49. Father Alexander #2
“She was the one to call the cops,” she mutters, and my smile fades as she tells me the story of running into Sister Greta after she went to go find help. She said that Sister Greta overheard us talking about the event and happened to be in the vicinity when the gun went off.
“I’ll have to thank her.”
“She came by to see you, but said to let her know when you are awake,” Celine says.
I nod and then ask, “Have you heard anything else about what happened?”
“A detective came to see me when we first arrived here. She said they went through Father Keaton’s office, and she found a notebook with very detailed plans he had for all of us.
They confiscated his laptop, conducted a thorough search, and found the videos and pictures he had hidden of Joanna and Bekah. ”
I let her words settle in, thankful that they found evidence, but— “Did they see the backup videos of us?”
She nods. “But I told them that what you and I had wasn’t like what Father Keaton was doing with those women. That you would never force me into anything.”
A sigh of relief leaves me, but then that anger builds again. I’m proud of Celine for fighting and doing what she had to do, but I think that death was too kind a punishment for Father Keaton. I’d rather him be rotting away in a jail cell while his mind deteriorates with his crazy delusions.
“How are you doing with it all?” I search her face. “You killed someone.”
Celine shrugs. “I have nightmares about it, which I’m sure will stay with me forever, but I don’t regret doing it because he deserved it.
Plus, I’ve been ordered to speak to a therapist about it to help me heal.
” She shrugs. “They sent all the women home and contacted the families of the victims. And they are closing the church down.”
“Good,” I say as the images of what transpired in that room before I was shot flash through my mind—all those women whose lives we couldn’t save. Esther. Celine’s one true friend in the convent. “How do you think Esther’s father handled the news?”
“Esther!” Celine’s eyes grow wide. “You’ll never believe it, Alex!”
“About how her father took the news?” My brows furrow.
“No,” she shakes her head, and a smile spreads across her face. “Esther is alive!”
“What?”
“Long story short, she faked drowning so Father Keaton would think she was dead,” she explains.
“Took down Sister Alice and got out of there. She passed out in the parking lot, but the police and ambulance were already on their way. An officer brought her here while the paramedics came in to take care of you.”
“Esther is alive?”
She had become a close friend to Celine, one that she needed in that place, and as much as I hated the idea in the beginning, I’m thankful that she disobeyed me and remained friends with her.
But then Celine had to watch her friend die before her eyes… well, fake die.
Although Esther is alive and well, those emotions Celine felt while watching Father Keaton try to drown her will stick with her forever.
Celine nods with a smile. “She’s been in to see you, but you’ve been asleep most of the time.”
“Well, I’d love to see her.” Celine takes a step away from the bed, probably wanting to get Esther, but I grab her wrist. “Later. I want this time with just you.”
“Okay,” she says, climbing carefully into the bed with me.
I wrap my arm around her shoulders while she lays her head on the right side of my chest. We sit there in silence, just basking in the presence of each other. It feels so good to have her in my arms.
It feels good to be alive.
“I don’t know what I would have done if you died,” she mumbles.
My jaw ticks, but I assure her, “You would have been okay.”
“No, I wouldn’t have.” She shifts her head to look at me. “I love you, Alex. More than I ever thought I could love anyone, and I don’t think I would have survived without you.”
My chest warms at the sound of her saying she loves me again, when I’m not on the verge of death.
“You don’t have to worry about it, Celine. I’m not going anywhere. And I love you, too.”
She smiles, lifting herself to press her lips to mine. God, I missed her. She continues the movement of her lips at a slow pace, savoring our alone time, when her phone rings. She pulls away with a groan and climbs off the bed.
“If this is my mother, I swear…”
“Shit.” How could I forget to ask her about her parents? “How did they handle the news?”
She lets out a breathy laugh. “It was a whole ordeal. She got on the news to defend Father Keaton. Saying that the whole story was a lie.”
My teeth clench together, and my hand curls into a fist. “Did she even call you?”
“After the reporter basically called her out on live television for not making sure I was okay? Yeah. But I ignored her.” She pulls out her phone and stares at the screen.
“You want me to talk to her?” I offer. I wouldn’t mind ripping her a new one.
“It’s Catherine. That author I was telling you about.” Her eyes remain on the screen while she continues. “I texted her once my phone was charged, saying we needed to talk.”
“Answer it, Celine,”
She chews on her bottom lip. “I shouldn’t have texted her.”
“This is your dream job, baby.” I remind her. “You need to call her back.”
“And tell her what?” She glances over at me with a perplexed expression.
“The truth, Celine.” I swallow. “Tell her the truth.”
With a slight nod, she unlocks her phone just as the doctor knocks on the door and comes into the room.
“I have the recovery plan all set and would like to go over it with you.”
“Maybe I should wait to call her back,” Celine goes to put her phone in her pocket.
“Call her back.” My eyes shoot to her. “I’ll talk with the doctor.”
She sighs, but clicks something on the screen and brings her phone to her ear. Sitting on the chair, she straightens and says, “Hi, Catherine!”
Celine talks quietly enough not to disrupt the doctor as he goes over the plan, and I know I’ll have to ask him to review it again because I’m only half listening. I don’t give him my full attention because I’m too busy staring at my future.
And I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives showing her how much I love her.