Ignite Read Online Free Page B

themselves. Callie will drive herself, you just need to take Chase and Emma. They’ll show you the way.”
    Apparently I didn’t get a choice in the matter. What about what I wanted to do tomorrow?
    “Make sure Chase takes his pills in the morning,” Mary added.
    I wondered what they were for and made a mental note to check the bottle before he woke up.
    Jed pulled me close into a bear hug that reminded me too much of my dad. When he released me, Mary hugged me tightly and stroked my hair.
    “It will all work out,” she whispered. “I promise it will, sweetheart. You’re so brave.”
    I didn’t feel very brave at all.
    “The second door to the left is the guest bedroom. You’ll find everything you need in there.”
    “Okay.” I was so tired I just wanted to go fall asleep as soon as possible and forget about my new responsibilities.
    They left, and I heard them quietly locking the door from the outside.
    I turned off the light in the entryway and dragged myself into the bedroom Mary suggested. I didn’t even bother to check to see what Jed meant by “everything I needed”. I didn’t care if I slept in my clothes or brushed my teeth. I just wanted to sleep. I walked over to the bed, got inside, then pulled the sheets over my head and shut my eyes.

 
     
    I WOKE UP with a start as I took in my surroundings when I realized I wasn’t in my own bed. After glancing at my watch to check the time since I was still without a working cell phone, I took a deep breath and crept upstairs, hugging my sweatshirt around me.
    I knocked softly on Chase’s door and it creaked open ever so slightly. I silently prayed that the noise and the sliver of light would be enough to wake him.
    “Chase?”
    I knocked on his door again and waited for a response. I was no expert at this.
    I decided to try Emma before I opened Chase’s door all the way, so I walked gingerly into her room. Her golden hair was all around her face and over the pillow.
    “Emma,” I said softly as I tapped her shoulder. “Time to wake up, sweetie.”
    She rolled over slightly and squinted her eyes at me where I sat perched on the edge of her bed.
    “Mommy?” she whispered.
    I bit my lip and my heart sank as it filled with sympathy for her.
    “No, it’s Lauren. Remember me? I’m taking you to school today, okay?” I put on the best smile I could muster.
    She just looked at me like she didn’t remember who I was.
    “I’m Dean’s friend. Do you remember meeting me yesterday when he was here?”
    Her eyes lit up at his name, and I couldn’t help but laugh a little. He had even her under his spell, and she was in kindergarten.
    “Do you need help getting dressed?”
    She shook her head sleepily, her curls falling all around her face as she stretched. The ringlets were so naturally beautiful that girls would kill for that hair when she was older.
    “I’m going to go make you some breakfast while you put your clothes on. What do you want to eat?”
    She sat up and wrinkled her forehead like it was the most difficult decision of her life.
    “Mmmm, toast.” She said finally as she looked at me with a small smile, silently checking for my approval.
    “You got it. I’ll come get you in a couple of minutes, okay?”
    She nodded again and started to get out of bed, singing slightly as she moved some of her stuffed animals to the side, then tucked them back under the covers so they could sleep while she was at school.
    I envied Emma. She didn’t understand that what had happened to her mom was permanent yet, like the rest of us did.
    I sighed and shut her door, then went to go find Chase. For some reason he made me even more nervous than Callie did.
    I knocked on his door again.
    “Chase?” I said softly as I opened it. The room was dark, but as soon as the light hit his bed, I saw him shoot up, his eyes wide with terror.
    “Sorry!” I had never felt so bad about anything in my entire life after seeing the look on his face. “It’s just me,