At least now when I go out there, I can paste on my happy smile for a while before coming up with a reason to leave. And maybe, if I do a good enough job, I’ll convince them they don’t need to check on me every day of my life, like they’ve been doing since Gran’s funeral.

I love them, but I can’t process everything that’s happening with them watching over me like I might break at any second.

My phone beeps inside my purse, and when I pull it out, Jasper’s name lights up my screen. I wish the butterflies I was becoming so accustomed to would take flight again, but instead my vision fogs over as tears threaten to reemerge. I should delete his text without even looking at it. Nothing he says can change what happened, and reading it will only cause more pain.

But I’m a glutton for punishment.

I swipe to unlock my screen and his message pops up as soon as I do.

It’s simple. Sweet. Heartbreaking.

I’m so sorry. I wish I could go back and change what happened.

My finger hovers over the screen. It would be so easy to just delete it. One swipe of my finger and it’s gone.

Me too.

I write, hitting send before I can think better of it.

The reply bubbles pop up at the bottom of my screen, but before his message comes through, the doorknob to my office rattles for a moment and then Collette pushes it open.

“Are you coming today or are you waiting for us to send you a formal invitation, for Christ’s sake.” She puts more power behind her constant resting bitch face when she sees my phone in my hand. “Oh, so you’re too busy to see us because you’re in here playing on your phone?”

Even though every part of me hurts right now, the sting that used to come with her biting words is missing. Ever since she let her true feelings for me slip when my dad made his last appearance, her harsh tone has lost all of its power.

“Oh, Collette.” I ignore the beep of my phone and shove it back inside my purse. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you missed me so much.”

“I didn’t.” The exasperated roll of her eyes is magnified behind the thick lenses of her glasses. “I just don’t want to sit here all night while we wait for you to deign us worthy of your presence.”

Laughter I didn’t think could be possible after the last twenty-four hours bubbles up inside me when her lip curls in disgust as I wrap my arms around her in a big hug.