Page 77 of The Last Dance

I haven’t mentioned Henry since he left. I don’t even know how they didn’t ask more questions about him. He left, and I pretended like he never existed. The last time they asked if I’d heard from him, I shrugged my shoulders and they never asked again. They had to know something was up, but I couldn’t ever break it to them that he crushed me.

‘Actually, I’m going to ask Henry to help me.’

‘Henry’s back in town?’ Mom’s face lights up.

To say they love him would be an understatement. They adore him. Always have. Sometimes I wonder if they like him more than me.

‘Yeah, he’s around.’

‘You’ve actuallyseenhim?’ Dad asks, as if I’m making it up.

‘Yes.’ I laugh. ‘I’ve actuallyseenhim. A few times, actually.’

‘Oh, how exciting that he’s back! Tell him to come by, we’d love to see him. You should have brought him with you!’

I shake my head. ‘I don’t know if that will happen any time soon, but I’ll let him know you’d like to see him.’

Dad frowns.

‘So, Henry will help you build the site. Does that mean he’ll be your business partner? Surely a website needs more than just creation. I would think updates and such would need to be done regularly.’

How does my mom know more about how websites work than I do? I worked for one! I didn’t even think about all the extras. Would he expect to be my partner? It’s not like I can pay him right now and without knowing how well the site is going to do I’m not sure how long it would take to make enough of a profit to ever start paying him. I don’t even know how a website makes money, if I’m honest. Yet again, I’m in over my head.

I shrug my shoulders, filling my mouth with a sandwich.

‘Ambri.’ My mom says it exactly like she used to when she was grilling the truth out of why I wasn’t home in time for curfew when I was in high school. ‘Have you even talked to him about it yet?’

This is the one place where food won’t save me. They know I use it as an out so reading my mind isn’t completely unusual.

I sigh, swallowing down the bite I took. ‘Not exactly, but I plan to. Soon.’

‘If you wait too long he’ll be busy with someone else and then there goes your chance. You’llhaveto learn how to cook.’

Why does that sentence make me feel like she’s not even really talking about the website?

‘I will talk to him soon. I promise.’

‘Any plans for your upcoming birthday?’

My birthday. My birthday is a constant reminder of losing my sister. The last few years haven’t been birthdays I’d love to remember. I don’t know if it’ll ever be the way it used to be. My parents mean well, but insist each year on celebrating the anniversary of her death as well. Like a double celebration. I’ve never understood anniversaries of death. I get that it’s a monumental point, but anniversaries are for celebrating and I don’t want to celebrate her death. It’s the day I watched the person I loved the most leave me. I’d rather remember her any other day than that one.

‘No plans.’ I shake my head.

‘Maybe you should spend it with Henry. Like old times.’

I nod. ‘Maybe I’ll do that.’ The likeliness of that happening doesn’t seem very high but I guess, after the last week, anything is possible.

Dad reaches over, squeezing my hand. ‘Whatever you do, make sure you’re happy.’

I nod as I glance over to the lit candle next to me and force a smile. He’s not only talking about my birthday. I know he’s also referring to my Noah dilemma. I don’t know what makes me happy anymore. Everything is all mixed up and what I thought made me happy doesn’t seem to be doing it anymore. Then there is the question I have every time I think of her. I glance over at her empty chair. Would Rory be happy with me?

---