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Finn’s face falls, his lips forming into a thin line as he tries to hold back.
“Just say it.”
“She’s delicate. She’s had a lot of shit happen in the last seven months. I agree that you should be upset, but try to reel it in. If you love her like you say, then calm the fuck down and be ready to hear her out.”
“I’ll hear her out, but then she’s got some explaining to do.”
We ride in silence except for me giving him directions on her route. My hands threaten to crush the computer when she pulls into the rehabilitation center.
We’re too late for me to join her. Finn parks and looks at me expectantly.
“We wait.”
“Yeah,” he sighs. “We wait. And if I know you two, she’ll be walking funny tomorrow. You seriously should have warned me about the thin walls in the condo.”
I smile and laugh for the first time in days. He’s not kidding; Ember will be feeling me with each step tomorrow.
Chapter 39
Dade
Ember
The inside of the facility is nothing like I expected. In my mind, I figured it would be a bit more clinical, not as welcoming and cheery. The lobby is full of people sitting around on leather couches, talking and laughing. There’s an entire kitchenette stocked with snacks and drinks. It resembles a cafeteria, not a place where people with drug and alcohol problems would sit around and discuss their addictions.
The receptionist is friendly when I explain this is a surprise visit to my sister. She asks if we’d like to sit and talk in the lobby or a private room. I opt for the private room. A member of the staff takes me to a room and goes through my purse to ensure I didn’t sneak in anything that violates the rules. Once she’s satisfied, she leads me to another room with a small sofa and table with two chairs. She’s about to leave when I find my voice.
“Can I ask you a question?”
She turns and nods.
“I’ve never been in a place like this before, so it may sound stupid, but how are those families meeting in the lobby? Aren’t there rules or something?”
Her smile is warm. “Yes, there are rules, but in here, we recognize that addictions are illnesses. We also work hard to treat these illnesses so that the patients can feel comfortable in an open environment. Those families you saw are spending their time talking, laughing, and enjoying each other outside of a treatment or therapy room. This is an exercise that will help transition them to their homes when they leave. Most of them are trying to participate in normal activities to help beat down the need to use. It’s a different kind of therapy that not everyone chooses. I don’t know your sister or your situation, but maybe one day that will be you out there.”
Not in this lifetime, I say to myself.
She leaves the room with another warm smile. My hands shake nervously, not because I’m scared of facing Natalie, but because I lied to Robbie. He asked me several times to share with him what was on my mind and I came up with excuses. His questioning this morning almost crumbled my resolve, but because he’s in danger, this is my last resort.
The doors open, and Natalie walks in. When her eyes meet mine, they grow wide. I take in her appearance and notice she looks much healthier than the afternoon in the parking lot. Her face is no longer pale and ashen. She has color to her cheeks, and the minimal make-up looks nice. The clothes she wears fit her body instead of hanging.
I’m so busy doing a body scan, I don’t notice the air in the room change. When my eyes meet her gaze, a chill runs up my spine.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were Mom.”
“We need to talk.”
“About what exactly?”
“About what? How about the fact you laid your debt at my feet and now people I love are being threatened? I don’t have the money to cover your ass.”
She rolls her eyes and leans against the wall. “Don’t shit me, Ember. You have the money. I had no choice but to tell him about you”
“What do you mean, you had no choice? There’s always a choice!”
“You’re so naïve. See, some things don’t change. Just pay the money.”
“You don’t seem to understand. I. Don’t. Have. The. Money! I got the first half together, but that’s it.”
