Beyond the Cherry Trees: The Cook Brothers Series by Heather D'Agostino

her.” He stepped through the door and shook his head. “She’s back, you know. Showed up yesterday with her dad at the hardware store,” he paused before continuing, “on crutches. She seemed so lost and defeated. Maybe you can get some closure over the next few days.”
    “Maybe,” I mumbled.
    “Why don’t you change into something comfortable and come hang with us downstairs. CJ is going to bed soon, and I’m sure Morgan would like to catch up.” He looked hopeful as he waited for me to answer.
    “Sure, bro. Give me a few minutes to get out of this stuffy suit.” I smirked as I began tugging at my tie. I wanted to burn the thing. It was the same tie that Chrissi had played with earlier in the day. If I tried hard enough, I could probably still smell her on me from when she climbed into my lap.
     
     

     
    “DO YOU PLAN to stay in bed all day again, or are you going to actually join us for breakfast?” my brother, Daniel, called from the doorway of my childhood bedroom.
    “Go away!” I grumbled as I rolled over and tugged the covers over my head. I wasn’t in the mood for his teasing today, and I had no desire to leave the warm confines of my bed.
    “Mom said I was to use any method necessary to get you up. So, get up or I’m going to come over there and jump on you,” he taunted. Daniel was my little brother, and a surprise to our family. I’m six years older than he is, but he thinks he can boss me around.
    “Don’t you have school today?” I mocked as I threw the covers back from my head.
    “Delay,” he shrugged. “It’s fucking cold out there.” He made a shivering motion as he smirked at me.
    “You better not let Mom hear you talking like that,” I warned.
    “I’m eighteen; I can talk however I want.” He shrugged, but not before looking over his shoulder to make sure neither of our parents were nearby.
    “Right,” I rolled my eyes.
    “Well, get up.” He tossed his arms out as he started to move closer.
    “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered as I sat up and winced. My ankle was still quite tender and throbbed, letting me know that I needed to pop a pain pill.
    “Hey, you ok?” His face grew concerned as he stopped near my bed.
    “I’m fine.” I swallowed back the tears that threatened to spill every time someone asked me that. “Now, unless you want to see me with no pants on, you need to leave.” I pointed at the door.
    “Thanks for the warning,” he chuckled. “I don’t want to see what you have going on, but now if one of your friends was around…” He winked, but then ducked when I threw a pillow in his direction.
    “Get out!” I screamed as I shifted on the bed. Daniel scurried out the door, leaving me there half fuming, half sulking as I began to dwell on my current situation. Joe had called the other morning, letting me know that the show would go on without me, as if I needed to be told. I knew dancers were a dime a dozen, and someone was always going to be ready to replace me. Garrett had checked in a few times assuring me that Shannon would never be as good as I was, and Daniel had mentioned he’d heard that Ty was back in town. I don’t know why he was, or how long he was staying, but I had no desire to even see him.
    As I sat on the edge of the bed, I stared out the window. The glass panes were covered in small ice crystals where winter was making itself known. A fresh blanket of snow covered the ground, and the smell of the woodstove in our family room was wafting down the hallway. Very few people in Cherryville had central heat. This area of New York just got too cold for it to be cost worthy. So when you sat at home you were either really warm in your family room, or cold in your bedroom.
    I shoved a slipper on my good foot, and placed a sock over the air cast before hobbling to a standing position and grabbing the crutches. My sweats hung on me, and my mother had been trying to fatten me up for days now. When I glanced in the mirror, I gasped. Dark circles