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“No. Freddy’s mentioned her a few times.”
“When you’re up to it, we’ll all go shopping at Leather and Ink,” Rachel promised. “You’ll love her store.”
“Can’t wait,” I said.
“There’s strawberry rhubarb pie for dessert.” Joni left the picnic basket next to my bedside. “There’s also banana and chocolate cream pie in there. And chocolate chip cookies.”
“Calorie dense foods. I appreciate it. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Joni said.
“Has anyone seen or talked to Freddy?” I inquired.
Mia looked at Joni and then me. “I’ve spoken with her. She feels like this is her fault. If she hadn’t jumped behind the bar, she would’ve been hanging out with you. You wouldn’t have gotten abduct—” She flinched. “Sorry.”
“Do me a favor, okay?” I asked.
Her eyes were wary. “What?”
“None of this is your fault or Freddy’s fault, or even my fault. Okay? So, let’s stop talking around what happened or apologizing for things that can’t be changed. I’ll talk to Boxer and when I can, I’ll level with all of you.”
“If that’s what you want,” Darcy said. “Because again, we’re not pressuring you to—”
“I know. Jeez, I know. You guys have been…” I searched for the right word. “Wonderful. There’s just a lot of moving parts to all this. Okay?”
They nodded, and one by one, they left the room until it was just me and Mia.
“You want to talk to Boxer?” Mia asked me.
“Want?” I sighed. “No. Should? Yes.”
“It’s my turn to ask something from you,” Mia said.
“Go on.”
“Boxer. He loves you. He’d kill for you. Remember that when you talk to him.”
* * *
The food and the company restored me on a level I didn’t expect. The Old Ladies had helped lift my spirits. It would be a long time before I felt any semblance of normalcy, but they were there for me.
My hand began to throb. I was due for another morphine drip, but I wasn’t sure I wanted it anymore. I didn’t like the physical pain of my injuries—but I was slowly beginning to realize that I didn’t like the idea of falling through the cracks that Dante had created inside me either.
It would be far too easy to escape into an addiction.
For the first time ever, I understood the appeal.
But I also recognized the danger.
I’d no longer judge those that had fallen because they’d been cut off at the knees instead of living fortunate lives.
It began to rain. A light drizzle rapped against the glass of the hospital window, but the afternoon sun steadfastly attempted to batter its way through the dark clouds. There was something so incredibly soothing about the weather. The angry rumble of thunder in the distance. The flash of lightning that lit up the sky. I wasn’t one for symbolism or poetry, but I couldn’t help but smile at the irony of it.
The opening of the door alerted me that he was here.
I felt him.
He was everywhere. Overwhelming with his presence.
