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“Maybe.”

“And...for all we know, if things had been different...it doesn’t necessarily mean that it would have been right for the two of us. I think back then, we would have ended up stifling one another.”

Hadn’t he once thought the same thing?

Looking over at her, he sighed. “I don’t know how to stop thinking about the past, Sienna. It’s there. It’s part of who we are.”

“And I get that. I really do. I’m just saying that maybe we don’t...overthink about it. Does that make sense?”

He nodded, but he still wasn’t sure he was going to be able to do it.

“Let’s change the subject!” Straightening a bit, Sienna smiled brightly at him. “What’s next on our stop today?”

“Hmm...I believe we were going to ride the cable cars through the city and see where the mood takes us.”

“Oh, that’s right. You didn’t trust any of those guided tours I looked up.” She gave him a mock pout. “I suppose you could have done something better, right?”

“I wouldn’t say better, but...I’m not a huge fan of letting some guide tell me what I should want to see. Alcatraz was really going to take up the most time, that’s why I booked us on the early tour. Now we have the rest of the day to run around the city.”

“Mm-hmm...”

“I think we should go to Fisherman’s Wharf when we get off the ferry and go find something for lunch. Then you can decide where you want to go from there.”

“That sounds like a plan.” Pulling out her phone, she added, “I may start looking up some places to eat now. We’re almost back, but I’m starving.”

“That’s because you didn’t want to get up and have breakfast this morning.” Moving in close and wrapping his arm around her, he playfully nuzzled her neck.

“I don’t recall you complaining...”

“Oh, I’m not, but I at least managed to eat a bagel and some fruit. You just...”

Her soft gasp cut him off.

“What? What’s the matter?”

Her hand shook as she covered her mouth. Mick took the phone from her and read the message.

Eleanor: Well, this sucks

Eleanor: The cancer has spread and spread fast. The doctors have told me there isn’t anything more they can do except make me comfortable

Eleanor: I was already against all the poking and prodding they’d been doing, but there was a small part of me that thought something was going to work to slow this stuff down

Eleanor: You know how much I hate being wrong

Eleanor: Just so you know, I’m comfortable and handling the news the best I can

Eleanor: One of the nurses has been printing out some of the photos you’ve sent and they’re all up on the wall here in my room. They make me smile.

Eleanor: Keep sending them, Sienna. I feel like I’m living my last days vicariously through you

Shit.

Gently, he pulled her into his embrace and held her while she cried. He wasn’t sure there was anything he could say to make her feel better and thought it was probably best to let her express how she was feeling and take it from there.

Only...he couldn’t.

“Would you like to go back to the hotel? We can order room service and you can call Eleanor and...”