Jackie continues to give us updates, but it’s not until the time is closing in on Karma’s surgery that she asks to see someone.

Not Cricket, though.

Hunter.

“She wants to say something to you, just in case she doesn’t make it out of surgery,” Jackie says with a sob. She’s a strong woman, but I think it’s safe to say that life found her breaking point today.

“Yes, ma’am. I can do that.”

He rises from his chair with a squeeze of Cricket’s hand and follows Jackie out of the room. Whitney pops out of her seat and paces while we wait.

We don’t have to wait long. Hunter returns less than ten minutes later, his face grim.

“What did she say?” Cricket asks.

“She wrote a will.”

“Oh Jesus,” Whitney whispers.

Hunter faces Cricket, but we all listen to what he says next. “If anything happens to her, she made me promise that you and I would raise the girls and your mom could see them anytime she wanted, but that I wouldn’t let them around my mom until she . . .”

“Until she what?” Cricket asks.

“Until she learns how not to be a total bitch because the girls shouldn’t have to deal with that.”

“Oh my God.” Tears trickle even faster down Cricket’s face.

Whitney pauses in the middle of the room, her teeth biting into her bottom lip. I go to her, pull her against me, and hold her.

We all stand in the room for several long minutes of silence, until I finally hear the sound of footsteps and voices in the hallway.

It’s time.

Whitney turns toward the door, and together we watch as Karma is rolled down the hall in her hospital bed.

“Stop!” Cricket breaks free from Hunter’s hold and rushes to the door.

Karma’s face, paler than I’ve ever seen it before, tilts toward her sister’s voice.

“I have something to say to you.”

Jackie grabs Cricket’s arm as she hits the threshold. “Baby, not now. She doesn’t want—”

“I don’t care what Karma wants right now, because if there’s even a single chance this is the last time I get to talk to my sister, I’m not going to let her take it from me.”

“What do you want?” Karma asks. “To scream at me and curse me for ruining your life? I think I picked up the cursed part just fine.”

“No,” Cricket says quietly. “I wanted to tell you that I love you and I forgive you, and no matter what happens, you’ll always be my sister.”

Karma’s face twists, and tears shimmer in her eyes. She reaches up with her right hand and dashes them away. “If I don’t . . . If this . . .” She starts to speak, but when she can’t finish a thought, Cricket speaks up.

“I love Maddy and Addy more than life itself. I didn’t care who their dad was before, and I don’t care now. They’re my nieces, no matter what.” She reaches out and touches Karma’s arm. “Just like you’ll always be my sister, no matter what. I love you all so much.”