First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

hurt she caused them. She would promise to leave them alone and never hurt them again. There was no way to fix it now. She cried.

After they arrived at the hospital, the nurses and doctors ran test after test. When Lily appeared at her side, Leah tuned it all out and slept.

Chapter 40

For the second time in less than a month, Leah woke in the hospital. She was not a fan and hoped this would not become a habit.

She saw Lily sitting in a chair a few feet away. Her eyes were closed but she did not seem upset. Leah hoped that was good news.

Lily’s eyes popped open.

“You’re awake. Oh, thank God!” Lily came up to the bed and wrapped her arms around her, “First things first, the baby is fine.”

Leah started crying. She was so relieved she could not form words. That was what mattered most. The rest could wait. Lily apparently did not agree.

“Secondly . . . Cade Emerson?” Lily looked at her sister and waited.

Leah tried to reach for a tissue and Lily moved the box within reach. Leah stalled, dabbing her eyes.

Lily waited.

Finally, Leah nodded.

“I should have known,” Lily sighed.

“Wait, what?” Leah found her voice.

“You are just like me.”

“How so?” Leah was confused. They were nothing alike.

“I fell for Robert in high school and that was it. Love of my life. Forever after.”

“Um yeah, I know. But that’s not how it went for me . . .” Leah shook her head sadly.

“Not the forever after part. Yet. But you fell for Cade and gave him your heart, all the way back then. Didn’t you?”

Leah could only nod.

“See? Just like me. I should have guessed,” she shook her head. “Wait till I tell Robert.”

“Do you have to?”

“Yes!” Lily rolled her eyes. “It all makes so much sense now. He liked you all through high school too. I told you so!”

“Well, I don’t think he likes me much right now . . .”

Lily frowned and opened her mouth. She looked ready to argue but Leah did not want to hear it. Thankfully, the doctor’s arrival spared her.

“Miss Richardson, we need to stop meeting this way,” the handsome Dr. Thompson winked at her.

Leah was not sure which threw her off more, the use of her maiden name or the doctor’s innocent teasing.

“It was not on purpose, I promise,” she said. When he actually looked a little disappointed, she added, “But if I had to see anyone, I’m glad it was you!” She smiled weakly and he seemed appeased.

He went over all the tests they had run. Explaining what they were for and what they told him. He was very thorough and had an amazing bedside manner. Dr. Thompson assured her that while she may be sore from the fall, her baby was safe, strong, and healthy.

“Remember,” he warned her, “any symptoms of cramping or bleeding, you come straight back in to see me. Got it?”

She nodded.

He even gave her his number in case she had questions. Leah thanked him and he left. As soon as he was out of the room, Lily pounced.

“That’s what I was talking about!”

“What?” Leah was confused. They were talking about Cade when the doctor came in. More specifically, Cade’s feelings toward her and she was not ready to return to that discussion.

“I told you that doctor had a thing for you! His personal cell number? Who does that? You are like Aphrodite,” Lily shook her head sadly. “Us mere mortals cannot compete.”

Leah laughed. She couldn’t help it. It felt good to laugh after so much happening all at once. Lily laughed too and let both subjects drop.

When she was able to leave, they wheeled her out and Lily pulled up with the minivan. Leah maneuvered stiffly into the passenger seat and Lily helped her buckle up. They had barely gotten moving when Leah called out.

“Wait!”

“What?” Lily slammed on the brakes. “Is it the baby? Are you okay?”

“We’re fine but where are the girls?”

“Oh my God, Leah. You scared the crap out of me. Robert met me here and picked up the girls as soon as they brought you in!” She continued to drive.

“Sorry. I hope I didn’t scare them, especially Emmie.”

“About Emmie . . .” Lily seemed to consider her words before she spoke. “She didn’t seem scared at all, actually.”

“Oh, that’s good, right?” Leah suddenly dreaded mentioning Emmie.

“I’m not sure. This might sound crazy but . . .”

“Go ahead,” Leah decided to face the music.

“It was almost like she expected it. Like she knew it was coming? Is that even a thing? I know it sounds crazy, but remember she insisted I come today when other weeks they only wanted you. And then when we saw the commotion and ran up, she seemed to recognize Cade. How is that possible?”

“She’s like me.”

“I know and Allison is like me but—”

“No, I mean I’m pretty sure she is like me.”

“Like—”

Leah saw the change on Lily’s face when she understood.

“Oh.”

“Are you okay? Do you need to pull over?” Leah asked.

Lily shook her head, but turned into the first fast-food place they came to. She ordered chocolate shakes without asking Leah what she wanted. As they waited in line, Lily found her voice again.

“Do you really think so? How? Why?”

“Yes, I’m about as sure as I can be without asking her point blank.” Leah explained about seeing Emmie in her dreams: at the corn maze, on Halloween, and again at Thanksgiving. “Remember she kept looking out the window? I think she was looking for them, not at the snow.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah,” Leah agreed.

They got their shakes and drank quietly the rest of the ride home. Leah expected more questions and further discussions, but Lily seemed abnormally silent. When they pulled in the drive though, she did have at least one more question.

“If she does . . . if she can . . . you’ll help her, right?”

“Of course,” Leah reached over and took her sister’s hand and squeezed.

They made their way quietly inside. It was late