Day 1

I let out a sigh as I plop down on the couch as Michael slaves away in the kitchen. "I'm trying a parmesan crusted salmon tonight," Michael calls out. "It's going to be lit!"

"It smells amazing!" I call back, giving Michael a small smile before looking down at the paper in front of me. A gnawing feeling eats away at my stomach but I can't quite pinpoint the emotion. I can't even focus my thoughts enough to journal, I think to myself as I wrap my arms around my stomach.

The door creaks open followed immediately by a voice calling out, "Something smells fantastic!" Tyler walks into the living area and drops his keys onto the counter next to the spice rack.

"How many times do I have to tell you to hang your keys up on the hook by the door?" Michael grumbles.

Tyler rolls his eyes as he slides them off the counter and walks away to hang them up. "Can't you spare just an inch of counterspace for a clutter spot?" he groans.

"Absolutely not," Michael scoffs. "The whole kitchen is my canvas. I need every square inch."

"As an artist, I have to concur," I chuckle. "You can't mess with the art space."

"What happened to 'twins before hoes', Aly?" Tyler asks, raising an eyebrow. I let out a laugh, despite the ever-growing anxiety in the pit of my stomach. Tyler shakes his head and walks over and plops down next to me. "You'll never guess who I ran into today," he says, almost nervously.

"Who?" I ask, trying to keep my own anxious feeling hidden.

"Tina," Tyler sighs. "She asked how we were and asked if you were still living at the house and if you had decided on selling it or not." I let out a heavy sigh as he adds, "I told her you still needed time…but have you thought about it at all?"

"What, you ready for me to get out of your apartment?" I growl, that anxious feeling creeping into my chest. My eyebrows furrow and I start rubbing my palms across my knees.

"No, not at all," Tyler says, his voice softening. "But it has been almost a year since you came back and you finished your accounting degree three months ago. I know you needed the time to get that done without having to work on the house or anything but at some point, you have to make a decision."

"I told you I've been looking into repair costs and ideas of how to redo it," I say as I pull my arms tighter across my stomach. "I've been on the phone with Avi's mom at least once a week bouncing ideas and Avi's given me some names of people she knows who can give me general estimates who I've been emailing back and forth…but it's a lot of money."

"What about selling it?" Tyler asks, maintaining a gentle tone. "That was your plan initially and it would give you some money you could use towards a new car or save it for your own place without the hassle of renovating it."

"There is a reason I haven't gone back to the house since I left Avi and Chloe's, Ty," I mumble. My voice strains as I say, "I know Dr. Wyatt said I was ready but I am terrified that if I go back the memories will return and I can't spiral like that again but I don't know if I can let go either."

"Then why don't you focus on getting a job?" Tyler asks. "You have your accounting degree and you'll need the money no matter what you decide. And it would buy you time until you make a decision about the house."

I shake my head. "I can't do this," I croak as I get up and walk outside onto the balcony to clear my head. I gulp the lump in my throat as I take several deep breaths. Calm down, Alyson, I say to myself. Don't start pushing him away again. Get it together. The feeling will pass.

"Aly?" I hear Tyler say as I hear the door slide open and shut behind me. Tyler leans against the railing beside me and says, "I'm sorry I pushed you. Just running into Tina made me think of it but I know it's a hard topic and I shouldn't have pushed like I did."

"It's fine, Ty," I say, my voice still a little strained. "I'm sorry for snapping. It's just been a weird day so I probably flew off the handle more than I should have."

"Is everything okay?" Tyler asks. "You've felt off all day."

"Me?" I ask confused. "You mean it wasn't you? I thought this feeling was coming from you!"

"No," Tyler says shaking his head. "I thought I was feeling you. It felt like it was through our Voice."

"So you feel it too?" I ask and Tyler nods. I furrow my brow, "Why are we feeling this?" Tyler shrugs as my focus is shifted by my phone ringing in my pocket. I pull it out, glancing at the name before answering, "Hey Avi, what's up?" I hit the speaker button before saying, "You're on speaker. Tyler's here."

"Hey!" Tyler says with a smile. "How's my favorite cousin? Don't tell Chloe I said that." There is a pause before I hear some sniffling from the other side of the phone. "Did I say something wrong?" Tyler asks as his eyes dart between me and the phone.

"No, you're fine," Avi says, her voice strained.

"What's going on, Av?" I ask concerned.

"It's Chloe," Avi says. Tyler and I freeze as we glance back and forth between each other.

"Is she okay?" Tyler asks, his tone clearly worried.

"She…she's dead," Avi barely musters out. Tyler's face falls as my heart drops to my feet and my hand covers my mouth. "She died a few days ago but I didn't find out until I woke up today."

"What?" Tyler croaks. I see his eyes turning red as tears already rim his eyes. They're already flowing out of mine. I hear Avi sobbing on the other end as Tyler makes eye contact with me. I don't even have to use the Voice for him to know what I'm thinking and he quickly gives me a nod.

"We're on our way, Av," I say without any hesitation.