Page 29 of Rami

She tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear and averted her gaze. As pleasant as he was to look at, his scrutiny made her jumpy.

“’Course you can. It’s four in the morning, though.”

She rounded her eyes. The time hadn’t even occurred to her. For weeks she’d lived in a dark void where time and days bled into each other. Where she didn’t know if it was morning or night.

Gratitude struck her again, and she dared a glance at his face. The whites of his eyes were strained and red, his forehead creased. Although she didn’t know him, she sensed his exhaustion. He was surely going above and beyond what Gigi had asked of him.

“How long have you been awake?” she asked.

He shrugged. “I slept in the van on the way here.”

“You drove?” Her eyes widened further. “From Seattle?”

“Well, I didn’t drive from Mars,” he said with a chuckle.

“It hadn’t even occurred to me that you’d traveled that far. You should rest. I’ll be okay.”

His head ticked to the side. “Your sister has been waiting more than two weeks to hear your voice. I think I can stay awake a little longer. C’mon.” He moved his hand from her wrist to her hip and guided her farther into the bedroom.

Every fiber of her being begged to stretch out on the mattress. She sat gingerly, fighting the urge to drop to the pillow. The room wasn’t anything special, just a basic motel room with a queen bed, nightstands, and a dinette table. But no critters scurried across the floor, no garbage hid the surfaces, and the air was only a little musty—it was a far cry from the acrid-smelling, filth-infested camper.

Even the lumpy bed felt luxurious to her weak, achy muscles. Rami grabbed a cell phone from the nightstand and glanced at the screen. His lips twitched. “I already woke her. I sent her a message when we got you settled and she replied.” He turned the screen so Ivy could read it.

Oh my god! You’re a hero.

Please call me as soon as you can.

I need to hear her voice.

Ivy’s lip trembled, and she took the device. She couldn’t stop staring at the words.

“Here.” Rami reached over and tapped the device that she was too numb to operate, and in a second, the line was ringing.

The shrill sound was a noise so familiar yet so intrusive. After one ring, the line connected.

“Hello?” Gigi’s voice clicked into place in Ivy’s head like the missing piece of a Tetris puzzle. A piece so important to her psyche it was as if she’d been teleported home.

“Gig?” Her voice broke, and tears dammed up her vocal cords. Her body shook and her muscles puddled.

Rami snagged her shoulder before she folded to the ground. He held her in place.

“Ohmigod, ohmigod,” Gigi blurted. “I can’t believe it’s you. I can’t believe it. Are you okay?” she asked breathlessly.

Ivy’s sobs matched her twin’s gut-wrenching cries. Tears coursed down her cheeks, and she closed her eyes. If she didn’t reveal her vulnerability to the other half of her soul, she might break. “No,” she confessed. “I’m not. I mean—I am. I’m in one piece.” It was the simplest explanation she could give, but it was a lie. Physically, she was whole. Mentally, she was a shattered mess.

“You’re safe.” Gigi’s words boomed with determination. “I need you to know that. You’re coming home and you’re in good hands. Nothing else matters. We’ll get through this like we have everything else.”

Ivy kept her eyes sealed shut. Rami’s hand was unwavering, a constant pressure that kept her grounded. Still, she couldn’t bring her eyes to meet his. It was crazy that she cared whether he thought her pathetic. She sucked in a breath. “Okay.” She steadied her bottom lip. “I’ll see you soon.”

“I love you,” Gigi said.

“I love you, too.” She moved the phone away from her ear and Rami took it and hung up. “When can I go home?” she asked. Blinking open her eyes, she dashed away the tears that hadn’t fallen.

“Soon. We’ve got to get you more stable to travel. Which means you need to let August hook up that IV.”

She grimaced. The catheter was already in her arm but she hated the idea of him messing with it.

Rami’s expression softened. “How about some food first?”

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