Page 138 of Forever Gone

She returned the card to the envelope and placed it beside the vase. The gesture brought an unexpected warmth with it. Blethan would deny any kindness if confronted, which made the flowers feel more sincere.

Selena settled back. “Did you check on Dad like I asked?”

“I stopped by this morning. Robert’s fine.”

“Did he take his medication?”

“Yes.”

“Did you see him take it?”

Connor paused. “Diane said he had.”

“That isn’t the same thing.”

Connor watched her for a moment. “You could call her and ask.”

Selena knew he would just love that. Seeing them awkwardly swirl around their relationship like hair going down a drain.

“I could.”

“You know she was worried sick about you,” he said. “Even checked in when you were out of it on meds the first couple of days. She still loves you. She just needs to work through the bad blood.”

“I love her, too. But…” Selena shook her head. “I just don’t know.”

“You’re going to be living ten minutes apart, Selena. You’re here for the long hall with this new FBI office. You have to face your sister at some point. If you don’t, you’re going to run into each other in the street one day and not know how to handle it.”

Selena turned the edge of the blanket between her fingers. Hannah Montgomery’s message came back to her.

Tell Diane I was asking after her.

One harmless sentence. A reason to call that required neither apology nor argument. She had carried it for days and done nothing with it.

“Not yet,” Selena said.

Connor seemed ready to answer, then thought better of it.

Selena appreciated that. She had spent weeks pretending the silence between her and Diane was something happening around them, when both of them were choosing it. For now, at least, she could admit her part in keeping it alive.

“At least Dad is okay,” she said with a sigh.

“He’s fine, Selena. He’s also not happy you told him to stay away.”

“He was here for the first three days. That was plenty.”

“He doesn’t agree.”

“I don’t want him coming into a hospital and picking up an infection.”

“I told him that.”

“And?”

“He said he survived raising you.”

Selena laughed, then pressed her right hand to her ribs when the movement pulled at bruised muscles.

Connor leaned forward. “You all right?”