I Never Expected You (I Never 2)

I watch my sister as her gaze lingers on watching our parents leave the room.

“See you soon.” I give a quick wave before making my way down the stairs.

“Are we ready to order?” the waiter asks, standing at the end of our table.

“Just a few more minutes please,” my mom politely responds, but I see the worry on her face.

“Of course. Let me know once you’re ready.” The waiter leaves.

We’ve been waiting for forty-five minutes for Dani to arrive. Now, I know it takes girls a long time to get ready, but not my sister.

“Zach, why don’t you text her again? She didn’t answer my call,” my dad chimes in from across the table.

Me: Hey, are you on your way?

Haylee leans over and whispers softly. “Why didn’t she just ride with you guys?”

“She said she needed more time to get ready. I offered to stay and ride with her, but she was insistent with just meeting us here.”

Fifteen more minutes pass and two more visits from the waiter before my dad says, “She’s clearly not planning to show.”

I look back at the door. Come on, Dani. Now would be a great time to walk through those doors. Be the new and improved Danielle Jacobs.

An awkward silence sat over the table at dinner, as Dani never showed. My dad pulls into the driveway, and I don’t see her SUV. Maybe she pulled into the garage?

“Dani?” I yell from the foyer up the stairs, while my parents look for signs of her on the main floor. I race up the stairs, taking two at a time. “Dani? Are you here?”

Where could she be? I don’t bother knocking once I reach her bedroom door. The door swings open. What the hell? Photos are no longer on the wall. The drawers of her dresser are open and empty. I rush to the closet, and the boxes of Emmett’s things are missing as well.

“Mom! Dad! Up here!” I spot a small piece of paper lying on her bed.

My palms begin to sweat, and my heart feels like it will beat out of my chest. This isn’t happening. My sister left.

Oh, Dani, what did you do?

I feel helpless not being able to do anything from the apartment here in Philly. Sitting on the couch with my head in my hands, I hear the key in the front door.

I turn around and come face-to-face with him.

I jump up and run over to where Emmett is putting his keys on the table.

“Please tell me you found her, Em.”

Emmett has to be able to hear the desperation in my voice. He looks down at his feet and shakes his head in defeat.

“No, I looked everywhere for her—I thought of all the places she could be, and no such luck. I even thought about boarding a plane to Hawaii since we had talked about honeymooning there one day.”

I run my hands through my hair. “Fuck!”

I pace back and forth. I can’t believe I’m stuck in this apartment in case she comes here while everyone else is out looking for her.

“I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on anything with her. I’m her big brother. I should have known something was up—she had been so cut off and distant, and then all of a sudden, she wasn’t. I just thought I was finally getting my sister back. Damn it, how did I not realize this? No…”

I stop pacing and turn to Emmett, my fists clenched.

“No, this isn’t my fault. This is yours.” I catch him off guard, causing him to step back when I poke him hard in the chest, but my anger is only growing stronger. “This is your fault. You left her. You left her all alone. Why did you leave? You fucked everything up!”

I step forward and push him with both hands, ready to throw a punch at my own best friend. Why isn’t he fighting back or telling me this isn’t his fault?