dunking it. You’ll love it. The chocolate and the coffee flavor are a perfect match.”
“Just like Dillon and me.” Clara sighed. She took the lid off of her cup and dunked her brownie before taking a small bite of it. “You’re right. It’s really good.”
I continued to watch her, waiting for her to take another bite. But she put the brownie down instead and held her middle.
“I’ll just take my time with that,” she said, noticing my disappointment. “It’s tough filling your gut full of food when you’re not used to it. I have to eat a bit slower than normal, especially when it comes to junk food, or I’ll get sick.”
“I can make you something off of the menu the doctor gave you, or I could go uptown and find you something.” I wanted to help her in any way I could, as long as she would eat. I was always so scared of losing her, and if she didn’t keep her strength up, I still could.
“You’re spoiling me,” she said. “And policing me. I’m good, officer. I’m not hungry right now. But I will be later.”
“And you’ll eat?” I needed her to give me her word.
“Of course. I have been doing better, believe it or not. I’ve gained weight, and the doctor says I’m getting my strength back. There’s nothing to worry about. So stop doting over me. It’s driving me nuts.”
I knew it had to wear on her with everyone so focused on her health, so I decided to lay off. “Okay, fine. I’m just worried with Dillon gone.”
“Oh, trust me. He’s checking on me. You can take a break.”
“Okay. I guess I should get going anyway.” It was easy to get lost in her problems. I had been terrified of losing her since she went to the hospital the first time. I couldn’t imagine life without my sister. We were so close, and I knew that a world without her would be miserable.
“Are you running off to see Seth?” She gave me a suspicious look.
“Actually, no.” I didn’t want to tell her anything else about us. “I do have a life, believe it or not.”
“Good. Stay busy. He’s no good for you. Look, Avery. It’s not just the cheating that makes me dislike him. I’ve heard about and even seen with my own eyes how Layla used to show up with bruises while dating him. Not a lot of people know about it, but those of us who do? Well, we just don’t like him and never will. So watch yourself, okay? Because I swear, if he lays a hand on you, Dillon is going to murder him, and I’d rather him go to the Olympics than prison.”
“Relax. Seth isn’t that kind of guy, and besides, you know me. If he laid a hand on me, he’d be in for one hell of a fight, and I wouldn’t be the kind of girl to stay quiet.”
“You mean like me? How I stayed quiet?”
I realized that I might have hurt her feelings. “I’m sorry, but yeah. I’d raise ten kinds of hell if he ever put a hand on me, and I’d have him regretting even the thought. But me saying that doesn’t have anything to do with you. It’s just how I am.” She needed to stop thinking everything was a personal reflection.
“Well, I always thought I was that way too. But there are some situations you find yourself in that will surprise you. I don’t want you to be surprised like I was. It added to my shame, and it’s what made coming forward harder than anything else.”
“Seth didn’t hit her.” I would never believe it. No one, not even Clara, could make me believe that. “Seth may have a temper, but he’s never raised his hand at me.”
“I saw the bruises that Layla had, and everyone knew they were having problems.”
“You believe a lot of bullshit, Clara. I just can’t buy into that. How do you know they weren’t from sports or something else?”
“It was obvious, Avery. It’s easy to put two and two together.”
“Well, I like Seth, and I want to give it a try. You being good with my decisions was important to me. Hell, I’ve always tried to seek your approval and make you proud of my choices, but I think it’s time that I go my own way on this one. It’s time I trust my own judgment and follow my own happiness.”
Clara shook her head. “Avery, that’s not always