95| Quiet

Another week had passed, and Sophie had been moved out of the ICU.

The doctors said she was healing well, but the unspoken question lingered in everyone's mind:

Why hasn't she woken up?

If both she and the baby were doing fine, why was she still asleep?

Ethan stepped into Sophie's private suite, his movements slow but deliberate. The room was quiet, save for the soft hum of the medical equipment.

Lily was curled up in a chair by the window, asleep. Even in rest, exhaustion weighed on her features.

Ethan sank into the chair beside Sophie's bed, his routine now as familiar as breathing. His fingers found hers, clasping her hand gently in his own.

Even in her stillness, her warmth was his lifeline.

A fragile thread of peace he refused to let go of.

Lily stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked at him, then smiled weakly—the kind of smile that wasn't really a smile at all.

"Hey," she murmured, voice scratchy from sleep.

"Hey," Ethan replied softly, his gaze flicking from Sophie to her sister.

The accident had taken its toll on all of them, but Lily...

She seemed especially lost.

The flower shop had remained closed since the crash. And while Lily wasn't the type to quit or give up, she hadn't been herself lately.

The silence stretched between them until Lily finally broke it.

"Do you want some tea?" she offered, voice light—but still heavy with grief.

Ethan nodded, if only to give her something to do.

She moved toward the small dining area and poured two cups.

As she took a sip, she let out a heavy sigh.

"I actually hate tea," she admitted suddenly. "I prefer coffee. But coffee keeps me awake, and I'd rather sleep. When I'm awake, I overthink, you see."

Ethan frowned slightly. "I'm sorry, Lily. This is my fault—"

"Don't." She cut him off instantly, her voice firm despite the sadness in her eyes.

A small, aching smile tugged at her lips.

"Sophie always said you take blame for things that weren't your fault," she said. "I won't add to that guilt. You already carry enough. And I know she wouldn't forgive me if I let you spiral."

Ethan's lips quirked in a faint, pained smile. "You two really are alike."

Lily shook her head.

"I get that a lot. But we're not," she murmured.

She set her cup down, staring at it like it held answers.

"Sophie is kind, selfless, the best person I know. She's sacrificed so much for me—especially after Dad died." Her voice wavered, her hands tightening around the edge of the table.

"I didn't even know about the loans."

She swallowed hard, blinking back tears.

"I didn't know about the loan sharks. I was completely oblivious while she carried the weight of everything—alone."

Ethan's chest tightened.

He knew how much Sophie had endured.

But hearing it from Lily—hearing the pain in her voice, the regret—made it feel even heavier.

"I hated being the youngest daughter back then," Lily continued, her voice cracking. "After Dad died, I shut down. I was moody, angry, and I didn't want to talk to anyone. Sophie told me I could do a semester abroad if I needed space, so I did. And I ran away."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, but it was drenched in self-loathing.

"I left her to deal with all the pain, all the stress... alone."

Ethan reached out, his hand settling over hers. A small, grounding gesture.

"She probably wanted you to be okay," he said softly. "If you were okay... then she was okay."

Lily sniffled, nodding as she let out a shaky breath.

"That's how she's always been—putting others above herself," she whispered. "But she was always tired, Ethan. She never said it, but I saw it in her eyes."

Her voice broke, but she pressed on.

"She didn't have to be strong anymore when she was with you. She could finally breathe. She could follow her passion and actually enjoy her life."

She swallowed, her next words trembling with emotion.

"She's happy with you. You make her happy."

Ethan's breath hitched.

Guilt and gratitude warred inside him.

"I tried to make her happy," he rasped. "But I failed."

"No."

Lily's voice was fierce, her tear-streaked face set with conviction.

"Don't say that. You are everything to her."

She let out a watery laugh, wiping her face with the sleeve of her sweater.

"I was terrified you'd be some asshole who'd make her miserable. But when I saw how much she smiled around you, I knew I'd made the right call."

Her lips trembled into a small, aching smile.

"She had such a crush on you in high school, you know?"

Ethan let out a quiet breath, shaking his head. "Yeah... I know."

Lily sniffled, laughing through the tears.

"Yeah. I pushed her to marry you, and it was the best decision I ever made." She exhaled shakily. "She loves you, Ethan. And I know you love her. So don't—don't blame yourself for this."

Her voice cracked on the last word.

She set her cup down, her hands shaking as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

Ethan moved without thinking.

He pulled her into his arms, holding her as she sobbed against his chest.

Lily clung to him, her shoulders trembling.

"You're going to be a dad," she whispered against him. "And I'm going to be an aunt. Sophie will wake up. She's just... catching up on all those breaks she never took, that's all."

She let out a small, shaky laugh, even as new tears fell.

Ethan's arms tightened around her.

His eyes burned, his throat thick with everything he couldn't say.

"She'll wake up," he murmured, more to himself than to Lily. "She has to."

Because they were family.

Because Sophie had fought for everyone else her whole life.

And because now...

They both wanted—needed—to believe she would fight for herself.

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