46. Thea
thea
Slowly over the last week, I have allowed myself to start getting back into the swing of things. Not as easy with a brace on my wrist, stitches in my leg, and wounded pride, but I was making it work.
The days where Eric kidnapped me up to Logan showing up to save me feel like they were ages ago, and yet, I can still remember every second of the time I was there.
It was an actual, living nightmare, what I had been through.
But I could be grateful for that—I lived.
I’m alive and well—almost, anyway—and none of my family members had to endure the awfulness that came with losing a family member.
All four of my sisters were here in town with me. Ophelia’s instructors let her take a leave, working remotely for a time to be with me.
And Tori…Tori had shown up .
We haven’t spoken much, but she gave me a hug as soon as she saw me in the hospital. She was here for me.
Everything else would work itself out.
I had cried when I saw her, partly because I was emotional about the trauma, emotional about Logan, and then seeing her for the first time in years…yeah, it made me far too emotional.
I was working behind the bar, my fractured wrist strapped to my chest, making it easier for me to not have to worry about it. You can’t worry about an arm when you literally can’t move it. But I made use of my right one, wiping things down and organizing the lightweight stock.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Annmarie grumbles behind my back, and I roll my eyes, even though she can’t see me.
“I need to,” I respond, not really wanting to get into the why.
“I know,” is her reply. “You have company.”
I glance up in surprise, seeing a stern-faced Lue stomping up to me. It may be some weird motherly instinct thing, but I swear the girl grew like three inches since I last saw her.
“Thea,” she says, nodding at me in a held-back manner.
“Lue.” I breathe out her name, an overwhelming sense of relief flooding my system at the sight of her. “What are you doing here, honey?”
Before I know what’s happening, Lue’s lower lip trembles, and tears flood her eyes. I was around the bar in a flash, gently pulling Lue into my arm, wishing like hell I didn’t have one strapped to my chest so I could fully envelop the girl who had become like my own.
Worry overcomes me. “What’s wrong, Lue? Is it your dad? Didi?”
She pulls back slightly, wiping at her eyes and nose. I reach over the bar and grab a napkin, handing it to her. “No. ”
Her one word sends relief through me, but I scoot onto the stool next to her, keeping us facing each other. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
Her eyes connect with mine. “I was so worried about you. You had disappeared without a word, and then you were taken by that awful guy. What the heck is his problem anyway?”
I feel a sense of stress fill my chest, and I take a deep breath. I don’t know what Logan has told her, but I can’t leave her hanging either.
“He doesn’t like me very much, and he’s mad about some stuff we went through when we were married before.”
Lue huffs. “Oh yes, so kidnapping is the answer.”
I can’t help but chuckle at Lue’s sarcastic answer. “Yeah, well, he’s not the smartest man.”
“Neither is my dad.” Her grumpy reply wipes away my smile, and I stare sadly at her.
“What’s going on, Lue? Does your dad know you’re here?”
“No, I told him Grandma was picking me up.”
“Lue…” I start, but she turns and grabs some papers out of her bag before setting them on the bar between us.
“When were you guys going to tell me?”
I frown and reach for the papers. When I do, my breath catches in my throat.
It’s our marriage certificate, and it’s not something I can dispute easily, given that my name is signed right there beside Logan’s.
“Lue, it’s not quite so simple.”
“Dad married you to keep you safe from that guy who took you?”
I open my mouth, then close, then open again. “Well, okay, yes. That’s the gist of it. ”
Her eyes widen slightly, and I see a bit of excitement resting just below the surface. “So, you’re like my stepmom.”
She doesn’t say this like a question, she says it like her mind is not only made up about this, but she’s thrilled about it.
“Well, technically, in a legal sense, yes.”
“So why are you and my dad not together then?”
I know Lue is fifteen, but her no-nonsense questions are catching me off guard.
I look down at my lap, my hand absentmindedly picking off lint. “I didn’t handle things very well,” I reply vaguely, wondering how much to tell her. “I should have been more open with your dad, and I wasn’t. I pushed him, and you, away.”
“Yeah, I was really sad about that.”
God, breaking her heart is worse than breaking Logan’s. Her eyes well again, but she sucks them back.
“I’m so sorry I hurt you. I never meant to.”
“I know.” She looks down and lets out a rough sigh. “But you being there was so good. It was like having a mom.”
My heart literally breaks at the thought. That Lue considered me even close to a mother figure blew my mind and made me insanely happy.
“Well, let me say this, if I could pick a stepdaughter, I would pick you every time.”
“Well, then do,” Lue says, not pulling her punches.
“Do?” I raise a brow, glancing around the empty restaurant for someone to tell me what this girl just said to me.
“Yeah, do it. Pick me as your stepdaughter. Pick my dad as your husband.”
“Oh.” I sit back in surprise at her bluntness. I shouldn’t be surprised, but I can’t help it. “It’s not that easy. Your dad is not happy with me right now. ”
“What are you doing to change that?”
Man, this girl…
“I’m giving him space,” I say slowly. “I figure he’ll come by when he’s ready.”
“No, he won’t. He’s a stubborn old mule.”
I have to let out a stunned laugh at her assessment of her father and…kind of agree.
“Well, I don’t want to force him into anything.”
Lue looks at me, and frankly, the look she gives me is slightly frightening. “Well, I have a plan, Mom.”