“Always, little sister,” Tory said, then giving a quick glance to Mark he walked up to her and hugged her.
“When you are ready, we will be here,” he whispered, and she let the tears trail down her cheeks.
It was a road that she would have to travel.
To work through the pain of her past.
But this time she knew that she would come out on the other side better.
Because this time she had family.
She nodded to Tory who slipped a card into her hands.
“We are not far away, but I would love it if you called us. Even just to talk.” He paused his throat convulsing and she swallowed back her sob. “We miss our sister.”
She nodded again as he smiled at her before Ben walked up and gave her a hug.
“Take care of your man,” Ben told her.
“Thank you, Ben,” she whispered.
Then it was just her and Mark.
Her Mark.
She leaned her head forward laying it on Mark’s bed, the tears silently flowing down her cheeks.
It had taken a lot, and she knew that there was still a long way to go to repair what the Mancini family had lost, but she could see the end of the tunnel now.
Now Mark would have his family.
And she would have him.
“Promise that you won’t do anything like that again. I don’t know what I would do without you, little bird.”
It was later that night. After the nurses had signed off on everything for him to leave in the morning. After Dominic had made all the arrangements for the safe trip home.
After Branson had called and checked in.
After everyone had finally left.
“Then promise me that you won’t ever leave me.”
He leaned forward pulling her so that she was lying next to him, her body flush against his with his arm wrapped around her.
