Page 94 of All Your Tomorrows

I hated her for what she’d done to me.

I hated her for what she’d done tous.

“Nora?”

I lowered my hands and looked to Izzy standing in the doorway with her arms filled with flowers and a bunch of get-well balloons in her hand.

“Oh, honey,” she said, noting my tear-stained cheeks. “Just tell me what you need and I’ll do it.” She released the balloons so they scattered all over our ceiling and placed the flowers down on the table. She moved to me and sat on the edge of the sofa.

I shook my head as tears continued to fall. “It’s not fair.”

“It’s not,” she agreed. “There’s nothing fair about it.”

“I loved him,” I said.

She rubbed a soothing hand over my forehead. “I know. And he loved you.”

I nodded. “He did. He really did.” She wiped away some of the tears on my cheeks, and I wished the gesture brought me more comfort than it did. I was numb. Numb because he was gone. Numb because I had his heart. Numb because it shouldn’t have ended this way. “We danced under the stars.” I sniffled. “Did I tell you that?”

“You didn’t,” she said sharing a sad smile. “That sounds romantic.”

“It was.”

A long silence passed and I appreciated her not trying to fill it with words of wisdom that I really didn’t want to hear.

“I slept with him,” I admitted.

“Is that even possible?”

“Oh, it was possible.”

“How was it?” she asked, like the nosy friend she was.

“Amazing,” I said.

“I’m glad you waited for the right guy. Because hewasthe right guy, Nora,” she assured me. “Just because he’s not here anymore doesn’t change that.”

I sighed, knowing she was right despite it hurting so damn much.

“You have incredible memories with him,” she said.

And though I knew she meant it to be reassuring, it only left more of a hollow in my chest. “Why did this have to happen, Iz?”

“Because life’s a crazy journey.” She lay down beside me and wrapped her arms around me like a parent comforting their child. I relaxed into her, needing her strength—needing her comfort. “You just never know when it’s gonna throw you a curveball like this. That’s the risk of getting to live this life. The wonderful days are balanced by the tragic ones.”

“That’s depressing,” I said.

She laughed. “It is.”

“I’m not gonna be okay,” I admitted.

“I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but you will be,” she assured me. “You’re a survivor, Nora. You’re the strongest person I know.”

“Liar,” I muttered.

“I’m not. Why do you think all these spirits come to you?”

“Because I’m a sucker and will help them and put their needs before my own?”

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