“What’s this?” She moved her fingers over the paper. The package was heavy and rectangular—could it be a book?
“Open it.”
A smile flitted across her lips as she tore through the paper. She’d been right. A travel book about London rested in her hands. “This is . . . amazing.” Her throat grew thick at the last word. Crystal always teased her for crying too much, but she couldn’t help it. Not when her best friend had given her such an incredible gift. What would she have done without Caleb the last two years? “How did you know?”
Caleb’s cheeks were tinged with red, and he shrugged those scrawny shoulders again. “You’re always reading Shakespeare and Jane Austen. I thought London might be somewhere you’d want to travel. Once you’ve got a new heart.”
“It is.” Had he really known that just by observing her choice of reading material? Another question surfaced. “Why did you give me this?”
“I thought it was obvious. Tomorrow’s your birthday.”
He’d remembered. Of course he had. “Thank you, Caleb.” She leaned over as far as she could and took his hand in hers. His fingers were rough but warm. “You’re the best friend a girl could ever have.”
The tips of his ears stuck out beneath his shaggy black hair and they were as red as ever. “Yeah, well, I’m gonna want to borrow it, you know.”
She grinned. “Of course. We’ll make a plan to visit. Together.”
“Just like Paris. And Venice. And the Alps.”
“And don’t forget Australia.”
“And what would an adventure be without Africa?”
“Not an adventure at all.” She squeezed his hand and pulled hers away, using it to open her new treasure. The pictures of amazing cathedrals and monuments, castles and gardens, filled her senses. It was all so . . .
She bit her lip, and a tear trickled down her cheek.
Caleb shifted uncomfortably in his wheelchair. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, Meg. You shouldn’t be crying the night before your sixteenth birthday.”
“I shouldn’t be sitting in a stupid hospital room either.” Her voice trembled. “I should be enjoying a sweet sixteen party with my twin sister. Being silly and dancing the night away. Singing Shania Twain karaoke and dumb stuff like that. Enjoying life. Not . . . this.” She looked around.
Her cathedral was the stack of monitors and machines to her right, her monument the toilet behind the bathroom door. As for castles and gardens—they didn’t exist here.
She swiped away the tear. “I’m sorry. This is such a sweet gift, Caleb.”
“We’ll get there, Meg. Someday.”
“Will we?” The question lingered in the cold air—a question that neither of them could really answer.
But now, Megan could answer it. She pulled the book from the shelf and cradled it. “I’m going, Caleb.”
Caleb.
He’d probably have some advice for her, wouldn’t he? Things weren’t totally back to normal between them—might never be—but after the fund-raiser last weekend, they’d texted and Facebook chatted a few times. Surely he’d be open to helping her out.
She stood, books in tow, and plopped down at her desk, setting the stack of travel guides to her left. Then she fired up her laptop. Once she’d pulled up her browser, she typed a Facebook message to Caleb. She’d text, but she couldn’t remember what time zone he was currently in.
In the message, she told him about her trip—how her visit with the Abbotts had inspired it, and how she planned to start a blog, finally get her words out there. She ended by asking him if he had any tips for trip planning, specifically on cutting costs. Because after her mom expressed concern over how she would afford this trip, she’d taken another look at her savings. They weren’t as grand as she’d thought.
After sending the message, she tugged a book on Paris from her stack and began to peruse it. Not a few minutes later, she heard the familiar ping of an incoming Facebook message.
Her heart gave a giddy bump when she saw Caleb had replied:
Meg, that’s an absolutely amazing idea! I’m so proud of you for taking this leap of faith and going after your dreams, and for making someone else’s dreams come true. The Abbotts must feel so honored. I don’t have time right this sec to get detailed with any tips, but I’ll be sure to think on it today and write more tomorrow, okay? Oh, but one quick thought comes to mind. What about setting up a GoFundMe? What you’re doing is the kind of inspiring story people love to support.
Why hadn’t Megan thought of that? It was a brilliant idea. Even if she didn’t get fully funded, every little bit would help. She’d just have to ask the Abbotts if they’d mind her sharing Amanda’s story in that way. But they’d already agreed to the blog, so she couldn’t imagine them saying no to this.
She shot off a quick reply to Caleb and then was reaching to close her computer when a notification popped up. Megan was receiving a Skype call. Who . . . Crystal? Why would her sister be calling, and on Skype of all things? Megan’s hand hovered over the mouse for a moment. Finally, she clicked Accept.
Her sister’s face—like Megan’s but with softer brown eyes and a tiny mole above her lip—filled the screen. Crystal’s hair hung long and shiny like always. She’d been dyeing it blonde ever since they’d turned thirteen, her way of becoming “an individual.” How dumb that it still stung all these years later.
“Hi, Megan.” Her sister’s words were stiff. If she was feeling anything, it didn’t show.
“Crystal. Is everything okay?”
“Yes.” There. A flinch of emotion, but as soon as it came, it fled. “I decided to Skype and if you answered, I’d take it as a sign from the universe that we should talk.”
What in the world did she mean by that? “Talk about what?”
Crystal flipped her hair over her shoulder. Behind her, Megan could see a perfectly put-together living room painted in bold oranges and reds. The leather couch was accented with designer-looking throw pillows, and the mantle over a fireplace boasted a large picture of Crystal and her husband, a brother-in-law Megan hardly knew.
Emotion clogged her throat. Why was talking to her sister—the twin she’d shared a womb with—so difficult?
The fade between them had happened slowly over the years; as Megan stayed stagnant, Crystal had moved on. When they were in high school, it had meant fewer and fewer visits from Crystal to the hospital, a place Megan frequented. But with the hour-long drive to Rochester and her busy schedule of AP classes and extracurriculars—things her parents encouraged so at least one of their daughters could have a “normal” life—Crystal just couldn’t get there much.
It wasn’t her sister’s fault. It wasn’t Megan’s either. But they stopped having anything in common. And by the time Crystal decided to go off to grad school, the physical distance between them didn’t really matter. Any sort of closeness was already practically nonexistent.
“Megan? Are you listening?”
“Sorry. What did you say?” Megan pulled her eyes back to her sister’s face.
“Mom told me about your trip.”
“Oh.” She paused. “What did she say?”
“That I should try to talk you out of it.”
So her sister was calling out of obligation. “I’ll let her know you did your due diligence.” Megan tried to keep the disappointment from her tone, but she’d never been as good as Crystal at disguising her emotions.
Crystal’s lips flattened momentarily. “Actually, I called for a different reason.”
“You did?” The fan overhead flung cool air on her, but Megan still felt warm.
“Brian thought . . . Well, we were talking last night, and . . . I mean, it might be a horrible idea.” Crystal tugged a piece of hair and wrapped it around her finger—a sure sign she was nervous about something.
Megan straightened in her chair. “What’s a horrible idea?”
Crystal hesitated. “He thought maybe I should go with you. I told him you’d probably hate th
at idea, but . . .” She shrugged, as if Megan’s answer made no difference to her whatsoever.
How could her sister sit there so calmly after what she’d just suggested? Every nerve in Megan’s body hummed. “Wow.” It was the only word that encompassed her thoughts, the numerous feelings that surged and collided. Conflicted. Because on the one hand, having her sister along meant having a companion. She wouldn’t have to worry about getting lost in the middle of nowhere by herself.
On the other hand, it would mean having her sister as a companion. The sister who was organized but always right. Who would probably act in Mom’s stead as overprotective matriarch. Who had once been Megan’s closest friend but hadn’t held that title for a very long time.
Megan ran her fingers down the stack of books on the desk. She was taking too long to reply. Her eyes found Crystal’s once again—and was she imagining it, or did her sister look paler than she had a moment ago?
Megan had thought their relationship couldn’t possibly get more strained. But it could. At least they talked occasionally. A no from Megan might sever the fragile connection they shared. She couldn’t risk it.
“Sure. Of course you can come.” She tried to inject strength into her trembling voice.
No relief flooded Crystal’s features, but her shoulders relaxed slightly.
“But it’ll be a long trip. I’m thinking about four to five weeks. Can you get that much time off work?”
“Yes, Mom mentioned that. I still need to run it by my boss, but I figured there was no point in doing that until I’d spoken with you. When do you think you’ll leave? Do you have an itinerary set?”
“Uh, no. I just decided to go a few days ago, so I don’t have any definite plans yet. But I’m aiming for this summer—like in the next month. One of the bucket list items is a set event in early July, so I either have to go soon or wait another whole year.”
“All right. I have a huge presentation at work on August 6, so do you think it’d be possible for us to be back by the end of July? Or will that mess you up?”
Megan did some mental calculations. “We’re supposed to visit five continents, and that doesn’t give me much time to plan . . .” It wouldn’t surprise her if Crystal claimed work complications and backed out. The sudden jolt of sadness at the thought—rather than relief—did surprise her. “But that could probably work fine if I get to making plans right away.”
“If you’re sure.” Crystal’s eyes wandered, as if it was painful to look at Megan for too long. “I can talk with my boss on Monday and let you know what he says as soon as I know.”
“Okay.”
“And I have a travel agent who can help make arrangements, if you want.”
“Oh.” Megan had imagined herself putting in the work. She’d started to look forward to perusing her guidebooks again, soaking in the photos and descriptions. “Wouldn’t it be better if we planned it together?”
“That would take a lot of time.” Crystal straightened, and her voice took on a businesslike tone. Of course, now they were discussing facts—something her sister was completely comfortable with. “Don’t you think it’s best to let a professional handle the arrangements?”
As always, Crystal’s logic won out. “I suppose you’re right.”
“If my boss agrees to my leave, then I can send my agent a list of destinations and she could have an itinerary set within a day or so.”
Now, wait a minute. This was Megan’s trip. For once in their lives, Crystal was the one tagging along. “I appreciate that, but I can contact your travel agent if you give me her information. I’ll have her copy us both on the travel arrangements.”
Silence filled the distance between them. Megan longed to say something, share her heart, be chummy in the way they’d been once upon a time. But too much pain filled the void. Would this trip change that? Hope lit inside Megan. Maybe . . .
“I guess we’ll be in touch?” Crystal closed her mouth, then opened it, as if she too wanted to say something else.
Come on, Crystal. For once, tell me what you’re thinking. Megan waited. And . . . nothing. She sighed and nodded.
“Okay. Bye, then. Have a good weekend.”
“You too. Bye.”
The line disconnected, and Megan’s computer screen went dark.
What had she just agreed to?
Chapter 7
There was something about the passage of time that had the power to fizzle a person’s resolve. Especially when that resolve was regarding something as major as requesting time off work in the middle of a career-changing project.
Crystal lifted her hand to knock on Tony’s office door, then lowered it. Her heart tap-danced in her throat. What was she doing?
But she closed her eyes and envisioned Brian pleading with her on Friday. Remembered the wistful tone of her mother’s voice asking if she could visit, as if she were asking some grand favor that could never be repaid. Saw Megan’s quizzical expression on Saturday, clearly taken aback that her twin sister would want to spend time with her.
Even if Tony said no, she had to at least try.
After a swift knock, she heard her boss’s baritone from the other side of the door. “Come in.”
Crystal opened the door and peeked in. “Do you have a minute?”
Tony looked up from his desk and waved her in as he drew his attention back to his computer screen. “You’re a bit early. Aren’t we doing lunch in fifteen?”
She sank into the chair opposite him and fiddled with the button on her gray blazer. “We are, but I had something to talk with you about. Something important.”
That got his attention. He quirked an eyebrow. “Something that couldn’t wait till lunch?”
“Meredith will be at lunch, and this is something I need to discuss in private.”
“All right.” Tony swiveled his chair so he faced Crystal full-on.
She folded her hands, placed them in her lap, and exhaled. The tick-tick-tick of the clock on the wall behind him sounded deafening in the silence. “I want you to know how excited I am about the Lerner project. It’s no secret to you that I’ve lacked inspiration lately.” Ugh, that sounded so unprofessional, and admitting it scraped at her tender pride.
“I admit I’d hoped that giving you a chance at this project would light a fire under you. I admire Meredith’s work, but I’m a champion of you and your work, Crystal.” Tony removed his glasses and cleaned them with a tiny square cloth. He cleared his throat. “We aren’t supposed to play favorites, but you are one of the most brilliant architects I’ve had the pleasure of mentoring, and seeing you faltering as of late has been painful for me.”
Oh, Tony. “You’re such a softie.” Crystal released a nervous laugh. He was going to take this so poorly . . . “Anyway, the reason I’m here is because . . . an opportunity has come up. You know my sister, Megan?”
Tony replaced his glasses. “The one with the heart condition, correct?”
“Yes. Well, not anymore. You remember, she had a transplant three and a half years ago. So, she’s planning this trip around the world.” Crystal explained the trip and its purpose. “And it occurred to me that maybe I’d like to go. My sister could use the support, especially since her health hasn’t really been tested in this way before.” So maybe that wasn’t the whole reason for going, but Tony didn’t need to know everything.
“I see.” Tony frowned. “How long are we talking?”
“At least a month. I’m not sure yet.” Crystal’s knee bounced. It hit the underside of Tony’s desk, and she bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain.
Tony didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll be honest, Crystal. If you get the senior architect position, it will be difficult for you to find time to do something like this. I can’t recall the last time I had more than a week off at a time, and I’m always on my phone even then. Of course, I’m a partner, but I know that’s something you’re aspiring to.”
“That’s true.” Oh, she was going to be sick. “The thing i
s, I believe my sister is planning to leave for this trip in a few weeks.”
“As in, the very same time frame you’re supposed to be working on the Lerner proposal?” Tony’s jaw tightened.
Crystal’s stomach began to ache and bile rose to her throat. In moments like this, she almost wished she had someone to pray to.
Get ahold of yourself, Crystal. She simply needed to say what she’d rehearsed, use her powers of persuasion to convince Tony this would not only be something that would benefit her as a person, but as an architect too. “Yes. I’m guessing I’d be gone starting mid-June and almost all of July. But I would be sure to work on the proposal while I’m gone. I can log my hours and check in regularly via e-mail, text, et cetera.”
Her boss opened his mouth, but she pushed forward. “Think about it, Tony. I’ll be surrounded by some of the most amazing architecture in the world. How could I fail to get inspired to create even better architecture of my own? This trip will not simply be some vacation, with me gallivanting around and forgetting about my work. No, it’ll be a chance to step out of the office and refresh my creative side.”
“And your other projects?”
“I only have a few, and they’re at stages that I’m comfortable handing off to our team and overseeing from afar. As I said, I’ll make sure I’m available via e-mail and phone as much as possible.”
Tony’s bushy eyebrows pressed together as he furrowed his brow. He picked up a pen and tapped it against the surface of his desk. “This won’t look good to the other partners. They might decide to give the senior architect job to Meredith while you’re gone. There are three of us, and if I’m overruled . . .”
“I understand.” She didn’t know which hurt more—her stomach or the thought of losing out on the promotion. “But they were willing to wait and let Lerner decide which proposal he prefers. Maybe they still will be.”
“They’ll question your commitment to this job.”
“Do you?” His answer mattered more than she could say. Tony was like another father to her. If he really thought this was a bad idea . . .
The Heart Between Us Page 7
