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Rushing over to the side of my bed, she throws her arms around me in a tight embrace. Wincing slightly from the pain in my shoulder, I let her. I know she needs to do this, and I sit and wait until she’s finished. “Mom, I’m fine,’ I assure her.
“Look what that bastard did to you,” she says, still sobbing. “I can’t believe I ever . . .” she trails off.
“Mom, please. I’m fine. See?”
“I hope he gets everything he deserves.” Mom drags a chair toward my bed and takes a seat. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay Chase for saving you.”
“You don’t have to.”
“If it weren’t for him—”
“Mom,” I sit up in bed so I can see her while we talk, “I’m fine.”
“I’m selling the beach house,” she blurts.
“What?”
“I can’t go back there, not with knowing what happened.”
“But Dad bought that house. Are you sure?”
She looks at me for a moment and smiles. “You’ve been right all along. I’ve been so obsessed with my grief over losing your father, I wasn’t able to see what was right in front of me. We had so many wonderful years together, I don’t need to hold on to anything to remember that. He’ll always be here,” she says, placing her hand over her heart.
“Okay. If that’s what you want.”
“It is.” Standing, she gives me another hug. “There’s someone else out there who wants to see you, and if I don’t let her in soon—”
“Brenda?”
“In the flesh,” I hear from
just outside the door.
“I love you,” Mom whispers before she leaves.
“Olivia Nicole Barrett,” Brenda scolds as she walks in.
“Hi,” I say, not sure I’m ready for a Brenda inquisition.
“What. The. Fuck?” is all she can manage.
“Yeah, I know.”
“No, really? How did we not see that Evan was a fucking nut job? I mean, clearly he’s certifiable.”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, it’s a good thing he’s surrounded by police or I would kill him myself.”
“Surrounded by police?
“Yeah, you didn’t know? He’s here, in this hospital. Chase really did a number on him. He’s in intensive care.” I envision their fight on the dock and me calling out to Chase. “What?” Brenda asks, sensing I’m not with her.
“Nothing.”
“A friend of mine is with the district attorney’s office. I heard they’re charging him with kidnapping, assault, battery, rape, and attempted murder.”
“Attempted murder?”
