39. Epilogue
Laura /Natalie
" How long have I been here?" I ask Dr. Victor.
Nothing in this place feels familiar, and I’m wearing strange clothes. A hospital gown, I think. Was I in an accident?
"What's the last thing you remember, Laura?" the redhead asks.
Today, her hair is down in perfect curls around her shoulders. She still looks like she should be checking out books in a library, not conducting psychological evaluations.
"I remember being in the interrogation room with the two detectives who tried to tell me I hurt Allie and Ms. Moran. Did I get sedated? Is that how I ended up here?"
"Laura, that interview was over eight months ago."
I blink at her. "Did I hit my head? Fall into a coma? That must be why we’re in a hospital of some sort. I’m in a hospital gown."
"No."
"You're telling me I lost eight months of my life?" I ask, thinking this must be some elaborate game they're playing. Maybe they’re still trying to get me to confess .
"Yes and no."
"Yes and no?"
She sets her pen down on her notepad. "Laura, do you remember us talking about Natalie?"
"Yes. She's the one who did everything to Allie. And Ms. Moran, right?"
"Yes, she did. But do you remember what we told you about Natalie?"
I think back and run my hands through my hair. It's longer than I remember. Holy shit, it really has been eight months. "Am I drugged up?"
"We had to try and figure out what dosages you require for your medication, but you were not in a drug-induced state, no. Do you remember what we told you about Natalie?"
"This is what Allie felt like," I say. "Oh, this is terrible, but I remember who I am. I can't even imagine how this would feel if I didn't know I was me."
"Laura," Dr. Victor says, her voice on the edge of annoyance, "what did we talk about when we discussed Natalie?"
Shaking my head, I think back. "I told you she was the one who did this, and she was letting everyone believe it was me."
"Anything else?"
"No."
"Natalie didn't let everyone believe it was you, Laura. She admitted to everything."
My face scrunches up. "Then what the hell am I doing here? Why am I in a... Where am I?"
"You're in the state mental facility."
"The what? Why? "
"The other thing we discussed was that Natalie and you are the same person."
"Say what now?"
Dr. Victor nods. "The reason you can't remember the past eight months is because Natalie has been here. Natalie is another personality, Laura. She's the one who does the bad things you want to do. She's the one who took Allie and killed Ms. Moran for you."
"I call her. Other people have seen her."
"You paid for her phone. And no one else has met Natalie. When you spoke with her, you were talking to yourself."
"No, we went and tried on bridesmaid dresses."
She gives me a sad smile. " You tried them on, Laura. We have footage of you talking to yourself as you wore them in the bridal shop. We showed you that video, and you became upset. That was shortly before Natalie came out."
"No—"
"It's the truth, Laura. It's why you can't remember anything after the interrogation. Natalie has been present for the past eight months."
My eyes jump up to hers. Why does she keep saying my name? "Where's Jax? He must’ve come to visit me."
"Jax hasn't visited, no."
"Stupid Allie," I mutter.
"This isn't Allie's fault. It's yours and Natalie's."
"No, Jax would be with me if it wasn't for Allie."
She writes something on her notepad, and I want to snatch it away and read it. "That's something we'll have to discuss in therapy."
"When can I get out of here?" I need to get out of here to talk to Jax. Explain this wasn't me. He'll understand, and he'll help me. Maybe even fall in love with me again once he realizes just how much I love him.
"You aren't leaving, Laura. You were put here instead of going to prison because you have an illness. Putting you in prison would be potentially detrimental to your health, both mentally and physically."
My stomach sinks. "I'm never getting out of here?"
"You killed a woman when you were thirteen, and then you assaulted and held another captive for over seven years. There are consequences to your actions."
"That wasn't me—"
"Yes, but Natalie is still in there. She's a danger to society."
No, this can't be. I can't be here forever. I have to figure out something. "I'd like to talk to Jax."
"He doesn't wish to speak with you. He's made it very clear."
"Call him and tell him it's me, not Natalie!" I shout.
"He's unavailable, Laura."
Unavailable? "Well, can he call me back when he's out of the shower?" I snap at her.
"He's on his honeymoon. He and Allie were married this past weekend."
He and Allie were married this past weekend. He and Allie were married this past weekend. He and Allie were married this past weekend. He and Allie were married this past weekend.
"Laura?" Dr. Victor asks. "Laura, are you alright?"
"I'm afraid Laura can't come out and play right now."
The redhead purses her lips into a thin line. "Hello, Natalie."
"You don’t look happy to see me, Doc. After all of the time we've spent together recently, I'm a little hurt."
"We've spent a lot of time trying to get Laura back—"
"And you just pushed her back into hiding. She loves Jax more than herself, and he married the woman I should have killed. If I'd killed her, Jax and Laura would be married right now."
"If Jax and Laura were married, you wouldn't be here."
Laughter fills the air. "I'm always here. Whenever Laura needs me, I'm here. And there were plenty of times she needed something taken care of that I did for her. You think Ms. Moran was the only other one besides Allie? I think you have your work cut out for you, Doc."