Page 67 of Wrapped in You

"Don't," Sophie begged softly.

"What?" Cindy asked.

"Don't tell me it's all going to be okay," Sophie said.

Cindy let her shoulders sag. "You can read me like a book, can't you?"

Sophie laughed sadly.

"Come on," Cindy said. "Let's ride the Ferris wheel!"

Sophie raised her chin and peered up at the ever-revolving machine. From where they stood, it looked monstrous, far taller than any carnival ride should have ever been built. But Cindy was already dragging her through the crowd, through the flurry of snow. They got in line and were waved into a carriage without tickets because Sophie was the "organizer" and therefore received special treatment. Once latched inside, the carriage lifted off the ground, higher and higher. Without realizing it, Sophie reached for Cindy's hand and squeezed it.

"You were never scared of this when we were kids," Cindy said, throwing her head back.

"I was always scared," Sophie said. "I just never wanted you to know because I was older than you, and you were never afraid of anything."

Cindy still wasn't afraid of anything. Sophie ached with jealousy. It felt like her heart was a big wound.

Cindy gaped at her. A small smile crept across her face. "You were lying to me! Our entire lives!"

"It wasn't a lie, exactly," Sophie offered.

"You were miserable! For years! And you refused to say anything!" Cindy cried.

They were nearing the top of the arc. Sophie felt panicked as the carriage shifted in the not-so-gentle winter breeze, and snowswirled around them. Just then, as Ferris wheels are wont to do, it stopped abruptly. Probably more people were either getting on or off. It didn't matter. But there, suspended in the snowy sky, Sophie felt paralyzed. She squeezed Cindy's hand harder and harder.

"You shouldn't do that, Sophie," Cindy offered tentatively. "You should say what's on your mind more. You can't bottle everything up!" She paused. "We love you, Sophie. We want you to be comfortable. We want you to feel loved. We want to know how to love you. Which means you have to translate your needs!"

The carriage creaked back and forth. Sophie felt on the verge of sobbing.

And then, Sophie heard herself begin to speak. Once she got started, it was like she couldn't stop.

"I can't take it. I can't believe he won't acknowledge me. When this is all over, he'll leave Willow Creek, and I'll be buried in a million responsibilities for Culinary Tastings, and I'll drive all over the state chasing money and furthering my business, and I'll go to bed each night alone. Meanwhile, he'll be in the sunshine; he won't even remember my name! And I'll never have children, and you and Mom and Dad will always think I'm a loser, and..."

Panic and sorrow swirled in Sophie's stomach. She couldn't stop speaking. It wasn't like her to lose control like this, but up there above the town of Willow Creek, alone with her sister, she felt outside of herself. She felt as though anything she said up here "didn't count."

Cindy rasped, "Sophie!" She squeezed her hand harder. At first, Sophie thought she wanted her to shut up, to calm down. But then, Cindy extended her arm and pointed down below—deep in the crowd of people at the Christmas Festival, there between the burger stall and the homemade cupcakes with layers upon layers of frosting. There stood a handsome, dark-haired man wearing all black. His head turned slowly, this way and that. It was clear he was looking for something.

Or someone.

"It can't be," Sophie breathed.

Cindy cackled as their carriage swung back and forth. Still they hadn't moved anywhere. Sophie was suddenly terrified they'd be up in the sky forever. Maybe from here she'd be forced to watch Derek Brownlee leave the Christmas Festival and stomp back to his cabin. Maybe she'd be forced to watch her last chance fade away.

"It is him," Cindy shot. "And he's looking for you!"

"There's no way," Sophie said. "He's just here for the same reason as everyone else."

Cindy scoffed. "This is your chance, Sophie. Go demand answers from him! You've already had mulled wine, right? Liquid courage!"

Sophie gestured wildly. "But we're forty feet in the air, Cindy!"

Cindy cackled and clapped her thigh. But just then, the Ferris wheel began to shift again, at first slowly and then quickly. Sophie sat at the edge of her chair, gazing down at Derek as he walked slowly through the crowd, searching for someone.

Don't go, Derek.

Please.

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