He Forgot My Birthday for Her Anniversary Again novel Chapter 67

Chapter 13

He came.

One rainy night. Standing outside my apartment, the one Ethan gave me. Soaked through. A wreck.

I took an umbrella down.

Ethan insisted on coming. Stayed by the entrance, though. Gave me space, but I could see him if I turned

around.

“Nina…” His eyes lit up. He rushed forward, dropped to his knees in the rain.

“Nina, I was wrong. I screwed up. I’m an idiot, blind. Rose played me for twenty years. I’m sorry. Forgive me,

okay? Let’s start over. From now on, you’re my only sister…”

Rain streamed down his face, mixing with tears and snot.

He looked pathetic.

Once, I might have softened. Twenty-some years of calling him brother. Same blood.

Now it just felt absurd.

“Start over?” My voice was calm. “Jason, remember the scar on my back? Big one. Every summer, I can’t

wear backless dresses.”

He looked up, rain plastering his face. “Nina… that was an accident. I didn’t mean to…”

“I know.” I cut him off. “You didn’t mean to forget me sleeping in my bedroom. You were just too busy getting Rose out. When the fire started, she was the one you thought of first. Not on purpose. Instinct.”

He opened his mouth. Nothing came out.

Rain hammered down.

I looked at him on his knees. Puddles soaking through his pants. Before, at business dinners, his suits were always immaculate, shoes polished. He said Mitchells had standards.

Now that standard knelt in gutter water, begging me to look at him.

“And the avalanche.” I kept going. Things that should be past, but never faded. “The helicopter only had room for two. You and Rose got on. You told me to hang on, the next one was coming. I was buried for seven hours, Jason.”

“There was no next one.”

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He swayed. “I… I really thought there would be… airspace closed, I didn’t know…”

“You didn’t know.” I echoed. “You didn’t know I almost lost my leg. You didn’t know I waited seven hours in subzero snow. You didn’t know I signed my own consent form.”

“You didn’t know anything.”

“Because you never asked. Never cared.”

Wind twisted my umbrella. Rain misted my face. Cold.

I didn’t move.

Behind me, Ethan stood in the doorway, silent. Not hovering. Just… there.

“Nina.” He called again. Voice wrecked, rain-soaked. “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Twenty years, I was blind, Rose

tricked me…”

“She didn’t trick you.” My voice was soft. “You just liked her more. Simple as that. She’s fragile, she cries, she makes you feel like the hero. Me? I was always fine on my own. So fine that you figured I didn’t need you. Fire? Save Rose. Avalanche? Take Rose.”

“Not because you were tricked. Because she mattered more.”

“That was never about tricks.”

His face went paper-white. Rain dripped from his chin.

He tried to speak. Failed. Finally, a hoarse whisper, “Nina, just forgive me. Just once. I swear I’ll never… you used to be so good. So understanding…”

A random memory surfaced.

That summer. He bought me a popsicle. First time ever. Orange flavor. He said orange was the best, kids

loved it.

I hated orange.

Rose loved it.

I ate it anyway. Didn’t want him mad.

Later, he bought me oranges constantly. Watched me eat them. Even planted an orange tree in the yard.

Never knew I hated them.

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Just like he never knew how cold I was in that house.

“Jason. I never liked oranges.”

I looked away.

“That understanding sister you keep talking about? She died in that avalanche. By the time I crawled out, there was nothing left.”

“The person standing here now doesn’t want your apology. Or your regret.”

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