Page 121 of Panther's Magpie
“I don’t see any blood. Is everything okay?” I ask, cautiously moving toward them.
“Yep. We had a heart-to-heart. Aspen will always be my best friend,” Maggie tells me.
I move closer to her, slowly wrapping my arm around her shoulders before I press a kiss to the top of her head.
“That’s good. How are you feeling, Aspen? It’s good to see you out of your room.”
She gives me a sad smile. “It will take time to be okay again, but that’s okay.”
“I have Meek looking into a possible therapist for her. Me too. I think it would be good for us both to talk to someone.” Maggie holds out her hand, holding Aspen’s.
“That’s good. A great idea, really,” I tell them, shocked that they somehow overcame their differences.
Aspen looks down a moment before she looks back up at me. “Can we talk for a minute?”
I glance at Maggie, who nods encouragingly.
“Sure. Let’s go to my office.”
I drop a quick kiss on Maggie’s lips before I lead the way.
“I don’t know if I will ever get used to seeing that,” Aspen admits along the way.
“I love her,” I admit to Aspen.
“I know. She loves you too. I’m happy for you both. Really. I mean it.”
I nod, opening the door to my office, letting her in before I shut it behind us.
When I turn back around, Aspen hugs me tightly. I hug her back, holding her to me.
“I’m sorry I was a brat. I love you. You’re the best big brother in the world. Maggie said you never stopped looking for me. I never lost hope that you would show up and save me.”
“I would never stop looking for you. You’re my little sister. I promised to protect you.”
“I know. Still, I was such a shit at times. Being there with them, I had a lot of time to contemplate the things I did over the years. I got into a lot of trouble. I think I realize now that I was trying to get your attention.”
I sigh. “You always had it.”
“It didn’t feel like it. You graduated high school and moved away to join all of this, and I felt abandoned. You would call and text, but you weren’t there. I think I needed my big brother.”
I pull back and look down at her. “I’m sorry. I never had a sister before. I didn’t know that. I wish you had spoken up. Told me how you were feeling.”
She laughs. “A foster kid being good at talking about feelings? That’s a joke.”
I laugh along with her. “Fair point. Still, that’s the past. I’ll be here for you now. You only need to tell me what you need.”
“I don’t want to go back to school.”
I smile. “I figured as much. You want to stay here?”
She nods, “I don’t want to be apart again. I know you said this life wasn’t for me, but I want it to be.”
“I thought keeping you away would keep you out of danger, but I should have known you would find trouble. You can stay, Aspen. For as long as you want. I won’t keep you away again.”
She lets out a relieved breath. “Thank you.”
I hug her closer to me again. “Of course. Are we good now?”
