For My Sister

Chapter Sixteen

I found Jace on the beach looking out towards the lake. I carried the small box in my hand. He turned around when he heard me.

"I have an answer, but you haven't asked me properly" I say. The corners of his mouth turn up. He takes the box from my hand.

"Well, I apologize, and I'll fix that" He says. He kneels infront of me.

"Danielle Curtis, will you make the happiest man in the world and marry me?" He asks. My face hurt from how hard I smiled.

"Of course" I say. He slides the ring on my finger and stands to face me. His long hair was draped over his shoulders. I ran my fingers through his hair. "12th Grade English. Ms. Vaught's class. I saw the way you looked at me, and that's when I knew".

"I knew too. I guess back then I was too stupid to realize it though" He says.

"We have forver to make up for lost time" I say.

"Forver is a long time, but I wouldn't want to spend it with anyone else" He says. He kisses me softly. In this moment, time stood still. The trees stopped moving, the water stopped flowing. Just me and the man I loved. Nothing could ever compare to this moment.

***

The next morning, we told everyone our news. We made everyone sit around the couch so we could tell them.

"Will you guys please tell us what happened. You're worrying me" Jade says.

"Well, a few years back, I stole something from Dani" Jace says. They all raise eyebrows except Georgianna.

"What!?" Morgan yells.

"Her heart" He replies. Georgianna smiles. Morgan rolls her eyes.

"So, I'm stealing his last name" I say holding my hand up to show off the ring. Jade and Georgia shoot off the couch to hug me.

"Holy crap!" Jade says grabbing my hand to examine the ring.

"Good job keeping that promise" Georgianna says smiling at Jace.

"Just to think all those times you told me when we were younger thsr you would marry him. I didn't believe you, but I'm glad you proved me wrong" She says. We all sat back down on the couch.

"I'm glad I proved you wrong too" I say. Everyone went quiet, until Morgan finally spoke.

"You know, we're dealing with people and suicide. What are you doing? Buying an engagement ring? What for? Because you know you screwed up? Good job, Jace" She says.

"Morgan, I-".

"No, I don't want to hear it. Just shut up. Bask in the glory with your fiancee. I don't care. You should have died on that dock" She says.

"Morgan!" Georgianna says jumping up from the couch. "What has gotten into you?".

"Nothing! Just speaking my piece" She says.

"Well, that's enough!" Jade says chiming in.

"Morgan this isn't you" I say. She looks at me for a few seconds then storms outside. She wiped a few tears from her cheeks as she left.

"What's with her?" Jace asks.

"She probably just wants to get out of here, but she seems like she's bottling something else up too" Georgianna says.

"Should someone talk to her?" Jade asks.

"If she hasnt said anything yet, she probably won't" Georgianna says.

"I..Let me try to talk to her" I say.

"What makes you think she'll talk to you?" Jade asks.

"Because she's obviously mad over something that has to do with me. Maybe I can get it out of her" I say.

"She's right. Plus, Dani won't leave her alone until she talks to her" Georgianna says.

"Let me see what I can do" I say. I walk out the door to the beach. I figured I could find Morgan in the woods. There was a certain point she liked to draw at that overlooked the lake. It wasn't far from the house, so I knew I could find her there.

When I got to the spot, she sat on a log with her head in her hands. I knew she would know I was there by the limbs breaking under my feet. I sat next to her.

"I'm sorry, Dani. I didn't mean it" She says. Her head fell into my lap. I put my hand on her back.

"I know. It's okay" I say.

"It's not okay. None of this is okay" She says.

"Morgan, you're stressed. I understand. This trip has been hell for us all. Georgia lost Sawyer and the baby. I never thought I would sit in a bathroom cleaning up blood from my friends miscarriage. Jade lost Wren before she even got the chance to love him. It's been rough, but we've gotten through it because we have each other. I mean, Jace jumped into the lake last night to save Georgia" I say.

"Oh, don't even mention that" She says raising her head up to look at me.

"She's fine though, Morgan" I say.

"You don't understand, Dani. It's my fault" She says.

"No, it's not. Jace told me she said she felt like she didn't have a purpose. She was doing it because Sawyer and the baby died. That is not your fault at all" I say. She started sobbing again.

"Yes it is! Everything is my fault! Every damn thing that has happened on this trip is because of me! It's all because of me, Dani!" She looked at me with tears in her eyes. We were both silent for a few minutes. She wiped away tears with the sleeve of her shirt. "It's all because of me".

"Morgan" I say softly. She looks at me in the eyes. For some unknown reason, I feel my face get hotter snd the tears rush to my eyes. She opened her mouth and says the words that change everything.

"I killed them".