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“Come out of the car and do it.” Alex sounded slightly less agitated as she began getting her way.
“No,” Ben pleaded. “She has a gun and want’s you dead. You can’t go out there.”
“Mick?” Paisley asked in a shaky voice. “I’m calling Sway.”
“Come out,” Mick said reluctantly, keeping his gun pointed at Alex and gesturing with his other hand for Paisley to stand behind him. She didn’t want any more human shields. But these men were determined. Ben stepped in front of her as well and she knew she wouldn’t be able to convince them to move.
Paisley's hands trembled as she dialed Sway's number, the fear of what might happen weighing heavily on her. Sway picked up, and she could hear the concern in his voice.
"Are you ok?” Sway asked, his voice grave with concern. “I saw the press conference. I had no idea what you were dealing with.”
“I’m fine, but I’m calling because this involves you.”
“Me?” Sway asked nervously. “What do I have to do with it?”
“Let me talk to him," Alex shrieked. “I want to talk to him.”
“Who is that?” Sway sounded like he might hang up if she didn’t start explaining.
“This is Alex. She’s someone who follows your career closely,” Paisley edged out tentatively. “She’s worried that we’re still together or might get back together. She’s very upset. Do you understand?”
There was a long pause on the other end of the line and Paisley worried that he was going to say the wrong thing. That he might infuriate Alex and one of these people would get killed in the process.
“Ask him if he loves you?”
“Do you love me Sway?” Paisley gulped out.
“No.” Sway answered without hesitation this time. “We aren’t meant for each other. Our timing was off and then it made me realize if we were really supposed to be together we’d have made our schedules work no matter what. I don’t love you.”
Paisley held up the phone as if to indicate Alex had gotten what she wanted. She clicked the button to hang up and then held her breath.
“He doesn’t love you?” Alex asked with a smile. “You’re not meant for each other.”
“It’s over between Sway and I. He doesn’t love me or want to be together.” Paisley watched Alex’s hand lower, the gun moving down to her side. She looked both manic and relieved and for the first time Paisley mustered up the slightest bit of empathy. This was a deranged woman who’d mobilized other people to do these terrible things.
Before Paisley could process the moment, Mick approached Alex cautiously. Ben hadn’t moved from creating a wall between Paisley and Alex. With swift precision, Mick disarmed her. Surprisingly, the fight was gone from her. She looked like she might fall to her knees or open her arms for a hug. But a moment later King was on her, zip tying her hands together and sitting her gently down on the grass.
The police sirens and commotion seemed to run on forever. They’d all given statements. Background information. Hung around and waited.
After what felt like forever, Paisley found herself alone at Doug’s grave. It seemed impossible to imagine he was gone. That she’d lost every opportunity to talk with him again. To live her life with him by her side. She spoke softly to him, apologizing for the danger she had brought upon herself and her friends.
“I’m sorry, Doug,” Paisley whispered, tears flowing freely. “But thank you for calling Carmen. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have met Ben. I wouldn’t have survived.”
“I only wish he had too,” Doug’s mother said, wiping at her eyes as she stepped to Paisley’s side. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“I’m so sorry,” Paisley gasped. “I waited until you were all done here before coming over. I wasn’t trying to intrude.”
“He’d be furious with me for asking you not to come. I know he’d have wanted you there.”
“Did the police call you and tell you they have people in custody? I think we’ll have answers soon. I know that doesn’t really matter. We don’t get Doug back.”
“It matters,” his mother whispered. “I don’t know how I’m going to go on, but hating you hasn’t helped yet. I don’t feel better for how we treated you, I feel worse.”
“This was my fault,” Paisley sniffled. “I should have done more to protect us.”
“He wouldn’t have wanted that night to go the other way. If you’d have eaten that soup before him, he’d have never been able to live with himself. He wanted you safe and happy. He wanted you to have the world because he loved you. I’m trying to hold on to that. It was the best part of Doug. I can’t pretend it’s not his legacy. He’d want you to be ok. He’d want me to forgive you.”
“It doesn’t have to be right now,” Paisley suggested. “I understand if you need to be angry. I can take it.”
