I stepped into the waiting room, my heart still heavy from everything that had happened. Lily was getting discharged today, and I should have been relieved.
Instead, my mind buzzed with everything that still needed to be handled—Mom's funeral, the case against Frank, and now, figuring out what came next for Lily and me. It felt like the world was waiting for me to make decisions I wasn't ready for.
"Aria!"
I turned to see Ethan striding toward me. M boyfriend, our relationship was barely holding up. He was the type of person who always seemed to have everything together. Me? I was barely holding it all together.
"You're finally here," I said, exhaling, trying to mask the exhaustion in my voice.
"Of course I'm here," he replied, pulling me into a quick hug. "I came as soon as I heard about Frank's arrest. I went straight to the station."
I pulled back, my head spinning with everything. "And?"
"And he's innocent," Ethan stated firmly, his expression unreadable but determined. "There's no real evidence linking him to your mother's murder. Candace already confessed—"
I scoffed, barely able to hold it in. "Yeah, 'accidentally' killing my mother during a heated argument. Forgive me if I don't feel bad for her."
Ethan sighed. "I get it, Aria. I do. But Frank didn't kill your mom, and he shouldn't be sitting in a cell for something he didn't do. I spoke to the officers handling his case. There's nothing solid against him. He'll be released soon."
I crossed my arms, looking away. "So he just walks free? Like nothing happened?"
"Aria, the law isn't about what feels right," Ethan said, his voice gentle but firm. "It's about evidence. And right now, there's nothing tying Frank to the crime."
I wanted to argue, to tell him that Frank deserved to rot in there for the way he treated Mom, for the years of chaos he brought into our lives. But the rational part of me knew Ethan was right. There was no proof that Frank had pulled the trigger or caused Mom's death.
A nurse appeared in the doorway. "Miss Thorne?"
I straightened immediately. "Yes?"
"Lily's ready to go home."
The moment Lily saw me, she practically bounced out of bed. "Ari!"
"Hey, squirt," I said, forcing a smile as I wrapped her in a hug. The warmth of her small body against mine was the only thing that felt real in that moment.
She turned to Ethan, eyes full of curiosity. "Who's this?"
Ethan grinned, crouching to her level. "I'm Ethan, your sister's boyfriend. And a lawyer."
Lily's eyes widened. "You put bad guys in jail?"
"Sometimes," Ethan replied, his tone light. "And sometimes, I help innocent people get out."
Lily glanced at me, her brow furrowing. "Like Frank?"
I stiffened, and for a split second, I saw the flash of conflict in Ethan's eyes. But he nodded. "Exactly like that."
Lily's expression darkened. "I don't like him."
"Join the club," I muttered under my breath.
"Come on, let's go home," I said, my voice tight.
Back at the house, the silence between me and Lily was suffocating. The house had always felt like a place where you just existed, rather than truly lived. But now, with everything that had happened—Mom gone, Frank arrested, and Lily caught in the middle—it felt like an overwhelming weight that I didn't know how to carry.
I helped Lily settle in her room, making sure she was comfortable, and then I headed to Mom's room. It still smelled like her perfume, a scent I had always associated with comfort but now felt suffocating. It felt like every corner of this place had a memory tied to it, one that I didn't want to remember.
I hesitated before opening her closet, sifting through her belongings. Jewelry, old photos, letters—things that once mattered but now felt like remnants of a life abruptly cut short. They were pieces of a person I was no longer sure how to mourn.
Then I found it. A sealed envelope with my name on it. My stomach dropped. I hadn't expected to find something like this, especially not now.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
My dear Aria,
If you are reading this now, that means I am no more.
I know you dislike your stepfather so much, but I need him to remain in your lives—you and Lily.
You need a father figure. No matter how bad Frank is, I know he'd never let you be in danger, and you and your sister need that protection.
So no child services, just one big family.
Love, Mom.
I let out a bitter laugh, my fingers tightening around the letter. The words blurred before my eyes.
"One big family, my foot," I muttered, feeling tears prick at my eyes. I wanted to scream. Frank? A father figure? The same man who spent more time drowning in alcohol than being an actual parent? The same man who had let Mom suffer through years of misery? I was supposed to care for him because Mom said so?
But this was Mom's final wish.
I exhaled sharply, wiping away the tears that had begun to slip down my cheeks. I couldn't afford to fall apart. Not now. Not when Lily needed me more than ever.
Lily walked in, her expression curious. "Ari? What's that?"
I quickly folded the letter and tucked it into my pocket, trying to hide the tremor in my hands. "Something Mom left for me," I said, forcing a smile.
She frowned, her sharp eyes picking up on my discomfort. "Are you okay?"
I forced the smile to stay in place, but it felt brittle. "Yeah."
Lily hesitated before speaking again. "Ari… Am I going back to Frank?"
"No, squirt," I said finally, my voice steady even if my insides weren't. "I'm moving in with you guys."
Her face lit up, a bright smile breaking across her face. "You mean it?"
I nodded, my heart sinking. "Yeah. You and me. Together."
Lily flung herself into my arms, and I held her tightly, feeling her warmth and her joy pour into me. She was so happy, so relieved, and I hated that I couldn't give her more than this broken promise.
She was overjoyed.
Me? I was just obeying Mom's last instructions.