Page 30 of The End of Me

Before closing the box and heading to bed, I find the letters Archer left for my cousins. There are several addressed to them, but they’re numbered. I call Dad’s driver so he can deliver them to Seth, Jude, and Gabe. The next morning, I drag my laptop to bed, put the USB in the port, and play the first video.

My heart beats when I see his handsome face. By the length of his hair, I guess he recorded this video a couple of years ago.

“Hey, Ladybug.” He grins and winks at me. “How are you, baby?”

I touch the screen of my laptop, praying he comes back to me soon.

“I wish I was there, baby, holding you. Maybe I am. Who knows how things work after we die? If I have the chance to be with you, I’ll take it.”

His eyes stare at me for a long moment.

“I’m probably hanging with Grandma Janine and Grandpa James. Which reminds me, you only have a few weeks to wallow.” His gaze is stern. “Yep, I know you. You’re going to try to bury yourself inside your bed and never come out. That’s not allowed, Ladybug. You have to move your ass out of bed and jump in the shower.”

“Piper?” He taps the desk. “I’m waiting. Pause the video and head to the shower. It won’t be as fun as when you and I save water, but I promise it’ll be refreshing.”

There’s a knock on my bedroom door. “Have you watched the video?”

I turn around to find Gabe leaning against the doorframe.

“Why are you here?”

“I’m the only one in town,” he responds.

“That still doesn’t answer my question.”

He shakes his head. “I asked first, have you watched the video?”

“Only the beginning.”

“Take a shower,” he orders.

“I…” I narrow my gaze. “He told you to drag me out of bed?”

Gabe nods a couple of times.

“Why?”

“It’s over. You have to start living. In theory, he gave you only a few weeks, and it’s been five months, Pipe.”

“He’s not back.”

“No, and we don’t know when that’ll happen. He would be crushed if he saw what you’ve been doing all this time.”

“Where’s your letter?”

He snorts. “I’m not showing it to you.”

I cross my arms. “Why not?”

“That was between him and me, nosy girl. You just need to know that among all the shit he says, he made me promise to get you out of the funk.”

“You know getting over the death of your loved one isn’t easy. This is almost as hard as that.”

“I’m not asking you to forget him, just to become a productive member of society.”

I glare at him, hating his logic. He’s right. When Archer returns, he will need me to be strong for the two of us. He’s going to be exhausted and probably wounded.

“Shower, now,” Gabe barks, pointing toward the en suite of my bedroom.

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