If I Stay {Fillie}

After Hours

Finn narrowed his eyes. His aunt seemed different, and not in a bad way. She may have been on the verge of death, but right now, she was behaving...normally.

She was silent, watching him closely. She had said they had a lot to talk about, and yet was not speaking.

Finn cleared his throat. "How, um...how have you been?"

His aunt waved the question off as if it were a fly that was bothering her. "Never mind me. How have you been, Finn? I haven't seen you in nearly four years."

Finn looked a little closer at her chocolate brown eyes, and was shocked to see something that resembled tenderness reflected in them. Had she actually been mentally present all those years they had lived together? Had she actually missed him while she'd been in here, and he out there?

"I've been fine," he choked out, not exactly sure how to react to this situation. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

"You're lying," Aunt Jean said bluntly.

"I—what?"

"I can tell you're lying. Better just tell me the truth." Her tone was calming.

Finn deflated, knowing she was right. He swallowed and nodded. "Sorry. I'm kind of a mess right now, Aunt Jean. It's a long story."

She smiled, and the sunlight glinting off the windows in the room made her look like she was glowing. "I'm not dead yet. I have all the time in the world."

_____

Millie was getting tired of hearing The Office theme song every time her phone rang.

Picking up the device, she smiled upon seeing Sadie's name. She answered and said with a yawn, "Hello?"

"Hey girl!" Sadie's cheerful voice immediately brightened Millie's mood. "We're all here to see you again. Mind if we come up?"

"Yeah, of course!" She paused. "Wait, all of you are here again?"

"Yup! Noah and me, Lilia, Gaten, Caleb, Maddie, Gia, and Joseph. And this time we brought Lexi and Noah's boyfriend, Jaeden, too!"

Millie's pulse quickened at the mention of Jaeden. She'd read his letter at least twenty times now, and it was still resting on the table beside her. In her head, it had been easy to look at everything he'd done as the same things Maddie had done. And yet, he'd been more loyal to Jacob than the cook had been by a long shot. Could his love for Noah really have changed his mind that quickly? She wouldn't know until she talked to him.

She forced herself to sound bright. "All right. You guys can come on up. I can't wait to see you!"

"Okay! See you in a few!"

She hung up, and Millie set her phone down beside her.

Paige was sitting in the corner, reading a book. Their parents and Charlie were at work, and Ava was at her dance practice. "Are your friends coming?" Millie's older sister asked, beginning to place her bookmark in the pages.

Millie nodded. "They're on their way up. You can stay until they get here if you'd like."

"No, it's okay. I'll go get us some lunch." Paige kissed Millie's forehead and gave her a hug before leaving the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.