Chapter 34 #2
I almost give up hope when I hear it.
The rev of a powerful engine cuts through the crying of goon number one, who’s still getting dragged around like a broken toy by a toddler. The vehicle is speeding up—the ground vibrates beneath me as it gets closer.
“Who’s that?” Baldy’s attention focuses on the truck as it whips into view.
Justin jumps out of the car before it even comes to a complete stop.
He reaches Baldy with an almost superhuman speed, punching him in the face and sending him to the ground like a sack of potatoes, but he quickly recovers.
He charges Justin, but unfortunately for him, Justin’s already too far gone.
His face is a stoic, emotionless mask, the one people should fear the most. That’s the face of a person who’s removed all feeling from his being and has nothing to lose. He’s ready and enraged.
Why is Justin even here? How did he know?
Baldy jumps forward, attempting to punch him in the face, but Justin easily deflects his advance, punching him in the stomach, sending the bat flying to the ground before delivering another jab to the side of his head. Baldy is shaky—very shaky .
From the corner of my eye, I see Caroline lunging for the bat. Oh no, you don’t. I use all my strength to jump toward it, knocking it farther into the bushes with my foot. She lets out an annoyed yell and runs after it. I jump on her back, knocking her onto the ground.
It’s then that her tune seems to change. “Don’t hurt me!” she pleads. “Who’s going to watch after Maddie? She can’t walk!” her words come out in a screech as she covers her head. I keep her pinned to the ground.
“Oh yeah?” Justin shouts just as he punches Baldy one more time, sending him to the ground, unconscious.
Justin takes one more look at him, kicks him once for good measure, and walks toward me.
“I’ve heard a different story, Caroline.
A very different one. It’s interesting, really.
” He draws closer to me, and it’s the first time our eyes meet after months of being apart.
I swallow the lump in my throat and slowly drag my eyes over his frame, returning to his face. His eyes are trained on mine, the moment intense. It’s our reunion, but Caroline ruins it. “Get off me! I’m calling the cops!”
“Please do,” I shoot at her and crawl away.
Justin’s watching my every move, and I’m drinking in the intensity that only he can generate.
Only his presence. Only his eyes. His nostrils flare, and he opens his mouth to say something when goon number two bursts out from the bushes and runs toward us.
Frank’s following him like a silent predator, his big brown eyes focused solely on him, steam practically pouring from his flared, velvety nostrils.
It’s hilarious, really. Frank is a teddy bear—well, a teddy moose—yet I’ve never seen him so focused on a human being with such a bloodthirsty look on his cute furry face.
I thought he only ate twigs and leaves. Turns out, my Frank is full of surprises.
He looks like he’s about to turn into Hannibal Lecter .
“Call him off!” the goon yells when he passes us in his attempt to flee Frank.
“I can’t. Frank is a free spirit—he does what he wants.” I shrug. I’m so proud of my moose right now and so grateful that I momentarily forget the situation in front of me, thinking about what nice bush I can plant for him in return for his services.
A low, choking chuckle comes from my left. “So that’s Frank?”
I missed his voice. Missed it so much.
“Yeah. We’ve been neighbors for so long, we’re practically family.” I quickly glance at Justin, who’s fascinated by Frank. Not a big surprise there; he’s a magnificent animal. While Justin’s busy watching the unfolding events, I watch him.
He’s lost weight. A lot. His cheeks are hollow, and there are dark circles under his eyes. He’s probably had periods of insomnia again and again and again. My heart aches for him, even as I remember the heartache I felt when I saw another woman in his bed.
“Call him off, Kayla,” Caroline pleads from the ground. I lift a brow, and she adds, “Please.”
“Why would I do that? You came to my home, angry that I didn’t pay you money I don’t owe you, threatening to break my bones with a damn bat, and now you want me to help the man who was just kicking me on the ground only a couple moments ago?
” I glance at Frank, enjoying my lap-moose playing Doberman. Looks like Frank’s enjoying it too.
Her voice turns beseeching. “He’s helping take care of Maddie.”
Fuck, even when I tell myself not to let that get to me, it always does. A pang of guilt hits me like a lightning bolt .
I’m about to call out to Frank when Justin interjects. “What exactly is he helping with?” I eye his posture. His arms are folded over his chest, his stance wide.
“To take care of the child who was injured by her —” Caroline points at me—“family.”
“Really?” Justin’s voice is suspicious. “How bad were the injuries?”
“Justin,” I go to stop him, but he lifts his hand up, silencing me.
“You know how bad they were. Everyone in Little Hope knows.” Her voice raises an octave.
“How about Springfield? Do they know there?” He narrows his eyes at her, but she’s looking everywhere but him.
I look between them. “What? What are you talking about?”
“You gonna tell her, or should I?” he asks, but she doesn’t respond. “Alrighty then.” He turns to me and explains, “I did some digging, and it turns out Maddie was never paralyzed.”
I feel ice down my back. “What?” I gasp.
“Yep. She had a broken leg and a concussion. A horrible thing to happen to a child, but she recovered quickly and is currently on the school soccer team. She’s a pretty great scorer, isn’t she, Caroline?”
I look between them. “That’s not true, right?
Tell me it’s not true! I’ve been struggling for eight whole years for nothing?
You played on my guilt for nothing?” I watch Caroline squirm, and the dreadful feeling of unfairness settles in.
I’m so relieved and happy to hear that Maddie is living a full and happy life, but what about me?
What about the guilt I felt every single month when it was time to send money—money I didn’t have to spare?
I thought my family was responsible for destroying her life, and I was ready to help her as much as I could for the rest of my own, but it was all a lie. It was all a fucking lie !
“Eight years, Caroline!” My voice cracks.
“I was a child when you asked for money the first time. You told me to go and do what my Momma taught me and get some extra cash. How could you?” For a split second, all I feel is a sense of mourning wash over me for all the things I lost out on—over a lie.
I don’t let it linger for too long. Not right now.
I hear a loud intake of air from beside me, followed by a growled, “What the fuck?”
Justin slowly moves closer to me and tries to touch my hand, but I swat it away.
Not now. I don’t want to be touched by anyone right now.
That feeling of heavy, back-breaking guilt I carried for so many years slowly melts into another emotion—stupidity.
I should have sensed something wasn’t right sooner, but I was too busy digging a hole for myself inside my own head.
Too busy trying to coexist with this guilt for something that wasn’t even my fault but became my responsibility. And it was all for nothing.
“I’m sorry, Kay. I’m really sorry,” Justin murmurs. He doesn’t try to touch me this time.
“How did you find out?” I whisper, glancing at him.
He looks down and away, and only then does he answer. “I needed to know how I could help and where you send money every month.”
“How did you know about the money?” I ask, shocked. I thought I was hiding it well.
“The fuckface told me.” Justin’s smile is a little embarrassed, and the tips of his ears turn pink.
“Archie?” My head jerks back. “When did you talk to him?”
He finally looks up. “When I came to see you in Boston.”
“You came to see me?” I’m having a hard time keeping up right now.
“Yeah.”
Another pained cry comes from the woods, and Caroline looks around, worried. Good . “Please,” she starts again. “I really need you to call off your beast.”
“Fuck off,” Justin and I say in unison.
“We’ll leave,” Caroline promises. “Just call him off.”
I sigh. “Frankie boy! Let the bad guy go.” There is a commotion in the bushes, a struggling sound, and a smug-looking Frank gallops out from the woods.
He stops next to me and nudges my shoulder.
“Good boy. Momma is proud of you. A very good boy.” I pat on the top of his nose, where he likes affection the most, before moving behind his ears, just like with a dog.
“You saved Momma, but I can’t kiss you because you have blood all over you.
You need to wash up in the lake, okay?” Frank nods.
“Did he just fuckin’ nod?” Justin sounds surprised. Why, though?
“Yes, he’s a very smart boy. Right? Go wash yourself, and then we can cuddle.” Frank nudges my shoulder one more time and trots away.
“Is he really going to take a bath ?” Justin watches Frank leave with round eyes and an open mouth.
“He’s a free spirit.” I shrug. “We’ll see.”
Baldy groans and writhes to life on the ground. Caroline rushes toward him. “Alfonso, what did they do to you?”
I raise a brow—the asshole was about to take a bat to my face, and now she makes it sound like we’re the bad guys here. The second goon limps from the bushes. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.” Caroline helps Baldy stand up, and he limps to the car .
“Good choice. And never come back,” Justin growls, grabbing Caroline’s elbow as they pass by. “ Never come back. You got it?” Identifying the true ringleader, he addresses Caroline with the same emotionless expression that I still fear sometimes. Caroline nods, and they all climb into their car.
Soon, it’s only the two of us left.