haunting strains of “My Heart Will Go On.”
Chance did too, and he jerked.
“Destiny and I saw the movie together. She liked that song too,” she whispered, compelled to explain the coincidence. She could feel a flush creeping up her neck. Fibbing to her mother came easy, but lying to Chance went against the grain, even though everything in her life right now was a lie.
Listening to the music, she ached with longing for what she’d lost. For the rest of her life, she’d have to pretend to be somebody else. But who was the real loser here? Survivor’s guilt knotted in her chest. Not only had Zoe died, but she’d passed without anyone noticing. Though her identity would have to remain a secret, Destiny was alive and well, surrounded by friends and family who loved her, although she would no longer be a part of their lives. The crash for her had ended not in death but divorce.
At the end of the service, she would speak to Laura. Maybe they could become friends. Perhaps through her, she could establish contact, if not a rapport, with her parents.
The strains of the music she loved flowed over her, and she surrendered to it, found her ache soothed by the beauty. A simple, pure gratitude rose within her. In her head, Destiny sang the lyrics to the melody while mouthing the words.
Like she’d been shot in the back by an arrow, Laura stiffened. She whipped around in her chair, scanning the audience until she spotted Destiny. Their gazes locked, and her sister formed an O with her mouth.
Destiny’s eyes filled with tears, and her sister’s face blurred, but she could see Laura stagger to her feet. But then their mother grabbed her wrist and hissed something, disapproval evident in the grimness of her profiled jaw.
Laura dropped into her seat but twisted to glance back at her before facing forward.
Destiny’s head swam with dizziness, her ears buzzing, blood ebbing out of her face with a crawling sensation.
“Destiny’s sister paled like she saw a ghost.” Chance’s voice floated in from far away. “Shit. You too. You’re as white a sheet. Are you okay?”
“I’m going to faint.” Were the words in her head, or had she said them?
He pushed on her shoulders. “Put your head between your knees.”
“I can’t. Not here.” Everybody would gawk. She’d become a spectacle at her funeral. Her mother would be pissed. “ Sit up. What’s wrong with you?” Except her mother wouldn’t scold a near stranger. Dizziness swirled.
“Would you rather pass out in the aisle?” Chance hissed in her ear.
God no! She allowed him to press her face between her knees. The grayness and buzzing receded. “People are staring at me, aren’t they?” She wished she could hide under the row of folding chairs.
“No,” he answered, but she could hear the lie in his voice.
The music ended.
She had to talk to Laura. Destiny tried to spring up, but Chance prevented her. “Stay there for a moment.”
People were rising to their feet. Her parents and Laura would form a short receiving line. Then the caterers would bring out the food. Guests, music, food—a memorial service was like a wedding reception, only sad, not happy. She wouldn’t be able get Laura alone if she didn’t move fast.
“I need to…express my condolences to Destiny’s sister.”
“She’s coming to you.”
“What?” Shrugging off Chance’s hand, Destiny popped up. Laura wove through the throng of people, who did their best to detain her with words and gestures of comfort, but she said something to each of them, and they allowed her to pass.
She materialized in the aisle. “Are you all right?”
Destiny stared. Laura was one of those rare individuals whose eyes were different colors, her left one brown, her right one blue. It contributed to the sense of otherness about her.
“I got a little light-headed.”
Laura looked at Chance. “If you’d excuse us, I’d like to talk to… Zoe .”
Chance jerked, then locked his gaze on her
Chance did too, and he jerked.
“Destiny and I saw the movie together. She liked that song too,” she whispered, compelled to explain the coincidence. She could feel a flush creeping up her neck. Fibbing to her mother came easy, but lying to Chance went against the grain, even though everything in her life right now was a lie.
Listening to the music, she ached with longing for what she’d lost. For the rest of her life, she’d have to pretend to be somebody else. But who was the real loser here? Survivor’s guilt knotted in her chest. Not only had Zoe died, but she’d passed without anyone noticing. Though her identity would have to remain a secret, Destiny was alive and well, surrounded by friends and family who loved her, although she would no longer be a part of their lives. The crash for her had ended not in death but divorce.
At the end of the service, she would speak to Laura. Maybe they could become friends. Perhaps through her, she could establish contact, if not a rapport, with her parents.
The strains of the music she loved flowed over her, and she surrendered to it, found her ache soothed by the beauty. A simple, pure gratitude rose within her. In her head, Destiny sang the lyrics to the melody while mouthing the words.
Like she’d been shot in the back by an arrow, Laura stiffened. She whipped around in her chair, scanning the audience until she spotted Destiny. Their gazes locked, and her sister formed an O with her mouth.
Destiny’s eyes filled with tears, and her sister’s face blurred, but she could see Laura stagger to her feet. But then their mother grabbed her wrist and hissed something, disapproval evident in the grimness of her profiled jaw.
Laura dropped into her seat but twisted to glance back at her before facing forward.
Destiny’s head swam with dizziness, her ears buzzing, blood ebbing out of her face with a crawling sensation.
“Destiny’s sister paled like she saw a ghost.” Chance’s voice floated in from far away. “Shit. You too. You’re as white a sheet. Are you okay?”
“I’m going to faint.” Were the words in her head, or had she said them?
He pushed on her shoulders. “Put your head between your knees.”
“I can’t. Not here.” Everybody would gawk. She’d become a spectacle at her funeral. Her mother would be pissed. “ Sit up. What’s wrong with you?” Except her mother wouldn’t scold a near stranger. Dizziness swirled.
“Would you rather pass out in the aisle?” Chance hissed in her ear.
God no! She allowed him to press her face between her knees. The grayness and buzzing receded. “People are staring at me, aren’t they?” She wished she could hide under the row of folding chairs.
“No,” he answered, but she could hear the lie in his voice.
The music ended.
She had to talk to Laura. Destiny tried to spring up, but Chance prevented her. “Stay there for a moment.”
People were rising to their feet. Her parents and Laura would form a short receiving line. Then the caterers would bring out the food. Guests, music, food—a memorial service was like a wedding reception, only sad, not happy. She wouldn’t be able get Laura alone if she didn’t move fast.
“I need to…express my condolences to Destiny’s sister.”
“She’s coming to you.”
“What?” Shrugging off Chance’s hand, Destiny popped up. Laura wove through the throng of people, who did their best to detain her with words and gestures of comfort, but she said something to each of them, and they allowed her to pass.
She materialized in the aisle. “Are you all right?”
Destiny stared. Laura was one of those rare individuals whose eyes were different colors, her left one brown, her right one blue. It contributed to the sense of otherness about her.
“I got a little light-headed.”
Laura looked at Chance. “If you’d excuse us, I’d like to talk to… Zoe .”
Chance jerked, then locked his gaze on her
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