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And as we leave, I wonder if it's the last time I will ever see Sergio.
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CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR
Eden
The chairI’m sitting in beside Starla scrapes the floor as I shift a little closer to her. She's sleeping again, but she opened her eyes long enough to see me there. "Tell them I said thank you," she said, in a little voice.
Now that I've spent so much time around vibrant, healthy people, Starla looks so pale and sickly. What I wouldn't give to make her a good meal.
But she’s here. And she’ll be okay.
Starla has four broken ribs, and lacerations on her back, arms, and legs. She's aware that she was rescued, and that she's in a hospital. She has bruises on her jaw, but she's otherwise unharmed. At least that's what the doctor said. I know better.
Physical pain is only one form of harm.
I sit beside her and hold her hand until the sun sets outside the window, and Gloria comes to see me. Starla hasn’t woken since earlier.
"We're taking you back to Boston."
I shake my head. I swallow. "No."
She looks at me curiously. "What do you mean, no? We have better hospitals there, Eden. She'll have the best care possible. You'll be able to come back, and everyone there can—"
"I'm not going back,” I say quietly. “I don't belong there. We are so grateful for everything all of you have done, but I can't go back."
Gloria gives me a long look, and finally nods. She places her hand on my shoulder and squeezes it. "Stay strong, Eden."
I think I fall asleep in the chair. Because the next thing I know, I’m opening my eyes and the sun has fully set. I know before I fully look around the room that Starla and I are not alone.
She’s still asleep. They gave her medication for the pain, and it makes her drowsy. I'm glad she's sleeping, safe where no one and nothing can hurt her. I wish I could keep her in a safe place.
Sergio stands in the doorway. He looks tired but vindicated.
"Hi." My voice sounds as weary as I feel. "Did you do what you… planned?"
"No," he says, with a chill in his voice I've come to recognize as barely contained anger. "If I did what I wanted he’d still be alive so I could hurt him all over again."
Oh, boy.
"Is he gone then?"
"Hopefully to Hell where he belongs."
It doesn't give me the relief I hoped it would. It saddens me that someone could be so cruel and live his one life on earth the way he did.
I expected to feel sadness at knowing they are all gone. But I don't. I didn't have any love in my heart for any of them, not even my father.
When I think about him being gone… actually, finally gone… that's when I feel final relief.
It’s a strange place to be. Relieved but anxious. Hopeful but sad.
Sergio crosses the room and sits next to me. I notice he's carrying a plastic grocery bag. He takes out a bottle of water, opens it with one twist of his strong, capable hands, and passes it to me. "Drink."
I obey, grateful for the cold, refreshing liquid. I don't remember the last time I had anything to drink.
Once there's water in me, I realize I'm starving. Sergio reaches into the bag again, pulls out a cellophane-wrapped packaged and hands it to me. "Eat."
