Whatever it takes

XVIII

Amie's shoulders shook uncontrollably with tears. Her head was tilted forward to allow her long hair to hide her swollen face from tears. Her lungs clenched in incredible sorrow as she watched the coffin disappear beneath the soil, never to be returned, never to be seen by the daylight just like her brother. The thought wrecked her body with another strong pain.

I will never see him again. My arms will never embrace him. Her body trembled. She felt only a short way from collapsing. And it is all fault of the man I love. A loud sob escaped her lips but nobody was there to support her or calm her down. She stood alone. The rest of the big Toretto's family remained on the opposite side of the coffin, pretending as if she wasn't there, as if Amie never belonged and was only a stranger that nobody needed or wished to know.

She gaped for air, shooting up into a sitting position on top of her bed. Amie's skin was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat and her hand, reaching to turn off the alarm, trembled. The reality limped somewhere in the background and for some time Amie mourned her brother until she heard Dom somewhere in the house, the deep rumble of his voice calming her ever so slightly. Despite that knowledge, she still felt sick. It was so real. The pain and regret and feeling of loneliness as her family stood far away from her, paying her no attention.

Amie left her room on shaking legs. The world spun around her when she fell to her knees in front of the toilet to empty her stomach. A small sob escaped her lips as she hid her face in her palm.

It was Monday, the first day of work in the hotel and things couldn't start worse. "It wasn't real," she told herself before she mastered the strength to get back to her feet. Fingers clenched around the sink she leaned forward, looking at the woman in the mirror with a slight frown. She said yes to Johnny's invitation and now she struggled to believe it. Especially after the terrifying dream. On one side Amie wished to hide and refuse, however, it still was just a dream! She shook her head, confused.

"Amie?" a soft echo of her sister's voice reached her ears, startling her. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah," she said, wincing how weak and upset her voice sounded.

"You sure?"

Cursing softly Amie splashed some cold water over her face. "Just a moment," she mumbled over her shoulder as she reached for the toothbrush and toothpaste to wash away the bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

"Can I come in?"

Amie quickly opened the door to the bathroom while attempting to stop the toothpaste from dripping off her chin. Nevertheless, she worried that her sister might attract too much attention. "Hold on," the youngest Toretto uttered. Mia stood by as she rinsed her mouth and then splashed some more water on her face before she returned to her room with worried Mia close behind her. The air in her bedroom was heavy as if the memory of the dream she endured sat somewhere in the corner, waiting for another weak moment.

"Do you need help?"

She threw a confused look over her shoulder at Mia who stood by the door with hands in the back pockets of her jeans, looking unsure. "With what?"

"Getting ready," Mia smiled. "For work. I can do your hair?"

"I am going to work. I don't need to look over the top."

Mia's forehead furrowed a tiny bit at the tone her sister used. "Of course not, but you will be representing the hotel," she said gently. "Maybe I can do a simple side braid into a bun?"

"I didn't know you can do that."

"I used to do your hair for school, remember?" Amie looked away at Mia's words. "Are you ok?"