Page 139 of You Know Why

“Thank you,” she whispers. “For not telling them. Thank you for taking the blame. Alex hurt you so badly, and you let him, to save me.”

“Your alibi is my alibi, too. If you hadn’t been waiting for me in the lobby that afternoon, if the crew hadn’t seen you, it all might be different. Thank you for helping me kill them both, sister.”

With a final squeeze, she leaps onto the vaporetto, and it chugs into the water. She waves and waves, and I wave back, tears streaming down my face. My mirror is leaving, and I know I won’t be whole until she returns again.

You Know Why

Eden

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .

Beep . . .

The nurse moves around my hospital bed, straightening the sheets, adjusting the pillow, opening the blinds. Sunlight floods into the room and, with it, the doctors on their rounds.

“Good morning, Dr. Lui.”

“How is she today?”

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .

Beep . . .

“Her vitals are stable. The EEG last night showed even more activity. I think she’s starting to wake up. Perhaps we can consider taking her off the thiopental.”

“Agreed. We’ll move her to dexmedetomidine, see if the improvement continues.”

I feel his hand on my leg and want to jerk it away.

The nurse’s voice floats to my ears. “Wow, look at that. She’s reactive.”

“This is a good sign. Make the change and keep me apprised. If she continues responding, we can consider shifting the level of life support.”

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .

Beep . . .

The nurse hums as she moves around my room, and then she leaves. It is quiet. Lonely. So lonely. Only my dreams keep me company.

My memories.

My nightmares.

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .

Beep . . .

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .

Beep . . .

When the man with the curly blond hair came to my door with a proposition, I almost didn’t let him in. But I did, and when he told me the story of how he found me, and how he found Andrew, then asked, “Would you like to see him dead for what he’s done to you? What he’s taken from you?” I could hardly believe my luck.

How could I say no? Alex had a plan, and together, we executed it.

Call it revenge, if you will. I call it justice.

Beep . . . beep hiss . . .