It All Started with a Lie

Chapter 17

True siblings are bound together
by far more essential things than blood,
while more times than many,
blood isn't thicker than water.
~ Constantina Maud

Chapter 17
Her POV
**Trigger warning: eating disorders and abuse**
I pace around the outside of the hospital doors waiting for Richard. The last time I was here was for Richard as well. She'd fallen and hit her head. I'd been so worried those days that it's seaped into today. What if her surgery did not go well?

It is a simple cosmetic surgery, nothing will go wrong, but I can't stop my mind from wandering.

Richard sings my name as she sees me and let's go of Ryder's hand to hug me. He stands a good distance away from me and smiles. It is the first time I have seen him since he's been in town, since he left for college. He looks different, he's cut his hair and started working out more. He won't admit it but I know it is because of Klaus. Some attempt on his part to match up to him. He will never compare, not without breaking himself first because no one gets that strong without an immense amount of pain first.

Richard releases me and for a moment my brother takes a step forward and opens his arms and I think maybe he'll greet me but instead he wraps them around Richard and asks me how my day has been.

I lie, and tell him it has been fine, that I haven't been a mess the entire day and he believes me. We will always be like this.

I call him sometimes, since he's been at college, and we talk about meaningless things for twenty minutes and then go on with our lives like the conversations never happened.

Klaus and Sonny join behind them, carrying overnight bags and I wonder if they all drove over together. Klaus and I ignore each other as usual but he looks better, less sick, but maybe he's just putting on a face for Richard. Sonny however is thrilled to see me and greets me with a hug.

We walk into the hospital in a bundle of laughter like one big family, or at least what I imagine a family to be like.

Richard tells us she loves us and we all respond differently. I tell her 'I love you', her brothers say something that I do not understand but it sounds beautiful—I think it is in Spanish—and my brother tells her he loves her more. My heart stops at the sound that I have not heard in years, not since we were eight. I reach for the necklace around my neck engraved with the same words. He has not told me he loves me in ten years. I know that I should be happy for my best friend, and my brother for healing, but there is a part of me that aches with envy. But  ignore it because we have bigger things to worry about.

Klaus handles everything. He checks her in and gets her settled into her room, he reassures her as she begins to panic and asks if she really needs it; he does it all. Sonny sits in the corner and occupies himself with a sketchbook and makes idle small talk with his sister. Ryder sits on the bed with her and holds her hand and strokes her hair while trying desperately not to make eye contact with Klaus or make any sudden movements. Richard has told me how scared of her brother Ryder is but seeing it in person is far more glorious.

I stand in the doorway, watching the happy family and waiting until I am needed or called for which comes when Klaus needs to speak to the doctor and Richard asks Ryder to get her a glass of water and Sonny is still drawing.

I take a seat at her bedside and she leans her head against my shoulder. "Thanks for being here," she says as if I would ever miss it.

"Of course, soulmates remember. I would never miss this." 

I swallow the acid that creeps up my throat as I think of her going into surgery. I am used to chronic tummy's aches but this one is threatening to take me down. Then Richard smiles her infectious smile and it settles. Everything will be fine.