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I pick up the two beers off the counter and walk through to the living room, handing one over to Carl who nods appreciatively at me.
“She was wearing this huge floppy hat no one could see around!” Jan exclaims, making Amelia laugh and look over at Carl who is playing with the label on his bottle, his expression drawn down into a frown.
“Dad?” she asks. “You okay?”
I take a pull on my beer as Carl shakes his head and gives her a strained smile. “Sure, sweetheart.” He looks over at Jan and she gives him a subtle nod. I frown at the way her muscles tense as she looks over at Amelia with a nervous expression.
“What’s going on?” I don’t miss the shake in Amelia’s voice before she looks over at me, her eyes pleading with me for… something.
I take her hand in mine as Carl places his beer bottle on the small table beside him and leans forward, lacing his fingers together. “I didn’t want to say anything until we knew for sure you were okay.”
“What?” She gasps. “What didn’t you want to say?”
I rub gentle circles into the back of her hand as Carl says, “I know your mom has kept you updated as well as the detective on the case, but I asked them if I could tell you myself.”
“Carl, what’s going on?” I ask when Amelia’s muscles tense up as she looks between her parents.
He looks at Amelia. “They’ve found Phoebe.”
A rush of air flows from her as she gasps, her hand covering her mouth. “They’ve… they’ve found her?” she stutters out, her eyes wide and her hands starting to shake. “Where is she?”
Jan moves closer and puts her hand on Amelia’s knee before pulling it back when Amelia narrows her eyes. “She’s… She was—”
“She’s dead,” Carl deadpans. “They found her body on New Year’s Day.”
“No.” Amelia pulls back completely, wheeling her chair back. “No, it can’t be true.”
I stand up, my gaze drifting from Carl’s to Amelia’s. “It’s over now, you can finally relax.”
“No!” Amelia shouts, her voice raw and full of emotion. “It’s not over because she hasn’t paid for what she’s done.” Her chest heaves as she continues to back away from us.
“I’m not for one minute condoning what she did, but… she wasn’t mentally well, sweetie, she was found in the baby’s room.” Jan pauses, closing her eyes before opening them again.
I start to walk toward Amelia as her shoulders sag, her head hanging in her hands.
“How?” She lifts her head, her eyes glassy. “How did she die?”
“She’s gone. That’s all you need to know,” Carl says, wrapping his arm around Jan as he comforts her.
A muscle tics in Amelia’s jaw as she grinds out, “No, that’s not all I need to know. What. Happened?”
“Lia…” Her head swings my way as I plead to her with my eyes to let it go.
“I…” Her voice breaks, the tears finally overflowing from her eyes as her face contorts in pain. “I have to know she’s really gone.”
It takes me three steps to reach her and as I do, I pull her into my chest, stroking her hair as I look at Carl, giving him the go-ahead to tell her.
His expression is torn as Jan shakes her head, walking down the hallway to get away from the conversation.
He finally sighs. “She hung herself in Avery’s room.”
Her hand clings to my shirt and Carl tries to walk over before thinking better of it and disappearing down the hallway after Jan.
I wrap my arms tighter around Amelia, crushing her to my chest as her sobs shake her body. “It’s alright, she’s gone now.” I kiss the top of her head. “She can’t hurt you anymore. It’s over.”
Her sobs become louder and more guttural at my words, her chest heaving on each one as she tries to catch her breath and all I can do is comfort her, picking her up and walking toward our bedroom.
She buries her face in my neck and I hold onto her tighter.
