Truth Comes Second

The Letters

Author's Note: Still can't thank you guys enough. You're the best and without your help I would have never finished Family Comes First. Thank you again! (Sorry it's the Canadian in me)

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Julie's POV:

"Julie, you're not supposed to touch your dressing," Kenny scolded me.

"Sorry," I said. "It was getting really hot and itchy."

"Opening it up can get it infected."

Kenny taped the bandage together and rolled the tray of food over to me. Another nurse was feeding and changing Hunter. I peeled back the aluminum top to see a pancake sitting next to a little plastic container of syrup and a little plastic container of butter.

"Carrie asked me if she could talk to you," Kenny said. "She's leaving the hospital in a few hours."

"I don't want to talk to her," I grumbled as I tore apart the bag that had my flimsy plastic utensils inside.

"I should warn you that Detective Cameron is coming back today," he said.

"Why? I already answered all of his questions."

Kenny shrugged his shoulders and took the aluminum off of my trap. He crumpled it up in his hands.

"What do you want me to tell Carrie?" he asked.

What did I want? My feelings toward Carrie were so conflicted. She was Tommy's girl. She was a part of our family. She was scared and did what she could to protect Hunter and I. But to do that she tore apart our family. It's because of her that the cops are looking for Jimmy and Tommy.

"Tell her to come in," I said.

I had to try my hardest to tell her about how she betrayed our family. I know she already told everything she knows to the detectives, it was too late to stop that.

"I'll go get her," he said.

Kenny left the room, tossing the ball of aluminum in the trash before disappearing into the hall. I peeled back the lid of syrup and poured it on the pancakes. Pancakes were one of those foods I couldn't stand, but I could feel my stomach growling. I used the side of my fork to tear into the syrupy mess.

I heard a faint knock at the door and I looked up to see Carrie standing in the doorway. Her blonde hair was pinned back and her bright blue eyes no longer seemed to be rimmed with red. It had been a long time since she had been crying. Her loose green dress was obviously designed for her sore back.

"Morning," she said.

"Hey," I said setting the fork down.

"You look a lot better," she told me.

"So do you."

"How are you feeling?"

She pulled out the chair beside my bed and sat down. Her face winced with pain as she bent down to sit.

"I'll be okay. It'll be nice when I get out of bed," I said.

She nodded her head. "I don't know if you've heard, but I'm going home today."