Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Lucille
I waited out in the hospital hallway for my mother and the nurses to bring Boone out from his room to go home.
My head was leaning against the large glass window, and I found myself daydreaming, staring out into the cloudy sky, recalling every single thing from the night before and how Forsythe didn’t leave my side until the sun came up.
We spent hours talking, and during that conversation, he admitted that he was the one who paid for all of Boone’s medical expenses.
I was shocked at first, begging him to let me pay him back, but he wouldn’t.
Instead, he said it was simply his way of repaying our family for all we’d done for him.
Of course, I cried over his kindness, swearing to find a way to pay him back.
But he only laughed and held me close, saying spending the night with me was more than enough.
What an old softy.
I smiled at the thought.
“Loulou!” I spun around at my brother’s voice. He was dressed and in his wheelchair with my mother at his side. And he was wearing the biggest smile.
“Boone!” I ran to him and gave him a hug, careful with his freshly healed injuries. “Oh, I’m so happy I got to be here to see this!” Tears of joy rolled down my face as I embraced him. “I love you, kiddo.”
Boone squeezed me tight. “Thank you for everything, Lucille. I don’t know if I could’ve done this without you.”
I stepped back to find our mother crying at our heartfelt moment. “Oh, my babies!” She hugged us tight and we both laughed at her dramatics. “Your daddy would be so proud of y’all!”
Yeah, I think he would.
“Alright!” My mother jolted back and clapped her hands together. “Who’s ready to head home?” Boone hooted loudly. “Oh just you wait, baby! I got everything all set up. There’s cobbler, fresh lemonade…oh! And Cooper and the guys even built you a ramp on that old porch!”
“I can’t wait to see everyone. Oh, how’s Wimberly?” he asked me.
“She’s good. Forsythe’s been taking great care of her, but the minute she sees you, she’s going to lose it.”
He grinned at the thought. “I really owe him one. For everything.” I nodded as my mother pushed the wheelchair and headed down the hall towards the elevator.
If anyone owes him, it’s me. He’s taken care of all you guys all these years, without asking for a thing in return.
“Lucille Limmerick, let’s go!” My mother playfully shouted my name across the hospital as she and Boone entered the elevator.
Maybe I should stay…just a little longer.
“I’m coming—”
“Lucille?” I stopped as an elderly doctor approached me. “As in, Memphis’ daughter, Lucille?”
I stopped and looked at him in confusion. “Yeah?”
“Lucille.” I looked past the doctor to see my mother’s face, and it frightened me. “Let’s go.”
Something didn’t feel right.
“Excuse me, but I—”
The doctor looked back at my mother and Boone, now heading towards us. Boone seemed just as confused as I was, but my mother looked as though she’d seen a ghost.
“Forgive me, I know you’re on your way out but I heard your name and didn’t believe it!” He laughed.
“Believe what?” I chuckled nervously.
My mother began to pick up her pace.
“Your recovery. I was on the trauma response team back then and was assisting when you and that man were brought in.”
My stomach tightened.
“Oh, you mean my dad.”
The doctor’s brow furrowed. “No…the other man.”
“Lucille!” My mother joined us. “Hi! I’m so sorry, but her brother was just discharged and we really must be going.” She forced a fake smile as Boone sat there clueless. “Come on, baby. Let’s go. Now.”
I knew she was hiding something from the way she was acting, but what?
I looked back at the doctor. “I’m sorry, sir, you must be mistaken. The other man who was brought in with me that night was my dad. He died here not long after.” It hurt to speak the truth aloud.
“No? Memphis came in right after you two…I remember ‘cause he was pronounced dead at the scene of the fire. The paramedics tried to revive him but he—”
“Alright, that’s enough!” My mother cut him off. “We are leaving. Now.” She grabbed my wrist and tried to pull me away. “Come on, Lucille.”
But…if Dad wasn’t the man with me…then who was it?
I stopped as my mother tried to tug me along. “Lucille, baby, please.”
“Who was the man?” I asked. She didn’t answer. “Who was it?”
Mom sighed. “Lucille, please. Leave it…trust me, baby.”
No. No more lies. No more hiding. No more running.
I shook my head. “If you won’t tell me, then I’ll find out for myself.” I ripped my arm from her grasp and aimed for the doctor. “Who was the man?” I asked as I reached him. My heart was racing, and I knew I must’ve looked frantic.
“Well, I–I—” He looked past me to my mother.
“Hey!” I snapped. “Who was the man? The man you said came in with me?”
The doctor began to sweat, reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief. “I–I don’t remember his name, only that he broke his shoulder trying to protect you from the fire.”
My heart stopped.
“Lucille…Lucille?” My mother’s voice felt distant, like a whisper. My limbs tingled and I felt numb. “Lucille, baby?”
All this time.
“Lucille?”
All this time.
Thunder rolled in the distance as the brewing storm began, and I found myself running. Not away from my past or from the truth, but towards it.
All this time.