Blaine wraps his arms around her waist and rests his chin on top of her head. He smirks at all of us gathered in the bathroom. “Housing a stray cat in a pet free hotel? I think that’s frowned upon.”
“Shhh.” Eden reaches behind her and smacks his backend. “Like you’re a rule follower?”
She’s enchanting. Standing in the doorway with a light flush to her cheeks, her wavy blonde hair tied up in a knot on her head, the oversized t-shirt and loose pajama pants hide her figure, but she looks adorable. I jerk my head away when I realize I’ve been openly gawking at her since she appeared.
Matt herds everyone other than Hutton from the bathroom. I listen as Dean tells everyone more openly since Hutton is out of the room, “The testing they were doing… it was expanded genetic testing that looked at two hundred and eighty genetic conditions. They did blood draws and tests, physicals, sperm evaluation. Poking and prodding these ‘test subjects.’ Then it transitioned to brainwashing and erasing memories.” Dean rubs his eyes. “The brainwashing techniques started in some cases when the subjects were months old.”
My love of science led me to read hundreds of books about several subjects. The human mind is an anomaly in some respects. There is so much unknown about what it’s capable of. I shiver at the idea of torturing babies or children with the end goal being methods for warfare. I’m understanding more and more why Hutton’s behavior is contradictory.
Eden sits quietly, wiping tears from her eyes. “I have memories of a normal childhood before my mom started acting crazy. I really don’t think I… I think you’re wrong about me.” Matt massages her shoulders while Blaine holds her hand. I shouldn’t feel jealous that I can’t be there for her like that. But a part of me is. Dear Lord, please help me to trust your purpose for me. Let my life be a beacon guiding the lost to you. Almighty Lord, I submit myself to you. Amen.
“Be careful. We have no idea how far up or how deep this goes. Don’t talk to anyone else at your bureau office about it, stay alert.” Dean leaves after issuing that advice to Matt and gathering some of the evidence Hutton had for him.
“We have no idea who we should be watching out for,” Blaine says angerly. “Hey… it could be the front desk clerk, the wait staff, the uber driver…” He sneers. “How in the hell do you fight a faceless enemy?” He could have been kinder in his delivery, but he’s not wrong.
“It’s someone at Horizon Wellness Center, isn’t it? It would have to be,” I add. They would have to be there to carry out most of what happened since the study began. I’m scared for Keir. He’s back there and without any of us keeping a look out for him.
Matt’s face twists and then he sighs, “It wasn’t just one person. This was coordinated, planned out… it had to be multiple people.” That’s unsettling.
“Is Keir going to be safe? He’s there by himself right now.” I realize after saying it that Blaine never had a talk with Eden about him being back there. Matt groans and Blaine’s whole body stiffens.
She gasps and turns to me. “He’s awake? When?” Dropping Blaine’s hand, she jumps up. “We need to get back, right away. Did you just find out tonight?”
“I…” I look at Blaine. I didn’t mean to botch this up, but she never should have been in the dark about this. “I thought you were going to tell her?” Eden spins looking at him, with a fiery look on her face.
“Not again. Damnit, B.Not again. When did he wake up and why did you keep this from me?” She backs away from Blaine and Matt moving towards the hotel room door. “Tell me the damn truth, don’t keep anything out.”
He does just that. It’s heartbreaking watching her reaction. She doubles over and breaks down sobbing. “If you would have let me see him in the hospital… it could have been different.” It’s hard to understand her through the tears. Hutton joins me with a look of concern on his face as we watch it all unfold.
“No, it wouldn’t have been,” Blaine says softly while squatting down in front of her. “I was… I was just doing what I could to protect you.”
She springs back up in anger. “You’re full of shit. Protecting me from the truth? Didn’t we just have the same fight? B, did you want me to find this out when I saw him for the first time at the Center? I’m so fed up with you treating me like I’m some fragile and broken person.” I want to rush to her and enfold her in my arms. Watching her upset is horrible.
Hutton turns to Matt and Blaine. “Get out of my room.” I didn’t expect it, but he sounds like he’ll physically remove them if he must.
“Eden,” Matt pleads with her. “Too much has happened for us to fall apart over this. Please just let us explain.” He tries to hug her, and she shoves at his chest.
“Okay, explain it to me. Tell me how I was going to lose my mind over it,” she snaps at him. “Meanwhile, someone I care deeply about is struggling and I’m not there to support him. Tell me allll about it.” She backs up until she’s against the hotel door.
“That’s not fair. We were going to tell you yesterday, but a lot of shit happened. We weren’t going to let you stumble into the information.” He cuts an irritated look my way. “No one in this room thinks you’re fragile or broken. Not in the least. We knew how much you care about Keir and no one was excited to tell you he won’t remember you.” The last bit of information comes out choked.
“For what it’s worth… we all knew but thought telling you here was a better option. You could process it all before seeing him. If we told you in Illinois…” Blaine’s voice fades off. “Well, you’d run off to see him immediately.” Blaine moves towards her like she’s a wild animal. “Ed, you damn well know I love you. These other…” He looks around at us. “Less worthy guys…” He gives her a cocky smile. “Care about you, too.” Blaine’s spent a lot of time with me in the last week and I realize that he tries to defuse things with sarcasm instead of taking it seriously.
Eden shifts away from him. “I’m tired. I’ll stay by myself tonight.” She turns to me. “Can I have your keycard. You can room with one of the guys, right?” I agree by merely nodding. My mouth has gotten me into enough trouble tonight. Matt looks like he wants to argue with her, but Blaine shakes his head at him.
“Thanks.” She pockets the keycard and looks at everyone. “I’ll sleep on it. I have things to say, but I’d regret them later.” She hangs her head and says in a barely audible voice, “The most important thing right now is helping Keir. He needs us.”
33. EDEN
Like an exposed nerve, my body feels twitchy. I can’t get into a comfortable position and my mind is reeling. Because focusing on my issues is too overwhelming right now, I keep coming back to Keir’s regression. That starts the waterworks back up. It’s unfair. The fact he’s been through a childhood fraught with abuse… every kind of abuse, and now he’s reliving fresh loss.
I grab my purse and pull out the gift I found for him at a bookshop in the airport. It was small and insignificant, but held meaning for us. Now it’s pointless. I hold the book to my chest and let the tears stream down unfettered. Keir never doubted me when I told him about Embry, he was sweet without trying, and I’m worried the very essence of him will be different.
“Eden?” There’s a knock at the door. I sit up and debate whether to answer the door. I’m not sure how much Hutton knew, but he also isn’t much of a talker, so I’m curious what he’s got to say.
Opening the door to him, I step back with a gesture to come in. “I’m not in the mood for riddles,” I tell him as I close the door behind him. “What’s up?”
Hutton looks me over. He has a way of making me feel like every piece of me is on display. “I know you’ve remembered something, and I wanted to make sure you don’t tell anyone.” I get goosebumps on my arms. It’s his tone, the gravity of what he’s saying and the fact I’m ready to acknowledge that some of my dreams must be actual memories.
