21. Alison #3
So Tobias does. Walter. Cassandra. Danny and Becca. Katya and Theodore. Clifford and Louise. Delilah. Cat and Kaiden. Thomas. Callum and Saoirse. Penny. Alice and Gideon. Iz. Arthur. Darla. Ryan. Me. Xander.
“Everybody here remembers your mom,” X says. “So if you forget something, you ask.”
Tobias looks at me. “You remember the most?”
I start crying again. “Yeah.”
“Everything?”
“So much.”
“Tell me. Today?”
“As much as you want.”
He nods. Then his eyes start to close, exhaustion finally winning.
X doesn’t move. Not even when Tobias’s head gets heavier against his chest. Not even when his little fingers loosen from mine.
He just keeps holding him. Penny sits beside him with one hand on Tobias’s back and the other wrapped around Xander’s.
Ryan pulls me against his chest. I watch my brother fall asleep in Xander’s arms. And for the first time since Mom hit those steps, I can breathe without feeling like I’m stealing the air from her.
Not because this is okay. It will never be okay.
But Tobias isn’t alone. I’m not alone. Mom won’t be alone.
Ryan kisses my temple. “I love you.”
I close my eyes. “I love you too.”
The room stays quiet after that. Nobody rushes to fill it.
One by one, people drift back down the hall or settle in close, and Arthur waits.
That’s what I notice. He doesn’t come get us the second Tobias falls asleep.
He doesn’t stand there with a clock running.
He waits until X lays Tobias back in bed and Walter settles beside him.
Until Cassandra pulls the blanket over him. Until I’m ready to move.
Then he catches my eye from the hallway. “I won’t keep you.”
Ryan stands when I do, his hand finding mine before I take my first step. We don’t go downstairs. Arthur takes us a few feet down the hall, close enough that I can still see Tobias’s open bedroom door.
“I’m only going to tell you what you need to know right now,” he says.
“Okay.”
“My team is on everything. Everything you sent me. Everything Jane collected. Everything recovered yesterday. Roman and Tremblay are in custody, and we’re coordinating with the federal investigators.
” I nod. “The police want to speak with you.” Ryan stiffens beside me. Arthur sees it. “I’ve held them off.”
“For how long?”
“Long enough.” His eyes come back to mine. “You watched your mother die yesterday and then went straight to the emergency room. Nobody needs a statement from you this morning.”
“But I have to give one.”
“Eventually. And when you do, I’m there. Every second.” My stomach twists. Ryan’s arm goes around my waist. “Darla will be involved too, especially with the pregnancy now high risk. Anything that has to happen, happens around what’s medically safe for you and the baby.”
“Good,” Ryan says immediately.
Arthur’s mouth almost moves. Almost. Then he’s serious again. “There will be court.”
My eyes go toward Tobias’s room. “For him?”
“For Tobias. And other proceedings after.”
“Can Dad take him back?” Arthur is quiet for a second.
“I’m not going to promise you something a judge technically controls.
” Fear claws into my chest. “But.” I look at him.
“My entire team is on this, Ally. We have the evidence. We have witnesses. We have what happened yesterday. We’re going to prepare for every argument before anyone gets the chance to make it. ”
“Do I have to testify?”
“Probably.” Ryan’s fingers tighten around mine. “Against Dad? And Victor?”
“Most likely. Not today.” I nod. “When the time comes, we prepare you. I prepare you. My team prepares you. You will not walk into a police interview, a hearing, a courtroom, or anything else without knowing exactly what’s coming.”
“What if they ask about Ryan?”
“We prepare for it.”
“The baby?”
“We prepare for it.”
“Mom?”
His face softens. “We prepare for that too.”
My eyes fill. Arthur opens his arms. “Come here, kid.”
I don’t think. I go. I keep one hand locked around Ryan’s and wrap the other around Arthur. He hugs me carefully. Tight enough that I feel it.
“You did good.”
I close my eyes. “It doesn’t feel like it.”
“I know.” His hand moves over the back of my head. “But you did.”
“Thank you.”
“We aren’t finished yet.” I pull back. Arthur wipes a tear from my cheek. “But you aren’t doing any of the rest alone either.”
I nod. “What do I do today?”
“Rest.” I almost argue. His look stops me. “Be with your brother. Take care of yourself. Take care of that baby.”
“And everything else?”
“Is mine.”
“For how long?”
“Until there’s something you actually need to do. And then I tell you exactly what it is.” His hand squeezes my shoulder. “And we do it together.”
I nod. “Okay.”
Arthur pulls me in for one more quick hug. Then lets me go. Ryan’s arm is around me before I can take half a step.
Arthur looks toward Tobias’s room. “Go be his sister.”
I turn into Ryan. He kisses my forehead. “You okay?”
“No.”
“Me neither.”
I wrap my arms around his waist. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“Don’t let go.”
His arms tighten around me. “Wasn’t planning on it.”
So we go back to Tobias. Together.