Page 102 of A Hurt So Good

“What’s going to happen after?”

“What do you mean?”

“With the house and Sasha and just everything.”

“Worried about the future now too?” I ask her.

“A little.”

“Don’t be. We got you. Sasha is going to be fine. Denz has the means to take care of her now, and he has a support system in place. Dad has talked to his lawyers, and they don’t think getting custody of her is going to be an issue if their mom dies before she’s eighteen.”

“That’s good. That’s really good.”

“Yeah, it is. As far as everything else goes, Dad wants us to stay here since he’s going to be traveling, but if you want your own place, we can do that too.”

“My own place?” she asks, looking up at me strangely. I smirk.

“Don’t get excited, little bird. I meant with us.”

“I’m happy wherever you guys are. I don’t mind staying here either.”

“You just got a thing for my dad, huh?” she laughs a little, keeping her head on my chest.

“I love your dad. He’s been great to me even when my mom wasn’t, but I think I have my hands full with the three of you,” she admits.

“Pretty sure you’re right about that.”

“Everything will be okay, won’t it, War?” This is a side of Arya we’re not used to. Arya can hold her own, and she always has, but this is a vulnerable side of her that we rarely get to see, and I want to take advantage of it while I can.

I lean down and press my lips to the top of her head before I speak.

“Yeah. Everything will be okay,” I assure her. I hear the door close, and we both look over to see the other two coming out.

“Can no one sleep tonight?” I ask with a laugh as they come to sit around us.

“Guess not. You two okay?” Denz asks.

“We’re good. Just talking,” I tell him.

“Mom’s nurse called,” Denz adds.

“What did she say?”

“Mom isn’t doing well.”

“You want to go see her?” Arya asks this time. Denz shakes his head. “What about Sasha?”

“I’m taking her over there tomorrow. I’m not waking her up right now,” he adds.

“I’ll go with you,” Arya offers.

“We all will,” I tell him. He nods his head this time, and we all sit in silence. It’s strange, knowing I’m not going to be here with them for a whole year. I’ve never not had my brothers around and that’s going to be an adjustment for all of us.

And now we have Arya. And we’ve only just gotten her, and now I’m going to have to be away from her for a year. Will she even want me after I get out? Is she going to be the same girl? Will I be the same man? There are so many different things I’ve been thinking about, and I don’t have answers.

Arya must feel how tense I am. She leans up and presses her lips to my neck, and I sigh, closing my eyes. I’m going to miss this.

“I’ll come visit,” she whispers.

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