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I pack away my worries and my fears about Lennon and how my mom is being treated. I don’t want my father to think I’m too invested in this visit, because he’s the kind of person who wouldn’t hesitate to rip it all away.
Just another day in Hell, folks.
My dad isn’t interested in small talk and neither am I, so I pull out my phone to scroll social media. Roark and Turner have dialed it back on oral in public places, and there’s actually an article asking if there’s any issues in paradise now that Lennon isn’t in the picture.
Apparently we can’t win either way with the media. Snorting, I roll my eyes as I finish reading the article.
“Your phone won’t work at Hidden Hills,” my father speaks up as he makes a turn down another side road. “You’ll probably lose signal soon because there aren’t any cell towers once we get closer to the hospital.”
My eyes widen just a touch, enough for him to notice as he looks over at me. I’m surprised he’s sharing this information with me more than the lack of cell towers. It’s actually really fucking brilliant and easy enough for them to manipulate so they stay isolated.
“Which part are you surprised by?” he smirks.
“Isolation from cell phone towers is really smart. It ensures privacy for patients and employees can’t fuck around on their phones,” I tell him honestly.
Nodding, he looks proud of himself as he pulls up to an ornate black gate. Orion said he couldn’t see much when he came, but it’s mid morning as my father and I arrive.
Rolling down the window with the button, my father turns to the guard.
Blinking, the guard stutters as he sees who is in the car. “Uh, hello, Sir. No one told me you’d be coming today.”
Shrugging, my father isn’t upset. “Dr. Xavier and the nurses know. My son is here to see his mother and I have work to oversee.”
Nodding, the guard doesn’t dare question him as he hastily pushes the gate button to let us in. Holding in my eye roll at how skittish he is, I turn my head to take in the grounds. The driveway up is long and curving, with pretty canopy trees on either side providing shade over the car as we drive up.
It would actually be really pretty if I didn’t know the truth. Somewhere inside these walls Lennon is being held and tortured, and I need to get this damn address so we can get her out. It’s incredibly frustrating how secretive these people are about the location of Hidden Hills.
And absolutely genius too.
My father parks in front of the building in a parking spot that states,Directorand turns off the car. Following his lead, I climb out, continuing to catalog my surroundings without my father noticing.
“Shit,” I mutter, turning quickly before my dad locks the car. I really did drive out to my Aunt Rose’s house to grab my mother’s favorite blanket last weekend before I knew I was coming today. She gave me the biggest hug when she saw me, not asking any questions.
Aunt Rose had a sadness surrounding her now that she lives alone, and I wonder if my mom was planning to move out soon if she had someone else. It’s possible I’ll never know. Blanket in my hands, I close the door behind me.
The entire area is surrounded by this black gate, the land expansive. Walking up the steps to the pretty, unassuming blue front door, I hold back my surprise that they aren’t the sliding glass doors I think most hospitals have. However, this is a locked down unit, and therefore not a normal hospital where people come and go. No, the only people who leave here are those who are employed by the hospital.
My father opens the door, and I take in the pretty gray and blue front room as I walk into it. Locking the door behind him, my father’s legs eat up the hallway, but I easily keep up with him. Being tall has its advantages.
The hospital seems to be quiet. I don’t see many patients until my father stops in front of a sun-lit living area.
“Derek is here to see Marian,” he says to the nurse. Glancing at her name badge, I see her name is Imelda. “Please be sure he has a good visit with her. Derek, your mother enjoys the gardens, but she hasn’t been well enough to be outside to walk them for awhile.”
More like you probably drugged her so much she had trouble knowing her own name.My father is a monster who needs to die as soon as I can arrange it. I anticipate how sweet his screams will be, more and more unbothered by how bloodthirsty I’ve become. Nothing else matters other than Lennon’s safety and killing the people who have hurt her.
Nodding at my father, I smile at Nurse Imelda. She seems nice, and I can only hope she’s not someone who hurts these patients. I’m going to start second-guessing my gut instincts if she is.
“I’ll see you later, Dad,” I tell him and he nods sharply as he walks away. A man is waiting for him in gray trousers and a white shirt under his lab coat. I wonder if that’s Xav or another ‘doctor’ that’s working here. I can’t be respectful of anyone who works here, not knowing the sham this place is.
My mother is sitting by a window as I follow Nurse Imelda into the sun-lit room. It’s warm and inviting, and easy to imagine it’s an environment for healing. However, the woman beside her is clearly medicated as she falls asleep in her chair.
I can’t imagine any of the people here actually should be here, and I’ll continue to think that until I receive actual proof.
“Hey, Mom,” I say softly, just to get her attention. Her eyes are longingly on the outside flowers, and I’m glad my father gave his blessing for me to walk with her out there. My mom loves gardening and the outdoors, and this sterile environment has to be making her stir-crazy.
Startling, she turns, her eyes brightening as she sees me. “Derek?” she whispers.
“No one told you I was coming?” I ask. I wish someone had prepared her for my visit, then again if my father had decided not to come that would have been soul-crushing.
