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“They are.”
“Good . . . good . . . take care of my girl.”
None of them answered and her father awkwardly nodded and walked back inside.
And that’s when her legs gave way.
60
Jameson held open the door to the hotel room for the three of them.
After her father left them, Maggie had basically collapsed. Their ride had arrived and Ian had carried her over to it. The driver had even asked if they wanted to go to the hospital.
When they’d gotten at the hotel, he’d taken care of everything so that Ian and Jack could take care of her.
Jack paced back and forth as Ian sat on the sofa with Maggie in his arms.
Jameson didn’t like how still she was. She was getting overwhelmed. And with good reason. Her family were awful and he knew a thing or two about terrible families.
“They’re the reason that being called a disappointment is a hard limit,” Jack said.
It wasn’t a question.
“Uh, yeah. We never had a lot. We were okay, but we still had to watch what we spent. Anything spare went into my skating. Lessons, outfits, equipment. All of it was a sacrifice. And I know it because they told me all the time. It’s the reason that my brother and sister don’t like me much. They resent what they missed out on. It wasn’t cheap, but it was all meant to be worth it. Because I was going to be so successful, famous. And then I selfishly threw it all away. Their big chance at being something. All the things they’d given up for me. I failed.”
She paused as though waiting for their agreement.
“Exactly how did you throw it away, Little Misfit?” Ian asked in a soft voice, his finger brushing her cheek.
They all knew about her car accident, but that’s all it was, right? An accident?
“Isn’t it obvious? I got into that car. I shouldn’t have been at that party, but I snuck out of home. I wasn’t supposed to go to parties.”
Jameson frowned. “Weren’t you around twenty?”
“Yes, but . . . I still lived at home. I didn’t have a job. And I agreed to the rules, it’s just . . . it was starting to feel like I never had fun. Skating was all I’d known for so long. Anyway, the car crashed. I broke my hip, and bye-bye went my chances at the Olympics. Everything down the drain.”
“Was the crash your fault?” Ian asked carefully. “Were you speeding? Drunk?”
“What? No! I wasn’t even driving. My boyfriend was driving too fast for the conditions. My mum had discovered I was out and had started texting me. He was trying to get me home as quickly as possible. He wasn’t a bad guy. He came out pretty unscathed. But . . . I shouldn’t have been in the car in the first place.”
“Little Misfit,” Ian said, tilting her face back with his finger under her chin. “It was an accident. It wasn’t your fault. And you are allowed to have fun. Do you ever think that maybe if your parents had let you do other things, you wouldn’t have had to sneak out? If she hadn’t been texting you, urging you to get home that he wouldn’t have sped? Not that it’s any excuse for taking risks when he had precious cargo in the car.”
“I guess . . . maybe.” She frowned, looking bewildered.
“It was an accident.” Jack kneeled in front of the two of them. “They have no right to make you feel bad for something that was out of your control.”
“It’s not like you wanted to get into an accident, shatter your hip, and give up your chance to go to the Olympics,” Ian said harshly. “The way they talked to you . . . it was unacceptable.”
“I want to ruin them,” Jack said, his hands curling into fists.
“No! No, Jack. Please, just . . . just leave them alone. I think it’s better this way. For me to cut all ties. Every time they call or text, I get so anxious. I think that’s part of the reason I pull my hair out.”
“I fucking hate that they made you feel this way,” Ian snarled.
Jameson walked over and crouched next to Jack. “Hey, sweetheart.” He took hold of her hand and she latched on hard. He kept his voice calm. That’s what she needed right now. “I know a thing or two about shitty parents. We are going to get you through this. You have people around you who are on your side. Understand?”
She breathed out a sigh, giving him a tremulous smile. There were dark rings under her eyes despite her nap earlier on the plane.
