38. Bailey
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Bailey
NOW
My blood has been humming like I’ve been struck by lightning since I kissed Kaitlyn.
I couldn’t stop staring at her as we built a fort with Javi, and all I can think about is how much I want to kiss her again. The little sounds Kait made when I pulled the braid she’s been teasing me with all summer.
We didn’t have a chance to talk about where we’re going from here, but I’m assuming there’s nothing for me to worry about since she asked me not to stop.
“B, you okay?” Mirabelle asks, pulling my attention from Kaitlyn reading The Velveteen Rabbit to Javi.
I clear my throat, rubbing the back of my neck. “What? Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, and Kaitlyn looks at me, giving me a knowing smile.
The storm hit an hour ago, and the constant pounding of rain against the windows has been relentless in addition to the howling winds.
Javi was worried at first by all the lightning, so Mira suggested playing in the fort.
Javi had a lot of fun bossing us all around on where to put the blankets, and I got stuck doing a lot of the heavy lifting, including bringing all the blankets back downstairs because he said the living room was better.
It’s a complete disaster now, but that’s a problem for later.
Since he’s still not supposed to be exerting himself while he recovers, Mira took Javi to the nursery to pick out some books. We’ve all been taking turns reading them to him inside the fort.
“I’m only asking because the laptop screen turned off a few minutes ago, and you didn’t even notice,” she says, and I know I’ve been caught staring.
“I just really like The Velveteen Rabbit ,” I say, and Kaitlyn chuckles, turning the page.
“Do you think Monkey can come to life too?” Javi asks, giving the stuffed animal a squeeze.
“Absolutely,” Mirabelle answers, smiling at him. Mira told me this morning that she and Henry were going to talk to Javi about adopting him when Henry was done with training camp because they wanted to make sure things were as normal as they could be for the transition if he says yes.
I tap on the mouse pad, and the screen of the laptop I’m borrowing from Mom shows the pictures I took with her when we went hiking the day before my parents left for California.
We drove to a nearby state park, and she showed me the different lenses she prefers to use depending on what she’s trying to capture. I’ve messed around with photography in the past, so it wasn’t totally new information, but I was just happy to be there with her.
The marshes were so full of life, and it was really cool getting to see her in her element.
“Are these yours or Mom’s?” Mirabelle asks, scooting closer to look at the screen where I’m adjusting the lighting on a wide portrait of sunlight coming through the trees to reflect off the marsh.
“Mine,” I say, feeling myself get flustered because in no world would I ever expect my photographs to be compared to Mom’s. She’s a world-renowned photographer, and already had her work featured on major publications when she was my age.
“It’s really good, B,” she says, and I feel pride swell in me.
“Thanks,” I say, moving to the next picture where I tried a different lens for some lily pads, but I didn’t get the focus right. “I’ve got a lot to learn.”
“Is this what you want to do?”
“I think so. I signed up to take my GED, so that’s probably what I should be working on right now instead of editing these,” I admit, and Mira bumps my arm with her elbow.
“Dude, that’s huge. I’m really proud of you.”
I think she means it. It feels good to not be a huge disappointment.
The windows rattle with a strong gust of wind, and Mirabelle groans. “Do you think you can help me up? I have to pee, and I’m not sure I can get out of here on my own,” she admits, laughing, but I’m just glad she’s not trying to do it herself.
I notice Kaitlyn’s stopped reading after Mira goes upstairs, claiming she needs to grab something after. Kait’s watching me with a pretty smile, and if Javi weren’t sitting right next to her, I’d kiss her.
“Can I have a snack?” Javi asks with a yawn, and I chuckle, nodding.
“Yeah, buddy.”
The lights flicker as I grab the Goldfish out of the pantry, then the entire house is plunged into darkness.
I wait for the generator to kick on, reaching for one of the flashlights I left on the counter earlier.
“Kait? Javi? You okay?” I call out, moving back toward the living room.
The power is restored a few seconds later.
A crash sounds from upstairs, and all the color drains from Kaitlyn’s face as she appears in front of me.
“What was that?” she asks, and panic floods me.
I bolt up the stairs, taking them two at a time. “Mirabelle?” I can hear the panic in my voice, and Kaitlyn’s hot on my heels behind me.
If anything happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself. Henry trusted me to stay here to help keep everyone safe, and if I failed him?—
No. She’s okay. I can’t go worst-case scenario.
Rushing into the master bedroom, Mirabelle is lying motionless on the ground, and I drop to my knees next to her. Fuck, shit, what the hell am I supposed to do?
“Holy shit,” Kaitlyn whispers, and I scan over my sister, looking to see if there’s anywhere she’s obviously hurt.
“What do we do?” I ask, hearing my voice climb higher in pitch.
Mirabelle groans, her head lolling to one side. “Ow, what happened?” she moans, and I’m so relieved I think I could cry.
“Bailey,” Kaitlyn says, and I turn, noticing the blood in Mira’s hand.
“You passed out from seeing the blood,” I say, connecting the dots. It’s not the first time it’s happened, and it’s probably not the last.
“I—what?” Mirabelle asks, trying to sit up, and Kaitlyn gently pushes her back down.
“Just give us a second to help you. Does anything hurt?”
“Just my hand, I think?” she says, and I walk into the bathroom, checking under the sink for an emergency first aid kit because that’s the first place I can think of one being.
It’s exactly where they’ve put it too, and I’m trying to figure out what the fuck she was doing to cut her hand open?
She was supposed to be going to the bathroom?
Mira’s leaning against the bed with a shirt thrown over her hand to keep her from fainting again, and she’s rolling her eyes. If she can do that, she must be feeling better, so I’ll take it as a good sign. “Guys, I’m fine. Stop fussing over me.”
“Shut up and let us fuss,” I say, the adrenaline starting to fade as I take her hand to wipe away the blood.
“Did you just tell me to shut up?” Mirabelle asks, and I snort because I absolutely did. She can kick me in the balls later for it if she wants, but right now, I don’t care.
“Did you just pass out on the floor and scare the shit out of us?”
Mirabelle winces, some of the color coming back to her face. “Touché. You might be as bad as Henry.”
“What were you even doing to cut your hand open?” Kaitlyn asks, and Mirabelle looks at the closet, tears pooling in her eyes.
“I was grabbing Henry’s sweatshirt because I missed him, and he hid a bag of my favorite candy underneath it, so I grabbed the scissors to open it.
When the lights flickered, it scared me, and I dropped them, but I caught it.
When the lights turned on, I saw the blood on my hand,” she explains, and that might be a series of the most inconvenient coincidences I think I’ve ever heard, but totally believable.
“I’m sorry. It was an accident. I didn’t mean to scare you guys. ”
“So basically, this is my dumb brother’s fault for hiding candy in the closet,” Kaitlyn says, trying to make Mirabelle laugh.
“It’s okay, I’m just glad you’re okay.” I finish wrapping gauze and a bandage around her hand with care to ensure the entire thing is covered. “Are you really okay?” I ask, looking up at her after applying medical tape to hold the bandage in place, except Mirabelle hesitates.
“What if I hurt them?” All of her bravado from a minute ago has disappeared, and she wraps her other arm around her stomach. “I promised Henry I’d be careful if he let me stay instead of going to training camp with him, but what if I hurt them when I fainted?”
Her dark eyes are wide, and Kaitlyn leans forward to give her a hug.
“You didn’t do it on purpose. I bet they’re okay, but when the storm lets up, we’ll take you to the hospital to get checked out, okay?
” Kaitlyn suggests, but I’d feel better if there was a way for us to take her now.
The last thing we need is to be stranded on the side of the road if there’s flooding.
“Do you think you’ll be okay until then?”
Mirabelle inhales a shaky breath, wiping at her cheeks. “I-I think so. Do you think I can get a call through to Henry? I just . . . I really need to hear his voice.”
“It’s worth a shot.” I smile, hoping for her sake it goes through as she pulls her phone out of her pocket.
“I’m gonna go check on Javi,” Kait says, and I feel awful for leaving him downstairs by himself, but it would have been worse for him to see Mira unconscious.
I get up to put the first aid kit away while she calls Henry, but Mira grabs my hand, keeping me in my place. “Stay,” she whispers, and I’m a little relieved because I’m not ready to let her out of my sight again, just in case she passes out again. “Shit, I cracked the screen.”
“That can be fixed,” I say, and Mira squeezes my hand as the phone clicks when Henry answers.
“Hey, I saw the storm hit not too long ago. Is everything okay? I’m shocked the phone lines are still up.”
His question seems to break the dam holding her tears at bay. “I’m so sorry. I should have listened to you.”
“ Mon c?ur , what happened? Why are you apologizing?” Henry’s voice is soft, carefully choosing what he asks, but I also recognize that he’s trying not to freak her out more than she already is.
“I accidentally cut my hand, and I fainted when I saw the blood. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to happen. ”