Chapter 1
AMBRIA
I asked Logan desperately to rush me to the hospital, and we took off in his car. He got me there in record time and, being the sweetheart that he was, offered to stay. “It’s okay,” I told him. “Astra is already here and they’re not letting anyone in but immediate family. My Dad’s not even awake. Plus, I’m sure I can get a ride home with her later. You can chill at home, babe.”
“Alright, as long as you’re sure,” he said, kissing me on the forehead. “Promise me you’ll call if you need anything, okay? I probably won’t go to sleep until you’re home, anyway.”
“I promise,” I told him, dashing inside the hospital. I made my way through the revolving doors and was greeted by the eeriness of stark white walls and the smell of disinfectants. I checked Astra’s text and made my way to the room without even stopping at the front desk.
“Ambria!” Astra cried as I entered the room, jumping up from her chair and throwing her arms around my neck. “I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you before! We totally are twins! I’m so sorry!” She was sobbing onto my neck, and I could feel the damp fabric of my shirt clinging to my skin.
I wrapped my arms around her and squeezed as hard as I could. “It’s fine,” I told her. “But how did you find out?”
“I asked my mother,” she grumbled, wiping the tears from her eyes. “The only reason that she even admitted it to me is because Dad is in the hospital. Apparently, she was still listed as his emergency contact, so they notified her as soon as he got here.”
“Do you know what happened?” I asked, my face tensing as I stared at our sleeping father. He had breathing tubes in his nose and there was an intravenous in his left hand. He looked so weak and pale and fragile, nothing like the tough, muscular man I always knew him as.
“He had a heart attack,” Astra said. “And the doctor said that his kidneys aren’t functioning properly. He’s probably going to have a transplant. He might be in the hospital for a long while. I mean… He’s your dad, I don’t even really know him… I don’t even know why I’m so upset. This must be way harder on you.”
“He’s our dad,” I corrected her, “And honestly, dude, try not to worry. He’s tough as hell. When I was a kid, about 10 years old, he was in a terrible motorcycle accident. The doctors didn’t think he’d ever wrestle again. They said he might not even walk again, but… he refused to accept it. He was walking and wrestling again within a year. Doctors couldn’t believe it. They said it was a miracle. He’s a tough dude; he’ll make it through this. You’ll see.”
Astra smiled at me through her watery eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure you’re right,” she agreed. “Once he’s, you know, feeling up to it… I’d really like to get to know him.”
I glanced over and saw that Dad was waking up. “Dad!” I said, rushing to the bedside and grabbing his hand. “It’s me, Dad. Ambria. I’m here for you, and Astra’s here, too.”
Astra stood beside me, watching anxiously as our father slowly opened his eyes. “Girls,” he whispered groggily, “You’re here, and I’m here. How nice is that?” he chuckled, but then his laughing turned to a fit of coughs.
“Dad, what are you doing going off and having a heart attack?” I teased, pinching his arm softly. “How many times in my life are you going to scare me like this with these hospital visits?”
Despite still looking pretty out of it, Dad was grinning ear to ear. “Oh, kiddo,” he said, wrapping his giant fingers around mine, “I got to keep you on your toes, you know.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I scoffed, rolling my eyes. “Astra was worried about you, too, Dad. She said… she said that she knows that we’re twins now.”
“Oh, girls,” he moaned sadly, “I’m so sorry I never told you the truth. When your mother and I split… you were just babies, and it was easier to just completely go our separate ways. We thought we were doing the right thing, each of us keeping one of you and living our separate lives. I never in a million years thought either of you’d end up wrestling, or that that’s how you’d meet… but I’m so proud of you both, and I should have reconnected you sooner.”
Astra grabbed Dad’s other hand. “I’m really looking forward to getting to know you… Dad.”
