Page 10 of Finding Fate

Warm tears stream down my face as I search the empty room. The perfectly made bed. The organized closet still filled with her clothes. The still-full dresser.

Everything is here except her.

"Where are you?" I cry and press the Call button. As the line rings in my ear, a slight vibration has me searching around the room, trying to find where the phone is hiding. I press Call again and stand still, listening, focusing on which direction to go.

There.

Decorative pillows fly through the air as I tear apart her bed. Then I find it. There’s no controlling my sobs as I withdraw the almost-dead phone and the folded piece of paper it was on top of from under the covers.

I stare at the paper, my name written on the front in her handwriting blurring in my tear-filled eyes.

"What have you done, Destiny?" I whisper as I close my eyes and clutch the yellow paper to my heart. "Where are you?"

It takes a couple tries to open the paper without ripping it, but when I do, I wish it’d taken longer. Because now my life will never be as it was two seconds ago.

Fate,

I love you. Never forget that.

What we have goes beyond the normal sister relationship, past family. I can’t explain it, but I know you did the best you could. You and Mom both did. I’ll never forget those nights you stayed up checking my fever or sitting on the tub when I was home sick with a stomach bug. All the nights we lay awake giggling in bed at what our future held for us, how we hoped our white knight would rescue us from our tiny apartment and we would live happily ever after. I miss those nights. I miss you being around. It’s gotten lonely without you here and Mom being gone as much as she is. But I know you needed to move on, get on with your life. I mean, what twenty-seven-year-old wants to live with her mom and baby sister, right?

What’s crazy is all those nights we stayed up dreaming of our white knight seemed to be more of a wish than a dream. Because I found him. Well, he found me, or we found each other. He wants to take care of me forever, Fate. He loves me. I finally found a home and what I'm destined for.

Don't blame yourself. I chose this, and I'm so excited. The adventures that await me! Oh, I wish you could come too. The only thing I'm sad about is not seeing you again or getting to say goodbye. But he said I had to cut all ties, that it was easier this way. I understand and want to obey each of his requests. Be excited for me.

And I’m sorry I’ve been keeping this from you, that I’ve lied to you for so long. Don’t be mad, please. I really shouldn’t be leaving this note since he wanted everything just between us, but I couldn’t just leave you.

I love you. Tell Mom I love her too.

But don't tell her I love you more.

Find someone who loves you this much. You deserve to be happy too.

I'll write when I can, if I can.

EEK! So excited!

Love,

Destiny

The world stills. Time stops.

I crumple the paper in a tight fist.

Normal breathing turns difficult. The wheezing of each of my labored breaths fills the silent room.

Where do I start? What do I do?

Nothing. Not a single thought, plan or notion enters my mind. There’s nothing but a jumbled mess of emotions and tears. A thought pops through. I can’t think clearly, but I know who can.

"Fate," Mac says on the other end of the line, confusion and worry in his voice. "Why are you—"

"I need help," I squeak. "I don't... she's gone." My knees hit the floor as I slip off her bed. Sobs rack my body as I try to tell him what's happened, but all I can do is gulp down enough air to stay conscious.

"Where are you?" In the background comes the jingling of keys and a door slamming.

"My mom’s. Where is she? Where is she?"

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