Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39538 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Teardrops splattered on the thin piece of paper she was holding. There was nothing mature about the girl, not the clothes she was wearing, the makeup applied with a teen’s heavy hand, nor the frightened way she looked at the camera.
Dr. Price pushed the file toward her. “My grandfather made photocopies of your file in case you wanted to sue. He mailed it to you several times, but you kept sending it back.”
Megan didn’t reach for the file. “I was afraid.”
“Why?”
“I was afraid it would show I was the one responsible for my child’s death.”
“Yet you just asked.”
Megan gave him a wry smile. “I figured if I flipped out again, you would know what to do. You would just get me readmitted to the mental care hospital Curt sent me to before.”
Dr. Price scowled. “I would never have sent you to the place Curt had you committed to.”
“I don’t understand why not. Innova Wellness Hospital treated me extremely well. I was completely—”
Megan broke off when Dr. Price started shaking his head.
“Curt had you committed to Revital Mental Hospital. Basically, it has …”
“Tell me,” Megan urged. She could see he was hesitant about what to tell her.
“Let me put it this way: Revital patients are mainly kept sedated, not treated.”
Why was she not surprised?
“Then how do I not remember Revital?”
“In all likelihood, it’s due to the medication you were prescribed there.”
“So, Curt must have seen the hospital wasn’t good and had me moved.” That did surprise her. At least Curt had done one good thing for her before he died.
Again, Dr. Price shook his head. “Curt wasn’t the one who had you moved. Winter James hired Diamond Bates to take over your guardianship.”
“The sheriff’s wife?”
“Yes. After Curt’s death, Winter James contacted your parents and asked them to assign Diamond guardianship. The Last Riders also agreed to pay any medical and living costs you needed until you were able to manage on your own.”
It was a good thing she was sitting.
Megan buried her face in her hands. “I thought they wanted to kill me,” she sobbed. Then, gathering herself, she wiped her tears away.
“What I told you is common knowledge. Around that time, your parents must have told some of their friends in town, and gossip spread. I would hazard to guess the James aren’t ready to be buddy-buddy with you, but I suspect Winter had more to do with it than Viper. She’s selfless where her students are concerned.”
Her eyes shied away from his. “Mrs. James is a woman I could never be in a million years.”
“Nor could Winter ever be like you.”
Megan gave an ironic laugh. “That’s for sure.”
“Ah … you’re missing my point.”
“That’s where you’re wrong.” Megan stood and moved to where she had left the delivery bag sitting by the window. “I do get your point. Everyone’s different—I get that. Let me rephrase what I said. Mrs. James is the type of woman I could never be. Mrs. James proves she’s selfless every day. She’s a prominent member of Treepoint’s community. I could walk out this door and stop the first person I come to and ask what selfless act she has done for them. However, if I asked the same person about me”—Megan placed her hand on her chest—“they would laugh their head off. I’ve taken care of Megan first when I’ve been put to the test. I really dislike that about myself—I really do. I’ve been working to change that characteristic about myself, but even if I succeed, I would never be able to reach the level of Mrs. James.”
Seeing Dr. Price was going to argue further, she gestured to his food sitting uneaten on his desk. “I’m going to refund you the money for your food. I’m sure it’s ice-cold by now.” Moving to the door, she called out over her shoulder, “Have a good one!”
As she left the hospital, she didn’t hear a single “Jingle Bells” in her head like she had when she arrived. Other lyrics came to her mind, slower, which would keep her in the holiday mood. She hummed “Hard Candy Christmas” as she took out her phone in her car to refund Dr. Price’s order.
Dolly had the right idea. She wasn’t going to let past sorrow ruin her holiday. She had looked forward to tomorrow’s date with Cole all day. Her balloon had weathered the dark skies with Dr. Price. It had been a shaky journey, but it survived. All in all, it had been an okay day. Her sanity survived intact.
Megan stopped humming.
“You know, Dolly, suddenly, I’m in the mood for a candy bar.”
Fourteen
Awkwardly, Megan waited outside her hotel room for Cole to arrive. She had spent a restless night arguing with herself on whether to cancel their date, aware it wasn’t the responsible thing to do, considering she was still getting on her feet and there might have been an attempt on her life. After replaying what Dr. Price had revealed to her the day before about The Last Riders, however, she no longer believed they wanted payback. Whoever had nearly struck her must have been coming from Mick’s or overindulged at a Christmas party.