Chapter 137
“Aubrey? What are you doing in here?” Her voice is soft, but | can hear the tension beneath it as her bottom lip trembles, choking on emotion.
“I… I was just looking,” I stammer, unable to meet her gaze, but now I am curious. “Mom, why did you stop talking to Grandma?”
A heavy silence falls between us. I finally look up, and the sadness etched on her face makes my heart clench.
“There’s a lot you don’t know, sweetheart,” she says, sinking onto the edge of the bed.
“What do you mean?” I ask, my mind racing. “What happened?”
As I struggle to remember, a memory surfaces – bright and vivid. “We were at Grandma’s house. Me and Brielle, on our
bikes…”
Mom nods, her eyes glistening. “You were eleven.”
The scene unfolds in my mind like a forgotten photograph coming into focus. There we are, me and my sister, our smiles as wide as the summer sky above Granny’s house. We sat astride our bikes, hers was bubblegum pink, mine cobalt blue, both gleaming beneath the sun. That same bike became the instrument of unspeakable loss on the day she never came home.
I swallow hard, fighting back the tears that threaten to spill. “I
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Chapter 137
remember how excited we were that day.”
Mom reaches out, taking my hand in hers. “It’s okay, Aubrey. Some memories are too painful to hold onto.”
“But I want to understand.” A surge of sorrow washes over me, so fierce it threatens to pull me under. The memory of that day is a wound that time refuses to heal.
I can see it all so clearly now; Grandma was on the porch, watching us. Brielle and I were chasing each other, laughing…
The scene unfolds before me, vivid and merciless. Grandma’s flower–print dress flutters in the breeze, her hand shading her eyes as she watches us. Brielle’s pigtails bounce as she pedals furiously, always just out of my reach. We were so happy. And then…
The screeching of tires is loud but not as loud as Grandma’s scream which pierces the air, followed by a sickening bang. I spin around, seeing Grandma running towards us, her face contorted in horror. But Brielle… where’s Brielle?
I couldn’t see her at first. People were running out of their houses, and then… oh God.
My sister, my beautiful, vibrant sister, lying on the road. Her legs twisted grotesquely around her bike. Her golden hair fanned out on the asphalt. I rush to her side, my heart pounding.
“Bri? Brielle?” I sob, falling to my knees and grasping her hand. “Can you hear me?”
Her eyes flutter open. “Aubrey… it hurts. It hurts.” she wails. “Why can’t I move?” she murmurs, and my eyes move over her
Chapter 137
1208 Vouchers
body; blood covers the ground, and her eyes flutter shut.
“I’m scared,” she whispers.
“It’s okay,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice steady as my childlike mind doesn’t understand what is happening.
“Is mom on her way?” she whispers, her words gurgling as blood spills from her lips. I glance around nervously. “You’re like Humpty Dumpty, remember? We’ll put you back together again. Just hold on.”
Grandma’s wails fill the air. “Someone call an ambulance! Please, hurry!”
But I can see the light fading from Brielle’s eyes. “Don’t go,” I plead. “Please don’t leave me.”
Her grip on my hand loosens, and then… she’s gone. I cling to her body, screaming, refusing to let go even as strong arms try to pull me away.
“Grandpa?” I remember thinking hazily. The memory fades, leaving me shaking and tear–stained in my mother’s arms.
I blink away the tears, trying to focus on my mother’s face. Her eyes are filled with a mixture of sorrow and something else… apprehension?
“What do you remember about that day, Aubrey?” she asks softly, her hand on my shoulder.
I swallow hard, my throat tight. “Grandpa left to get bread. Brielle and I went to ride our bikes. Then…” I shake my head, the screeching of tires echoing in my mind. “I can’t. I don’t want to remember anymore.”
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Chapter 137
Mom’s grip tightens slightly. “The car, Aubrey. Do you remember anything about the car?”
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