Chapter Thirteen. #2
With that, I wrenched free from Cale and rushed away from the silent crowd.
“That is what it looks like when you break someone. Shame on all of you,” Mrs Penrose declared as I ran. I sobbed and kept heading for my car. Once inside, I slammed it into gear and sped off.
Leafpoint came into view, and I cried uncontrollably as I saw it.
Home, sanctuary, haven. I screeched to a halt outside and scrambled out of the vehicle as if the hounds of hell were after me.
I raced for the door and shoved it open.
An alarm passed through me as I headed for the stairs and my bedroom.
Leafpoint reached out to me, panic-stricken.
I flung myself on the bed and just wailed.
Pain erupted from me as flashes of what happened tortured me.
I bet they’d called me a madman. Strong hands hauled me upwards, and without thinking, I climbed into William’s lap as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
He held me tight against his chest as I sobbed heartbrokenly.
“Mum!” Avery’s panicked voice yelled. Tiny fingers formed and rubbed my back as William tucked me under his chin and ran his hand over my hair.
“Dad, who harmed her? Why is Mum crying? Do something,” Avery cried.
“Lyra!” Thea screamed as she rushed up the stairs. “That video is all over social media!”
She burst through my door and froze. Damn, I couldn’t imagine what she was thinking.
Avery growled. “Are you the one who hurt my mum?”
“What the hell?” Thea gasped.
Avery’s eyes turned red. “You!” he hissed.
“Avery, no!” I yelled as he launched himself off my bed at Thea, who stood there dumbly. “She’s my cousin.” Suddenly, Avery vanished and flowed through Thea.
“Poppy and Lia are on their way. That scene is everywhere. These two need to dematerialise,” Thea uttered numbly. Avery formed on the mattress again and ran his hands over my spine.
“That’s my mother,” he growled.
“Avery,” William warned. He still held me tight, his arms soothing me.
“You can’t let Lia and Poppy see him!” Thea exclaimed.
“Why are you so calm?” William demanded.
“Because I’ve got my own damn ghost to deal with, and believe me, he’s not rubbing my back in comfort!” Thea snapped.
“Perran?” William sounded stunned.
“We’ll talk about it later! Hide yourselves,” Thea warned.
“Lyra!” Lia yelled from below.
“Avery, please hide. William, take him up to his room,” I begged. William searched my face and nodded. He and Avery vanished.
“You’ve got some explaining to do,” Thea said, but took a seat and gathered me up.
Lia burst into the bedroom. Her cold, calm demeanour was gone, and Lia was quite simply furious!
“Those wretched townspeople. I’m going to burn their houses down!” Lia spat as she sat next to me on the bed and wrapped her arms around me too.
That made me hiccup-laugh. “Cale and Keith were responsible. Keith keeps whipping them up.”
“He’ll pay!” Lia promised.
“Lyra!” Poppy shouted, and her footsteps thudded on the stairs.
She burst in with Uncle Edmund following them.
“I’m going to curse them so their hair falls out, and the men can’t get it up anymore!
” she spat, and that did it. Tears turned to hysterical laughter as Poppy climbed onto the bed and hugged me from behind.
Uncle Edmund got down in front of me and wrapped all four of us up in his arms.
That simple action brought more sadness to my eyes. Mum and I had longed for this, and it was actually there all along. We just hadn’t known.
Uncle Edmund took his car and drove to the next town to fetch takeaway. He point-blank refused to buy from Penhaven. I’d calmed down after another hefty crying fit.
“How bad is social media?” I asked with dread in my stomach.
“There’re a few trolls. But most are condemning Cale and Penhaven.
Some piece of work filmed it from the moment Cale confronted you.
Believe me, he’s being roasted online. You, however, are very clearly the victim.
Even Serena’s been tagged as the cheating whore.
That old lady, her final comment got the most likes and comments. ”
“That is what it looks like when you break someone,” I repeated. “I bet I looked crazy.”
“A little, but it’s understandable why.”
“I want to see it. I can’t remember everything that happened.”
“Lyra…” Lia shook her head.
“No, show me.”
They all exchanged glances before Poppy pulled her phone out and brought it up. They were incorrect about the comments. There were thousands. Lia wasn’t wrong; a good eighty per cent were nice, but there were the trolls too. Those who found pleasure in others’ misfortune.
“It’s as bad as I remember,” I stated finally.
“We are having a girls’ night. What shall we watch?” Poppy said, grabbing my hand.
“No sappy love movies,” I requested with a bitter laugh.
“No, let’s go scorched earth,” Lia agreed.
“Carrie is great for that,” Thea suggested.
“And the First Wives Club. Then we’re going to work out how to destroy Serena and Cale,” Lia added.
“Wow, Lia, you’ve got a bloodthirsty streak,” Poppy gasped.
“Nobody hurts a Jasper woman and walks away,” Lia stated.
Grinning, I put my hand out, and Lia smacked hers on top. Poppy and Thea followed, and surprisingly, a warm male hand joined us.
“I can be an honorary member,” Uncle Edmund exclaimed as the smell of food flooded the living room.
“Definitely, Uncle Edmund.” I smiled.
As I said goodbye to Lia, Uncle Edmund and Poppy left too; Thea waited. As soon as I shut the door, she headed upstairs.
“Come out, ghosties!” Thea called.
“Thea!” I hissed.
Avery and William both appeared. William eyed Thea suspiciously, but he strode forward, materialising and wrapping me in his arms. “I watched over your shoulder. I could tear them apart,” he growled out.
Clinging to his jumper, tears welled up. “I’m okay.”
“You’re not. If either of them ever shows up here…” William let the threat hang.
“Well, this is all kinds of interesting and disturbing,” Thea said, grabbing a beanbag.
“Who are you?” Avery demanded, floating near her.
“I guess if Lyra’s your mum, then I’m your aunt.”
Avery turned to me with wide eyes.
“Avery, this is my cousin, Thea. You can call her Aunt Thea.”
“Someone really needs to explain,” Thea stated, amused.
“Mum, am I allowed to watch another movie?” Avery asked.
“Yes. Let me put the second choice on,” I said, taking the remote he handed me.
“The man has this suit made of metal, and it’s red, and he is capable of flying. And he is a superhero,” Avery told Thea.
“He’s one of my favourites, too. We’ll have to do a film weekend and watch them all,” Thea stated.
“Can we?” Avery went wide-eyed, and I laughed from where I stood in William’s embrace. He didn’t seem inclined to let me go, and I had no desire to move either.
“We can do what we want. Come on, kid, let’s get you set up.” Thea turned to me. “The office or the kitchen?”
“Kitchen. Avery isn’t allowed down there so won't listen in.”
Thea raised an eyebrow but didn’t say a word. Once we had settled Avery, we headed down to the kitchen.
“Start talking,” Thea ordered.
“Seems you’re keeping secrets too,” I challenged.
“Yup. Guess I am. Tell me yours, and I’ll share mine.” Thea winked.
William held me tighter. “It’s your decision.”
I studied Thea. I barely knew her, but we were family. My gut screamed that I could trust her.
“This is William Trelawny. He was the last keeper of Leafpoint and was one of the murdered keepers Mrs Penrose told us about.”