I Never Expected You (I Never 2)

“Zach?” My breath gets caught in my throat. I’d know that voice anywhere. Now fully awake, I quickly sit to the upright position, not even concerned with waking a sleeping Haylee next to me.

“Dani?”

My voice is full of desperation. Is this real? I’m not sure why I’m asking—I know it’s her. I only need confirmation that I’m not currently dreaming. I have had this dream over and over again and wake up missing her more.

“Dani, are you there?” Fuck, please don’t have hung up.

Her voice is shaky, but she responds. “Yeah, I’m here.”

I hear her begin to cry, and I wish I could hold her and tell her how happy I am to hear her voice. I don’t know what this means, but if this is all that I get with my sister, then I’ll take it. I need to keep her on the phone as long as possible.

I look over to Haylee and see that she is still sound asleep. Of course the one night we fall asleep early I get this call. Thank God I didn’t sleep through this. Who knows if she would have answered if I called back. I can’t think like that.

I get up from the bed and quietly exit my bedroom. I walk down the hall to the living room and settle on the couch.

Dani still hasn’t said anything else, but I know she hasn’t hung up because I can hear her breathing. We sit there in silence, and you know what, I don’t mind it.

“I didn’t think you would answer.”

“What?” I try not to raise my voice too loudly. “Why wouldn’t I answer? Dani, you’re my sister. Of course I would fucking answer.” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I fight back my tears as I hear hers on the other end of the line.

“Where are you? Are you okay? Shit, I have had this conversation in my head over and over again for years, and now that I finally have you on the phone, I don’t even know what to say.”

She laughs. My sister actually laughs. Damn, I’ve missed that sound. “Well, that’s funny because I’ve been sitting here for hours rehearsing what to say, and a few times I almost backed out from calling you altogether. But just hearing your voice, I know I made the right choice.”

“I’m so happy you called.”

“Me too. Zach?”

“Yeah, sis.”

“I want to come home.”

I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was keeping inside, or it is possibly the same breath I have been holding since we arrived back at my parents’ house to discover she had packed up and left us.

“I want that too. I waited to so long to hear you say those words. Have you called Mom and Dad?”

“No, not yet.” She hesitates, and I picture her either biting her lip or twirling her hair. “I was hoping I could come stay with you for a little bit and then take it from there maybe. Is that okay?”

“Of course. Dani, anything you need, I’ll help with. Do you need me to get you? Where are you?”

“I’m up in a small town in New Hampshire.”

“New Hampshire? Wow.” I let out a light laugh.

Damn, I never would have figured my sister to move to the north and forever be cold. Winters in Maryland can be brutal, but damn.

“It’ll take me a day or so to settle things up here and pack up. I can be there in a few days?”

“That’s perfect. I’ll set up space for you. Let me text you my

new address. I live just outside Philly now.”

“Oh shit, right, you would have graduated by now. Wow, I guess I missed a lot, huh.”

“It’s okay. You’re coming home.”

I am again met with her silence. Fuck. I need to make sure she doesn’t back out of this.