“What’s so funny?” Xavier, my brother, asks.
“Mavis would’ve loved this,” I say.
He nods. “True. She always had a thing for morbid jokes.”
“This is her biggest one yet,” I reply, rolling my eyes.
“What if she’s turned into a ghost and started haunting us?”
“I was thinking the same thing.” I frown. “Are you digging in my head again, Xav?”
“No. I was just thinking … maybe we should get the Ouija board. Ask her if she’s having fun.”
I punch him in the shoulder. “Ha ha. Very funny. You know that thing never worked.”
“What are you two talking about?” Melody, my other half sister, is right behind me, and her sudden voice startles me.
“Jesus, you scared me.”
“Sorry,” she says with a high-pitched voice. “I tend to do that.”
“Tap your feet if you’re gonna creep up on people. At least then they can hear you coming,” Xav says, sniggering.
Melody rolls her eyes. “And break a foot? No thanks.”
“You’re not that fragile,” he retorts.
“I could be.” She folds her arms. “Want that on your conscience?”
Xav sighs out loud. “No, thanks. I don’t want another death in the family.”
“I said breaking a foot, not a heart, geez,” Melody replies.
Mom stops talking with some friends and heads over to us. “Can you guys please be nice to each other today?”
“We were just chatting,” Xav says.
“Yeah. And I’m bothering them, as usual.”
“No, Mel. Xav’s just being a prick,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. “Ignore him. I do it all the time, and it works like a charm.”
“Oh, grow up,” Xav growls.
“Xavier. Aspen. Melody.” Mom’s stern gaze keeps us in place. “Keep. It. Civil.”
The darts she’s sending with her eyes mean serious business.
“Hey, guys,” River mutters, offering a hand.
His brother, Talon, steps out from the crowd of people and holds out his hand. “I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thank you,” I reply.
River’s eyes tear up. “I’m … I’m …”
I pull him in for a hug, and he cries against my shoulder. There weren’t many people present that night, but he was one of them, and I can’t ever explain to the rest what that means. How witnessing death changes you.
“I’m sorry,” he says between sniffles. River is such a gentle soul.
