And Mike was envious of all three of them.
* * *
KACEY SAT ON the couch, but before Mike could join her, she stood back up. When they’d been outside, the darkness had started to consume her. But she’d been watching for Lacey and Jem to come out, to tell her that her nephew was tucked into his bed so she could come in.
Now that she was in...
She had to know what was outside the front window. But no way would she look out. Or stand in front of it, either.
“Can we sit in the Arizona room?” she asked. It was at the back of the house with a wall of windows that looked out to the waterfall.
As an added surprise for Lacey, Jem had painted a mural above the windows. It was a beautiful sunset, with three clouds that clearly represented him and Lacey and Levi. It had been his way of telling her that she came first with him. The first time she’d seen the mural she’d been alone—having just come back from visiting with Kacey to get over her heartbreak of losing Jem—and she’d found not only the mural, but the letter from Jem that had changed her life forever.
For the better.
Michael followed her back out the way they’d come in and settled on the sofa.
Yes, this was good. She sat down with him but immediately stood again. “You want something to drink?”
He shook his head and waited while she went into the kitchen and helped herself to a bottle of water from the refrigerator. She glanced at him as she sat back down beside him.
“When we were talking outside, you said that when you told me in the hospital I should talk to Steve myself, you weren’t referring to victim counseling.” She’d gotten sidetracked by his not thinking he’d had the right to butt in.
“That’s right,” he said now, watching her. Like he was okay. Not like he was worried. Which was how Lacey had been looking at her all night.
They’d talk tomorrow. Lacey had to be struggling horribly tonight, too. Lacey needed to curl up in Jem’s arms and deal. Because though she hadn’t been attacked on the beach that night, she’d be feeling like she had. It was all part of being an identical twin.
It was also why she was going to pull back the covers and let her sister climb in with her when her alarm went off in the middle of the night. Because that was what they needed, too. Just the two of them, alone together, safe and secure, to heal.
None of which had anything to do with her calling Steve.
“Why did you say it, then?” she asked now.
“Because it sounded like you were falling back into relying on Lacey for things you should do yourself.”
She stood up again. Thin
king she’d get another bottle of water, just in case. But the one she had was still three-quarters full. Still...it wouldn’t hurt to have a second. She retrieved it. Sat back down.
She’d never noticed how big the mural was. How it seemed to loom over the room. Closing them in. This wasn’t good.
“Mind if we go back outside?” she asked, heading for the sliding glass door before she’d even finished the question. He was right behind her, and then in front of her stepping out into the yard before she burst out, sucking in air.
Yes. This was better. The sky was huge. Cool air relieved her heated skin. They’d turned the waterfall back on and she made her way toward it, noticing this time the little fairy garden figures her sister had chosen to place among all of the flowering plants. Angels were always with them, they used to tell each other.
But where had they been earlier that night on the beach?
“They were in the barks of a dog. The man who listened to them and let his dog show him what was wrong.”
“What?” Michael gave her an odd look, as if he wondered whether she really was going to be okay.
“I was questioning where the angels were tonight, when I was...struggling. You know, since they’re always supposed to be watching over us...”
Hands in his pockets, he nodded. If she’d felt better, she’d be grinning. Michael humored her and her woo-woo stuff.
“So...you think I shouldn’t let Lacey help me?” He didn’t understand identical twins. Or her and Lacey. There was no way to stop her sister even if she wanted to.
“Hell, no! I think you need her more than ever and that her love is going to go a long way toward helping you heal...”