Page 173 of The Way the Heart Breaks: Jade’s Story

Kendall narrows her eyes at me. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”

Kendall is never like this. She’s always sweet, so sweet. But I can guess waiting for your sibling to come home, knowing they’re at the hospital, can be very stressful. Well, I can do more than guess, actually.

“I am on your side.”

“Then say he’s stupid.”

Jake’s mouth drops open. “Hey!”

I laugh. “I’m staying out of this one.”

They start arguing again, and it’s so completely not like them, but it’s better than sulking because worry is weighing them down.

I pull Kendall into my side. “She’s going to be okay. Your mom is a nurse, after all.”

She nods against my shoulder.

Jake drops onto the other side of me. “Can we go see her?”

“Not yet. Give her a little time.”

He nods, then looks toward the television again.

A few minutes later, I get up. “Come on. Let’s get your stuff ready for tomorrow.”

“Why?” Kendall asks.

“Because you have school.”

“So?”

“So, you need clothes.”

“I can pick them out tomorrow.”

“No, you can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re going to stand in front of your closet for twenty minutes saying you have nothing to wear.”

“I do have nothing to wear.”

I look at Jake. “See?”

He nods solemnly. “She has, like, a thousand outfits.”

Kendall glares at him. “Nobody asked you.”

I laugh and head toward the stairs. “Come on.”

She follows me, still muttering under her breath about Jake, while he follows behind us because apparently he wants to be with us and not in the kitchen with Dad, Uncle John, Alex, and Ry.

I help Kendall lay out her clothes for tomorrow, then start putting together the rest of the week.

She watches me for a minute. “Why are you doing all of them?”

“Because I do this every Sunday night.”