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A tear dripped down his cheek and I reached over to swipe it away. “I love you.” Leaning over, I pressed my cheek to his. “So much.”

Unresponsive, he continued to lie on his side, facing the window and staring out at nothing in particular. The doctors had come and gone several times in the past few days since the fire. According to them, my brother was going through withdrawals. He’d admitted to Mrs. Kavanagh and Darren that he had been using serious drugs for months and months before I ended up in the hospital. I hadn’t known. I hadn’t picked up on the signs. He was also in shock, and I was terrified to leave his side in case he ran away again. Looking at him right now, I wasn’t sure he had the energy to lift himself out of the bed, but I could never be sure with Joey. He was as unpredictable as an Irish summer.

They were taking him away soon. Once the funeral was over, he was going into a special hospital to make him better. Somewhere they could treat his addictions and his mental health. I didn’t understand why he had to leave, and I didn’t want him to go, but he had signed the paperwork himself just before he stopped talking. Hewantedto leave, and I was terrified of Monday coming because I honestly didn’t know how I was going to survive all of this without him.

A soft knock came from the other side of the bedroom door, and Mrs. Kavanagh’s head popped through the opening. “Hello, Shannon, love,” she said, smiling warmly at me. “You have two visitors here to see you.”

My breath hitched in my throat and I stiffened. I couldn’t handle any more social workers or Gards. I was too tired. “I don’t—”

“Claire and Lizzie,” Mrs. Kavanagh hurried to explain. “They’re downstairs in the sitting room, pet.”

“I, uh…” I hesitated, not wanting to leave my brother. “Maybe…I shouldn’t leave him on his—”

“And I have a visitor for you, too, Joey,” Mrs. Kavanagh announced in a gentle tone. She pushed the door all the way open to reveal Aoife standing beside her. “Go on in, love.”

I panicked at the sight of his girlfriend, knowing that the last time Joey spoke, he warned us tonotlet her in. He made Darren promise to keep her away. He didn’t want her here. He didn’t want her tosee.

Joey remained completely motionless, still clutching the pillow, still staring out the window, as Aoife walked into the room. “You can’t hide from me,” she told him as she moved straight for him. “And you can’t give up, either.”

I watched him carefully, praying for some sort of reaction and then feeling a spike of relief shoot through me when he jerked at the sound of her voice.

Standing up, I hovered close to the bed, unwilling to leave him, eyes glued to Aoife as she sat down on the side of the bed he was facing. “My Joey,” she whispered, cupping his cheek in her hand. “My baby.”

A shudder rolled through him and he tightened his hold on the pillow, feet twitching sporadically.

Leaning her face close to his, she gently nuzzled him with her nose. “Come on back to me,” she coaxed, whispering in his ear as she smoothed her hand over his hair and then his cheek and jaw. “Because I’m not giving you up.”

He shook harder, limbs spasming, as a pained groan tore from his throat. My eyes widened in shock. It was the first noise he had made in days.

“I know,” Aoife continued to whisper as she touched him and petted him like he was a small child. “You’re in there, aren’t you? Hmm?” She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I see you, Joey Lynch.” She stroked her nose against his and whispered, “You can’t hide from me.”

His hand shot out then, moving straight to her abdomen.

“That’s it,” she encouraged, pulling his head onto her lap and cradling him there. “Come on back to me, baby.”

Another pained noise tore from his throat and he buried his face in her abdomen, shaking violently.

“It’s okay,” she whispered, leaning over his broad shoulders to hold him close. “You can’t scare me away.” Her blond hair pillowed around them as she whispered, “You’re mine, remember?”

Mrs. Kavanagh cleared her throat and said, “Come on, Shannon, pet,” and I tore my eyes off my brother to look at her. She smiled sadly. “Let’s give Joey and Aoife some time on their own.”

Reluctantly, I complied and followed Mrs. Kavanagh out of the room, watching as she closed the bedroom door behind us. Nervous and unsure, I trailed after her, feet faltering when we reached the top of the staircase and I heard all the different voices coming from downstairs. “I don’t know,” I blurted out, stalling.

“Hmm?” Mrs. Kavanagh turned back to look at me. “What did you say, pet?”

“I’m not sure,” I choked out, clutching the banister. I inclined my head to the stairs and shifted around uneasily. “There’s a lot of people down there.”

Mrs. Kavanagh’s eyes filled with sympathy. “Oh, my little pet.” She closed the space between us and pulled me into her arms. “You’re safe with us.”

“Do I have to go down there?” I whispered, shaking. “I’m scared.”

“What are you scared of, Shannon?” she coaxed. “Hmm? Nothing’s going to hurt you again, darling.”

“Reality,” I admitted. “Facing everyone.”

“Reality can be daunting,” she agreed, taking my hand in hers. “And facing it can be worse, but you’re a strong girl.” Smiling at me, she added, “And you can do this, Shannon Lynch. I know you can.”

I blew out a shaky breath. “Really?”

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