Page 113 of The Moment Promised

The air weighs a thousand pounds, making my chest heavy as I inhale. I can sense tragedy, and she hasn’t even finished the story.

“So, she bought a house in the Keys he didn’t know about. He searched for her for months. He came to me several times and asked about her. I told him I didn’t know where she was, hating the situation but respecting my sister’s wishes.” She massages her temples. “Evia cried over losing him as much as she smiled from the pregnancy.

“Eventually Charlie moved away, and I never knew where he ended up.” She looks back down at the photo, running her thumb along the image of young Charlie. “I helped her set up the nursery, took her to all her doctor appointments, and cried with her when we heard the baby’s heartbeat.” She wipes at her eyes. “It wasn’t ideal, but she made it work. She always did.” She smiles, reminiscing over her sister’s strength.

She stands straight, preparing to get the next sentence out. “I drove her to the hospital when her water broke. I was so frantic, making sure she had everything she needed. My hands shook in anticipation, my mind in a million other places.”

Tears stream down her cheeks now.

“I forgot to check my blind spot—” She chokes on the words.

Finn stiffens beside me, and my heart stops as if I am living it too.

“The passenger side of my car hit the one in the lane I was switching into. Everything after that was a blur. I woke up in a hospital room. A doctor told me my sister died.”

My heart breaks for my mother, and Evia, and her unborn baby. Just hearing the tragedy causes pain throughout my entire body, and I’m only hearing it secondhand.

My mom clears her throat and takes a deep breath. “They handed me her daughter. I fell in love with her instantly.” She smiles past the tears.

What?

“We bounced back and forth with baby names throughout her pregnancy, but she always came back to one name—Adeline,” she whispers.

Everything spins.

I can’t breathe.

I can’t?—

Breathe…

“Mom—” I pant, not knowing who I’m directing the name toward. The room spins faster.

My knees meet the ground. My head feels like it will collapse off my shoulders.

IknowI’m having a panic attack.

Putting a simple label like panic attack onthisfeels insensitive.

Girl finds out her entire life has been a lie and all the abuse and torture she endured wasn’t even meant to happen to her: just a silly little panic attack.

“Breathe in your nose and out your mouth,” Finn coos, as if it’s that simple.

As if breathing properly could fix my life.

Could bring back Evia.

Could rewrite my childhood.

Thanks Finn, for the helpful insight.

It feels like my lungs are filling with water.

I’m drowning.

This is the way it ends. I’m going to die. Right here, in my kitchen. My lungs try to keep up with my panic, as I pant so quickly everything just fades away. Darkness sweeps me up, engulfing me whole.

“Adeline!” A rough hand lightly smacks my cheek, signaling for me to open my eyes.

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