Page 113 of Theirs

The guest room was not like I had left it. It had been rearranged. The bed had been changed, a rail was set up along the edge, but it also sat upright like a hospital bed, a TV had been put in here along with a walker and what looked to be medical supplies.

“Oh, thank god.” Cheryl broke the silence. “I was wondering how the hell I was going to get in and out of bed.”

“We had one of these in our guest room and figured it would be easier to get in and out of,” Luke said, nudging me forward. “My buddy is a therapist and helped me pick out the equipment you might need and if we need to, we can get more.”

I stepped out of the way speechless as I watched Luke put her in the bed.

“Oh god, these sheets are amazing,” Cheryl gushed.

“Camila has a great contact for linens and these are her favorites,” he said, as Camila came into the room with a glass of water and a few snacks.

“I’m absolutely in love with this linen company,” she said, placing the things on the nightstand. “We also got your prescription and I think you can have a pain pill in about an hour and a half.”

Camila and Luke settled Cheryl into the room talking about all the things they brought and what we might do in the future if she needed more help. My lips trembled as they took care of my sister like she was their own. They talked and laughed until Camila tucked her in.

If I didn’t love them already, I think this would have cemented my feelings because I didn’t know how much I needed to see them care for my sister like they did. We walked out of the room leaving Cheryl to sleep. Camila and Luke walked into the kitchen as I followed. I was still stunned by their thoughtfulness, watching them move around my kitchen like they had been doing it for years.

“Amor, do you want a snack before dinner?” Luke looked at me expectantly before I realized he was speaking to me.

“Um…” My lip trembled as they stared at me.

“Oh no, Evie, did we overstep?” Camila rushed to me. “I thought it was going to help you.”

“We didn’t want you to worry about making her comfortable,” Luke said quickly.

“It was only?—”

I didn’t let Camila finish talking before I pulled her in for a kiss. She gasped before molding her lips against mine and I took control of the kiss, slipping my tongue against hers slowly. Isucked on her bottom lip before grabbing Luke and pulling him in for a kiss too. He moaned into my mouth, making my heart flutter. My body craved to be close to them.

“I love you,” I said against Luke’s lips.

“I love you.” I turned toward Camila and kissed her again. “You don’t have to say it, but I just wanted to know that I think I have?—”

“Evie,” Camila said.

“No, please let me say this. I need you to know that I think I have loved you for a while now, I just didn’t know what it was.” I sniffled as they came closer, but I couldn’t look at them yet. “I’m not mad that you did all of that for Cheryl, I’m just surprised… It’s always been her and I with no one to help us through anything. You took care of her like she was your family and… You don’t know how much that means to me. I just wanted to say thank you and I love you so much.”

“I love you too,” Luke said, grabbing me and kissing me. “I love you.”

“I love you,” I said against his lips, before Camila pulled me away.

She cupped my face, looking conflicted and I hated that she looked worried, like she couldn’t believe it.

“I. Love. You. Camila.” I cupped her face. “I know you might not believe me, but you have given me so much and you don’t even know it.”

I kissed her softly on the lips.

“I don’t deserve you or Luke, I might never, but I don’t think I could live without you, not after—” My voice broke. “Not after how you've taken care of me and my sister. No one has ever done that and each day I expected you to leave us, but now you’re stuck with me.”

“You deserve everything whether you believe it or not, Evie,” she said leaning in closer. “I love you too.”

Her kiss was sweet and it made my heart so full of love. Luke and Camila were amazing through and through. They were so loving and compassionate. I didn’t deserve them, but I would spend every day showing them I did and that every day they would be mine and I’d be theirs.

34

Camila

The March air was still cold, but today was one of the warmer days. I left work a little earlier because today was the first day Cheryl was going back to her home. She had healed so well and she was starting to be able to do things by herself and was getting tired of Genevieve hovering over her. I was surprised she lasted so long since they constantly bickered.

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