I buried her, but that was just teasing because we both knew—or always thought—that it would be me—” She stopped before finishing that sentence.
A sledge hammer might as well have been slammed against my chest. Holy hell. I closed my eyes, trying to calm down. The fact that she was going to say that they always knew it would be Aspen who died first because of her heart hit me in a way I hadn’t expected. The cardiologist was coming today. I had to get answers.
“We’ll get her cremated, then plan a ceremony here since there will be no need for a burial. It’ll be safer that way.”
She nodded against my chest.
“I’m handling Irish’s things. They will all be stored for you when you’re ready to go through them. Her car is being brought here, outstanding bills have been paid, her lease has been closed, and the money she had in the bank is being transferred to a savings account in your name. I don’t want you to worry about anything.”
Another sob shook her body, and I tightened my hold on her. I had never felt so fucking helpless in my life. I couldn’t fix this, and I was saying the wrong damn things. I hadn’t meant to make her cry. I had been trying to ease her mind.
“Thank you,” she choked out.
“You’re welcome,” I told her, afraid I’d say the wrong thing if I said more.
She sniffled, then let my shirt go as she stepped back from me. Her wet lashes were spiky as she stared up at me. “I’ll go through my stuff and get changed. Do I keep them in boxes? Or am I supposed to put them somewhere?”
“The room is yours. Closet, dresser—it’s all empty. Unpack, rest, do what you feel like doing. Don’t push yourself. No one expects anything from you. We just want you to be safe and comfortable.”
She wiped at her tears and nodded. “Okay,” she whispered.
“I’m going to be downstairs in the office. I have business to handle, but if you need me, come get me.” I paused, realizing I was doing it again. Making her my responsibility. “Or Trinity. You can always get her if you need something.”
Another nod.
Turning, I left her in the room, closing the door behind me.
Kye was in the hallway, waiting on me. He saw my face and winced. “She’s not doing so good, huh?”
I shook my head. “No.”
“Poor kid,” he muttered.
I was going to let him continue to think of her as a kid. Maybe he’d get that in his head before he actually laid eyes on her. The one night he had seen her, it was dark; he’d been too far away, and I’d blocked his view. I had referred to her as young and left it at that.
“Yeah,” I agreed and headed for the stairs. “Poor kid.”
Ten
Aspen
Unpacking my things took me most of the afternoon. Trinity brought me up a chicken salad sandwich and grapes for lunch. She sat and talked with me for a few minutes before leaving me to finish my task. Being alone helped. I hadn’t been given time to process everything. It had all happened so quickly.