48. Ashley
CHAPTER 48
ASHLEY
TWO WEEKS LATER
M y stay at the hospital lasted two weeks, and during that time, all my friends came to visit me. Brian tried as well, but Kenzie had already put him on the no-fucking-way list. She told me he came to the hospital on the evening of my accident, and Sean almost kicked his ass.
I still don’t know what Sean wanted to tell me when I woke up and saw him sleeping in my room. The other times he’s visited, he wasn’t alone, and he didn’t stay long. As much as I am curious, I also think it’s for the best that he changed his mind. It was probably something that would hurt me in the end.
Mom and Chris returned to Boston this morning. They wanted to take me with them, but after two weeks sleeping in a hospital bed, I need to be in my domain with my things.
Kenzie volunteered to drive me home today. I expected Sean to tag along—more like hoped he would, as stupid as it is—and when I see only her, I try to hide my disappointment.
“Hey, morning, sunshine. Are you ready to ditch that hospital gown?” Kenzie greets me with a big smile, holding an even bigger bag in her hand.
“You have no idea. What d’you got in that bag?”
“I thought you might want different clothes than the ones Marnie brought for you.”
Mom’s packing was more focused on comfort than style, which is totally fine by me. I’m recovering from major surgery, and I still have a fractured ribs.
“I really don’t care. I’ll look like death anyway, no matter what I wear.”
Kenzie sets the bag on the chair in the corner and pulls out another bag. “That’s why I brought makeup too. You won’t look like death once I’m done.”
“It’s okay. I don’t need to get beautified. Who am I going to see from here to the car?”
Kenzie wrinkles her nose. “I don’t know… maybe you’ll come across a hot doctor.”
I shake my head. “This isn’t Grey’s Anatomy .”
Her grin wilts. “Sadly. I really wouldn’t mind bumping into Dr. Deluca.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t mind that either.” I laugh to hide my heartache.
Kissing Sean before my accident only served to reopen the wound. Spending two weeks confined to a hospital bed gave me plenty of time to think about him. Now, I’m back where I was three years ago—in love with a man who doesn’t want anything to do with me beyond toying with my emotions.
“Do you need help in the shower?” she asks.
“One of the nurses already helped me earlier. Can’t you tell my hair is clean?”
“It’s looking a little flat. Don’t worry. I brought dry shampoo.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why are you so intent on making me look pretty? What’s going on?”
Guilt flashes in her eyes. She looks away quickly and focuses on emptying her bag.
“I’m getting a surprise welcome home party, aren’t I?”
She laughs nervously, but still won’t meet my gaze. “What? No way.”
“Just give it up already. You can’t keep a secret to save your life.”
She throws her hands up in the air and turns. “Okay. You win. Yes, your roommates organized a surprise party, and when I tried to dissuade them of the idea, they ganged up against me. Now the best I can do is make sure you don’t look like roadkill.”
“Ouch.”
Kenzie’s eyes bug out. “Oh my God. Too soon?”
“Considering I’m still in the hospital, yeah, maybe? Who’s coming to the party?”
“The three musketeers: Zoey, Gia, and Blair, plus Gia’s and Blair’s boyfriends.”
Crap on toast. If Noah and Alex are coming, that means more hockey players will be present, including the bane of my existence. “Is Sean going to be there?”
Kenzie’s brows furrow slightly, and the muscles around her mouth tense. “Yes, why? You don’t want him to come?”
Shaking my head, I drop my gaze to my lap. “It’s not that… it’s just. I don’t know, it’s been weird between us since the accident.” I look up. “He wanted to tell me something right after my surgery, but you guys interrupted him, and he never told me what it was.”
A flash of guilt shines in Kenzie’s eyes. She looks conflicted as she takes out a hair straightener from her bag.
“Do you know what he wanted to tell me?”
She sighs, putting the straightener down. “I do. It’s about why Sean broke up with you.”
The constant heartache whenever I think about Sean intensifies. “He broke up with me because he didn’t love me enough. That’s the reason.”
Kenzie’s brows arches. “Oh, Ash. That’s not why. I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but hell, all your friends already know, and it’s not fair for you to be the only person in the dark.”
My stomach churns. “What do you mean, everyone already knows?”
“Sean was pretty shaken up after the accident, so he confessed to all your friends when they were here.”
“You’re scaring me.”
She swallows hard, and it’s audible. “Sean broke up with you because he thought you were our half-sister.”
My heart seems to stop beating for a second, only to restart with a lurch. “What?”
“Our dad is also your biological father.”
My pulse pounds in my ears hard, and the room stars to spin. “No, my father died when I was a kid.”
She shakes her head. “Dad and Marnie were old friends. I suppose they’ve always been in love with each other, and… well, their feelings were stronger than their wedding vows to other people.”
I go down memory lane. For as long as I can remember, Chris was around. I thought he was Mom’s friend back then. It never occurred to me he was more than that.
“Oh my God.” I cover my mouth with my hand while my eyes fill with tears. I’m glad I’m still in bed, because I don’t think my legs would be able to support me right now.
“Dad finally told Sean the truth after his heart attack, and my brother, being the eternal knight in shining armor that he is, decided to keep it a secret to protect you.”
I drop my hands into my lap. They feel as heavy as iron. “ Protect me? Why? He didn’t think I could handle the truth?”
Kenzie shrugs. “I don’t know. He didn’t tell me either. I only found out you were my half-sister when there was a possibility you might need a kidney transplant.”
“You’re my half-sister, and Sean is…” I can’t bring myself to say it.
“ Not your brother,” Kenzie finishes the sentence for me.
“Wait. But you just said…”
“He’s not your brother. It turns out, our mother also had an affair, and Sean is the result. No one knows the meaning of being faithful, I guess.”
“You don’t seem upset about it.”
“I’ve had two weeks to unpack it, but honestly, I wasn’t upset.” She walks over and takes my hand. “I’ve always considered you my sister, and finding out we’re actually related was awesome. Also, now there isn’t anything standing in the way of your and Sean’s happiness.”
I blink fast while my heart soars. But common sense prevails. I can’t ignore the fact that Sean lied to me. Just because our relationship isn’t illegal doesn’t mean it’s salvageable. Some cuts are just too deep.
“You look stunned. Say something.”
“Of course I’m stunned. This is a lot to process.”
Chris is my father, and my mother never told me. I feel betrayed. If they had come clean from the start, things could have been so different. I wish they were here so I could yell at them. But as angry as I am with them, part of me is glad they never told us the truth. If I had known, I’d never have gotten involved with Sean in the first place. Despite all the heartache our relationship caused, I don’t regret it. I wouldn’t trade the memories we have together for anything in the world.
“But are you happy to know we’re real sisters?” Kenzie asks in a small voice.
I smile. “Of course I am. You’ve always been my sister in my heart. Now it’s official.”
She exhales loudly. “Thank God.”
I’m happy but then I remember Mom’s betrayal. “I can’t believe my mother never told me Chris was my father.”
“It was a shitty thing to do, no doubt. But I could tell remorse was eating her and my, I mean, our dad alive.”
“It’s probably for the best you were the one who told me the truth, not them or Sean.”
“They knew what they were doing when they asked Sean to keep his mouth shut until you were out of the hospital. I think they’re terrified of your wrath.” She laughs.
I picture Chris being terrified of little old me and snort. “They should be.”
Kenzie’s eyes spark with glee. “Oh, can I please be present when you bring the house down on them?”
I narrow my eyes. “You’re enjoying seeing your dad in trouble, aren’t you?”
“He’s your dad too, and yes, I am. Now, let’s get you ready for your party. Once I’m done, no one will ever know you were almost killed by Bambi.”
“More likely Bambi’s mother.” My eyes widen as the realization hits me. “Oh my God. I killed Bambi’s mom. I’m the monster in his story.”
Kenzie laughs. “Shut up. You’re not the monster. If anything, she’s the bitch for standing in the middle of the road like a dumbass. If she wasn’t already deer pate, I’d kill her myself for almost taking you away from me.”
I chuckle, and it hurts my ribs. “Ouch, stop being funny. I can’t afford to laugh, woman.”
“Sorry. Shit. That means you can’t have sexy times either.”
My face becomes as hot as lava in zero point two seconds. “Kenzie!”
“What?” Her brows arch. “You’re getting back together with my stupid brother, right?”
My heart flutters with the possibility, but I squash its excitement. “I don’t know, but that’s not the point.”
She rolls her eyes. “Jesus, it isn’t like I haven’t caught you in the act before.”
I cover my face. “Don’t remind me.”
“For someone who was this close—” she gestures with her finger and thumb together “—from screwing their own brother, you’re sure uptight.”
“Shut up. Ask Sean if I’m uptight.” Kenzie’s eyes sparkle with mirth, making me realize my mistake. “Actually, don’t ask him anything.”
She laughs. “Okay. Maybe I won’t.”