Bittersweet Hope by Ryann Jansen Read Free Book Online Page B

mean she’s holed up in some room crying her eyes out or something? Why can’t I talk to her? I can calm her down, I can make her feel better—.”
    Anna stood. “Everything will be fine. Just give it a little bit of time. You’ll see her at school next week. Mrs. Anderson told me the three of you would all be enrolled in Thorne County.”
    Not even the fact that the three of us would be at the same school after all could make me feel better. My mind spun, every scenario imaginable playing out. Sadie crying. Screaming. Not eating. Stuck in some room miserable and hurting. I felt like I couldn’t breathe.
    “What about Sierra? Can I talk to her?” I looked at Anna, searching her eyes, which were downcast now.
    She bit her lip. “I don’t know. We can call and ask.” I could tell she was trying to sound hopeful but it wasn’t working very well.
    I nodded, dragging my feet back to the couch to sit down. Clasping my hands together, I looked at her. “Okay. Let’s call.”
    Her face was pale. She was probably scared Sierra’s foster family would say the same thing and I would freak out again. I felt terrible for being the person to put that look on Anna’s kind face. As my heart rate steadied it dawned on me how awful I’d just acted, and I wanted to kick myself. It made me feel like such a horrible brat.
    “I’m sorry, Anna. It isn’t your fault. You’ve been real nice to me.” I tried to force myself to smile, but it felt like it came out looking lopsided.
    Anna nodded. As bad as I felt for being rude to her, it felt worse not to be able to speak to Sadie. I waited, my nerves clawing at my insides and attaching like leeches, while Anna picked up the phone and dialed the next number.
    “Hello, Mrs. Morton?” Anna asked when a voice came on the other end of the line. “My name is Anna Whitley. I have Sierra’s sister Audrey at my house, and we were wondering if the girls might be able to talk.” Her eyes lowered as she waited.
    After a second, Anna’s face brightened. She smiled. “Yes, thank you. I’ll hand Audrey the phone.”
    She grinned at me and passed me her cell. I raised my eyebrows and when she nodded I snatched the device from her hands much harder than I’d intended. Damn it. Watch yourself, Audrey.
    “Hello?” I said into the phone. “Hello, Sierra?”
    “Audrey?” My sister’s voice came over the line. “Are you there?”
    The sigh of relief I let out s eemed to fill the entire living room. My eyes burned with unshed tears, and my heart ballooned inside my chest.
    “Yes, I’m here. Are you okay? How is everything?” Anna watched me intently, but I turned away from her.
    “Things are good. The Morton’s are really nice, Aud. They bought me clothes! We just finished breakfast, too. A real breakfast, eggs and toast and bacon. Can you believe it?” Sierra paused. “But I miss you guys. It’s not the same without you.”
    “I know. I miss you so much. Same here with the clothes and everything. Mrs. Whitley—Anna—is super cool. She’s been very kind to me.” I turned to smile at Anna, but she’d gotten up and headed into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.
    “Have you talked to Sadie? How are things going for her?” Sierra’s voice deepened at the mention of Sadie. She cleared her throat.
    “No. I tried. They wouldn’t let me talk to her.”
    “What?” My sister’s voice went from gravely to high pitched in a matter of seconds. “Why the hell not?” I heard her fumbling with the phone, like she’d dropped it.
    “Sorry Mrs. Morton.” She said sheepishly. Her voice returned to me. “Why wouldn’t they let you talk to her?”
    “I don’t know.” I choked out. Sierra didn’t need to hear me cry, and Anna surely didn’t need to see it. “Something about her not adjusting well, whatever that means. It sounds bad to me. She has to be a mess.”
    “Yeah. Oh my God, Audrey, do you think she’s okay?”
    We were only on the phone, but I sensed Sierra’s