Rescue Me (a quirky romance novel about secrets, forgiveness and falling in love) by Sydney Allan Page B

little hard on Hailey?"
    "God, no. She's my daughter, but I can't forgive her either."
    He shook his head. No wonder Hailey was so stand-offish. Her own family had tried, convicted and banished her. For what? What could she have done to deserve such drastic treatment, not only from Heidi, but their mother as well? Couldn't Margaret see how her behavior hurt both daughters?
    He brushed past her, quietly excusing himself, and donned a surgical mask before entering Heidi's room. Whatever had happened, it was time to get the facts, and it was time to face the problem head-on. Heidi's health was too poor for her to harbor such hatred. What if she died having never spoken to her sister? What if Hailey never had the chance to apologize? He would not let that happen.
    "Heidi, are you awake?" he whispered, touching her arm.
    In response, she opened eyes sunken in and surrounded by deep purple smudges. "Hello. Glad you could make it." She breathed in deeply and glanced around the room. "What time is it? I keep losing track. Day and night blend together in this God-awful place."
    He stepped to the window and reached for the closed curtain, wishing he could take all the pain from her and dump it on himself. It killed him to see her this way. "It's seven o'clock in the evening, but it isn't dark yet. Would you like me to open the curtains?"
    "Sure."
    He pulled the drapes open, feeling her gaze on his back. Being with her wasn't simple anymore. So many things lay unspoken between them. It was killing him. All the self-imposed silence, all the wondering.
    She reached a shaky hand and adjusted the scarf covering the remaining strands of hair on her head. "You're not your usual chatty self. What's wrong?"
    He didn't bother smiling. She wouldn't see it, and she wouldn't believe it if she could anyway. "Yeah. I've done a lot of thinking lately. There are a few things bothering me."
    She pushed the button on the bed's side-rail and raised the head of the bed, then patted on the mattress. "Come. Sit. Tell me."
    "I don't know. I'm not sure it's a good time."
    "Baloney. Sit. If you didn't want to talk about it, you wouldn't have mentioned it."
    He sat.
    "Now, talk."
    "Well." He sighed. This was hard. He hated talking about feelings, relationships, that sort of thing. "It's about you and me, for one."
    "What about us?"
    "I was wondering. I need to know how you feel about me." He sounded like a girl!
    She tugged the sheet higher up her chest and tipped her head. "What did my mother say to you?"
    "She didn't say anything. I was wondering, that's all."
    "Why now? After all this time? We've been friends for what--three years? Four? Are you thinking you and I should...Is this because I'm sick? I don't need your pity."
    "I don't pity you."
    "Then what's this all about? You're confusing me. For the past four years, you've continuously told me I was the sister you never had. You told me all about your mother, and the time you spent in juvenile detention, why you need friends so much, what I mean to you. Isn't friendship enough anymore?"
    "For some reason, I don't think it's enough for you."
    She sat gape-mouthed and stared at him. "What gives you that idea?"
    "Why won't you answer me?"
    She reached for the bedside tray, but it sat beyond her reach. He stood and pushed it closer, then poured some ice chips into a paper cup and handed it to her. "Thanks," she whispered before tipping her head back and shaking some into her mouth. Staring out the window, she said around the mouthful of ice, "We are friends, like brother and sister. That's all."
    He didn't believe her, and he wondered why she was lying. She'd never lied to him before. Her set jaw, and the way her arms tensed across her chest, both told him she wasn't going to say any more about that subject. "Okay. Can I ask you another question?"
    She nodded. "After the last one, I hope this isn't another doozie."
    "It is."
    "Go ahead." Her words were more sighed than spoken.
    "What happened between you and