She took it gratefully, taking a long sip before climbing onto the bed and resting her back on the headboard.
“You don’t have to look so tense,” I said, almost amused. “You’ve already met them, and they love you.”
“Skype isn’t the same as meeting them.”
“Don’t let their advertising department hear you say that,” I quipped, joining her on the bed. “It’ll be fine, Amy. You don’t have anything to worry about. I’m worried you’ll like it too much over there, fall in love with—”
“A British hunk?” She gave me an impish smile. “I already have, and luckily, he loves it here, close to everyone I know and love.”
“What if he changes his mind? What if your camera falls in love with England?”
“That won’t happen,” she assured me, giving me a quick hug. “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere. What kind of friend would abandon you with an ogre like Jason?”
I laughed. “Jason is not an ogre.”
“He’s not.” Amy smiled sadly. “You know there’s a chance he’s not affected right? It’s carried in a dominant gene, and if he’s not affected, he won’t be a carrier either.”
“And if he is affected, then his mother is right—he will break my heart, and if we ever decide to have children…” I sighed. “You know, I don’t even want to think about it at all. I know it’s not very mature of me, but I keep hoping it’ll all go away.”
Amy nodded. “Me too. Sometimes I wish we’d never gone.”
I was silent. “I don’t care about what might happen decades from now,” I said heatedly. “I don’t.”
“And if he’s going to get sick in a few years, ten, fifteen…what then? What happens when he doesn’t even recognize you anymore?” Amy stopped talking, and her eyes grew misty.
My eyes filled with tears. “He will always be Jason to me, always, no matter what.”
“I know that.” She sniffed. “Jason is lucky to have you.”
I sighed. “He knows there’s something wrong.”
“Of course he does. You two are, like, on the same wavelength. I’m sure he can read your thoughts and moods.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, and he knows there’s something wrong when his little sister runs off as soon as she sees him.”
“Oh!” Her mouth opened. “I just…I’ve never been able to lie to Jason. I was scared I would blurt everything out.”
“I get it.” I drained my wine then lay back on the bed, resting my head on Amy’s soft pillows. “I don’t know what to tell him.”
“Whatever you decide, I’m sure you’ll do the right thing, and everything will turn out fine.”
“Yeah,” I said, my voice tight. I wished I could share her optimism, but I wasn’t sure just how everything was going to work out fine.
The next day, we said our goodbyes to Amy and Colin at the airport.
“Don’t worry, I’ll bring her back,” Colin said.
“You’d better,” Jason joked. He gave Amy a fond look. “She still has a lot to answer for.”
“Just say you’ll miss me,” Amy teased.
Jason shrugged. “Maybe a little.”
She gave him a playful punch in the shoulder, and he pulled her in for a hug. She held him tightly, her hands barely going around him. When she stepped back, there were tears in her eyes. “You’re the best,” she said.
“Hey.” Jason looked puzzled. “It’s just a couple of days.
“I know.” She sniffed then hugged me as well. “See you guys when we get back.”