Page 57 of The Wrong Side Of Us

The priest greeted me with a sympathetic smile while all I could do was stare at the casket.

“Are we ready to start?”

I opened my mouth to speak. Hannah still wasn’t there.

“Give us a few more minutes,” Nathan replied.

I didn’t understand at first, couldn’t comprehend what was going on when I saw a group of people approaching. A sharp gasp left my lips when I saw Jenna, her parents, Tessa, and Poison along with the rest of the crew walking towards us.

Jenna ran to me, pulling me into her arms as soon as she saw me. I squeezed my eyes shut as my childhood friend embraced me. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

I nodded, letting out a shaky breath. If I spoke, I’d break down. A few minutes passed while I half greeted the rest of them when we saw a sheriff’s car pull up. My lip quivered as I saw my sister stepping out, shackled and handcuffed.

She stood. As they approached us, I took in her sad appearance; her eyes were swollen, makeup-less. She’d lost some weight.

I thought I was speechless when I saw her, but the true surprise came when she raised her gaze and saw me for the first time in over a year. Her eyes widened, and she stopped walking, standing there for a moment.

And then she smiled at me.

Forgive me.

I’m sorry.

I’m proud of you.

She stood apart from the crowd but still close enough that she could hear what the priest said.

Nathan took my hand in his the whole time, gently caressing it with his thumb.

“Would you like to say something?” the priest asked me.

I shook my head. There was plenty I had to say, but it wasn’t my place. She wouldn’t have wanted me to say anything anyway. Mom would have wanted Hannah.

My chest constricted as I saw the guard guide my sister to the front of the crowd. Nathan tensed beside me, and I heard the murmuring of the people beside us.

Hannah stood next to the casket, unable to touch it, though I could tell by the longing in her eyes that was precisely what she wanted to do.

She cleared her throat and began. “She wasn’t the best mom,” Hannah said with a small smile. “She wasn’t the best human,” her eyes met mine once again, “but she was still our mom. She was flawed, yes, but despite the flaws, she admired something from both Evelyn and me.”

I felt my heart beat a little faster at her statement.

Mom had admired me?

“She admired me because I had her tenacity when it came to business; I was all brain. And yet she admired Evelyn because she’s always been what we couldn’t be: all heart. She would have never admitted it.”

Her eyes stayed fixed on mine the whole time. She wasn’t lying. For that moment, it was my sister speaking to me, only to me. Nothing else mattered.

Hannah sighed, and I saw her eyes glistening with tears. “She’d say sorry.” The three words were so quiet I almost didn’t hear them.

She said nothing else. The guards guided Hannah away from the casket, her warm gaze still fixed on me. I’d forever remember that moment. Nathan broke the silence, however, saying something I didn’t expect.

“What the hell is he doing here?”

Chapter 22

Evelyn

I had been so focused on Hannah, I hadn’t noticed Derek standing afar, his eyes set on Hannah and then on me. His usually relaxed demeanor was long gone with his arms crossed over his chest.

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