“That you need to process. You need some you time where you can focus on centering yourself. Heal from the damage that this death and the change of your reality brings to you.” She crossed her arm over my lap so she could pet Axel. “This isn't your forever. This is now. You always look out for everyone else, but I know Taylor a little bit now. She’ll always be okay. And she loves you. She’ll wait.”

“That’s the thing, though. What if I never get over this? What if I’m just drained of any confidence in my decision-making?” I felt like my heart was barely holding on, clinging to quicksand as it fell into a sinkhole.

She lifted her head and turned to me. “Hey, you changed Endgame. Remember that. The guy that set you up with his drug supply just stood up and did the right thing. Before you? I'd bet that he would've never, ever thought about Taylor in that same situation. Maybe that was the saving of him you were supposed to do.”

“Thanks, Tin. You’re one of the good ones. Can I crash on this couch tonight? If I have to go home to that place without him or her there…” I didn’t finish the sentence.

“Of course. This knucklehead might want to share, though.” She pet Axel again.

“That’d be great. Petting him will give me something to do.” We still had plenty of time in the day. How did it seem like forever since we found Taylor and everything else, and it had only been fifteen hours?

Tinsley pulled her yarn out of her bag. She powered up the TV and surfed the options until she found a mundane gameshow. It was the perfect thing to stare at while thinking of everything else.

* * *

TAYLOR

When we got home, Dad gently shook my shoulder. I had to wipe my eyes to get my lids to open, but before I could get out of my car, Raven was smothering me.

“I love you!”

I held her. “I love you, too, small pants.”

I glanced at my father who shrugged. “It’s been a long wait.”

He got out of the car to speak to the mom. They chatted quietly while I struggled to get out of the car with my sister hanging on my front like a wild animal baby.

“Look at your giant Band-Aids!” She touched my wrist and squirmed down my body.

“Yeah. They are way bigger than these cuts need. Lots of overdoing it at the hospital.” I fluffed the back of my sister’s hair out from under her shirt collar. It was an unconscious habit that I was guessing was going undone while I was gone.

“Look. Have you looked?” Raven leaned towards the house.