Alaric sighed as he glanced between his two daughters. “The three of us … need to have a talk.” 
Being the bearer of bad news was never his strong suit, especially when it came to breaking it to his daughters. 
“As long as it’s quick.” Lizzie settled into one of the chairs. “We have a lot to finish before Mom gets here.”
“Well actually …” Alaric’s heart dropped. “I just got off the phone with her -”
Lizzie’s face lit up. “Is she almost here?”
Josie stared at her pitifully. How did her sister not realize what their dad was saying?
“She’s not … coming.” Alaric winced as he dropped the bomb.
“What?”
“I’m sorry.” 
“It’s fine.” Josie shrugged it off with a smile. “Neither of us was dumb enough to think she’d actually show. Right, Lizzie?”
Lizzie took a moment to compose herself before she could respond. “That’s right.”
“You know she wishes she could be here.”
“We know,” Josie chimed. 
Alaric pulled both of them into a family hug. “I love you both.”
“We love you too, Dad.”

Andrea could tell her mom wasn’t happy the moment she walked in and found her waiting in the twins’ bedroom. 
“Sit,” Hayley said, pointing to the bed. Andrea silently did. “Want to tell me where your sister is?”
Andrea pretended to consider it. “Probably at the library.”
Hayley gave her a look that called her a liar without saying a word. Andrea caved. She couldn’t help it. She always caved for their mother.
“Or she’s hanging out with Roman.” Andrea giggled a little. “She really likes the bad guys.”
“And you like the sweet ones.” Hayley tucked her daughter’s hair behind her ears. She could sense the hidden feeling behind her words. “You want to talk about it?”
Andrea smiled sadly. “Not really.”
The dream shifted suddenly, and Hayley’s warm, comforting touch vanished. Andrea stood by herself now, staring into Henry’s terrified face. 
“No, no, no …” She ducked her head, squeezing her eyes closed.
She was dreaming. She was dreaming, and all she needed to do was wake up. She felt a change again, and when she looked up, she found herself staring at a different Henry. This time, his face wasn’t terrified. It was blank, his eyes unseeing.
Time sped up. Andrea was yanked through the prep, the funeral, the burial. It all got impossibly fast, but the speed did nothing to lessen the grief that consumed her. 
She shot up with a gasp, looking around the dark room. Her heart raced hard enough in her chest for her to feel her pulse in her ears. She bent over, covering her face and trying to catch her breath. 
She thought she was over having nightmares about Henry.
She thought she’d come to terms with what had happened.
Apparently not.
Apparently being here had opened up some old wounds.
 
 
“New Orleans sounds nice,” Finch was saying, nodding along to Hope’s wonderful stories about the city. “But for what it’s worth from the random girl at the bus stop, it doesn’t sound like home to you.”
Hope glanced over in surprise. After how interested Finch had seemed in the city, she thought for sure she would encourage her to go. 
“Do you think I should stay?” 
Finch smiled gently. “I think if you’re asking a stranger, you already know the answer.”
Hope didn’t expect the tears that sprang to her eyes. They didn’t fall, but they distorted Finch and the lights.
Finch was right. If she was here, putting her fate in the hands of someone she just met, she already knew she was making the wrong decision.
“I don’t think we’ll be making that New Orleans trip,” Hope said, reaching for her bag. Which really sucked because Hope wanted to show Finch around her hometown.
Finch shrugged. “There’s always next time.”
“Thank you, Finch.” 
The two exchanged a final smile as Hope crossed the empty street.