The Best of Us Read Online Free Page B

lost his baby sister, he knew what people meant was that they were remembering. Remembering the sound of their loved ones voice, their laugh and their personality…Daniel shook his head and sighed deeply.
    When the bell above the door jingled he looked toward it, holding his breath. They still didn’t have any explanation as to his sister’s death and he was on high alert all the time. He let his breathing resume without even realizing he’d been holding it. Carly . He hadn’t seen her since the funeral. She didn’t look much better today. She was still pale and had dark circles under her eyes and she looked like she’d lost more weight. But her eyes were what drew him. She had always had the biggest blue eyes and they were one of her strongest features, but today they were rimmed with red. She had been crying.
    She stood just inside the door. He knew she couldn’t see him. He hadn’t turned on any lights when he’d arrived and it was a foggy morning. He was standing in a dark, shadowy nook and realized he’d been there long enough that if he moved he would scare her. He didn’t want to do that.
    Carly took a deep breath and it came out as a sob. She turned suddenly reaching for the door. Daniel started to call to her, to stop her, but just as he drew a breath in to speak, she stopped. Her head dropped down and he heard another sob tear out of her and his heart broke for her. He couldn’t stand there and watch her torment any longer, but before he could move Carly’s head came up. It looked like she was looking just above the door. Daniel’s gaze quickly flicked to the spot it appeared she was looking at, but there was nothing there.
    “ NO...” It wasn’t the word that had Daniel’s pulse quickening, it was the guttural growl spoken in Carly’s voice that got him. “I will not let this beat me…” This was also in Carly’s voice, but much quieter. Daniel realized she was fighting the ghost rather than looking for it, as he had been.
    As he watched, Carly’s back straightened, her shoulders squared and she took a deep breath. While there was still some shakiness to the deep breath, there was a determined air all around Carly that you could almost see. She slowly turned around and took another, smaller, steadier breath. Daniel couldn’t help but admire her inner strength.
    Carly reached over and turned on the lights and let out a gasp.
    “ I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Daniel apologized, his voice thick with emotion. All the hard earned bravado she had built up seemed to crumble before his eyes. She didn’t seem to be focusing on him just looking in his general direction. He realized that she’d only flipped one of the two switches that operated the lights and he was still in shadows. She could only see a dark form watching her and she was frozen with fear.
    Daniel stepped out with his hands held up to show that he wasn’t any threat. Carly let out the breath that had been trapped in her throat and seemed to sag right before him. Daniel hurried to her side to catch her but she regained her composure at the same time he reached her.
    “ I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were here.” Carly said to his chest as he held her close.
    “ No, I’m sorry. I should have said something when you first came in.” Daniel replied gently.
    “ You’ve been here the whole time, watching me?” Carly pulled back a little to look up a Daniel.
    “ I didn’t mean to.” He felt like the little boy caught with his hand in the cookie jar. “I was about to say something but you seemed to need a moment and I…” His voice trailed off as he realized that he had invaded a very private moment for her. “I’m sorry Carly. I truly am. I didn’t mean to intrude. I just…I ... I don’t know why I didn’t say something. My mind isn’t all together here right now. I was in my own thoughts about Jenna and I didn’t think.” Daniel shook his head then said, “I’m sorry.”
    Carly stood there