Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81867 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 409(@200wpm)___ 327(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
I got Juniper settled into her room with instructions for her to rest up. I assured her that she could order whatever she wanted from room service and I asked her not to leave without me by her side. I don’t know the lengths Joshua may go to hurt her, but I’ve seen the physical proof that he’s not afraid to dole out pain. She had no problems agreeing to my requests, insisting she had actual work to do. When I left her, she was sitting in front of her laptop, seemingly able to put the nastiness aside and concentrate on the tasks before her.
I always admired that about Juniper, the strength and resilience that make up her core. It’s why it’s still hard for me to reconcile her ever staying with someone like Joshua, but I honestly can’t fathom the dark depths to which she’s probably sunk in recent years. I know Joshua’s financial hold over her dad’s medical situation was instrumental, but there’s no doubt that Juniper has probably been slowly groomed to accept this lot in life.
I’m struggling with guilt when I consider the possibility that I pushed her right into that position. By refusing to commit the way she needed me to made her easy pickings for someone like my stepbrother. I was so sure I was making the best decision for us both, but I was being a stubborn, self-centered asshole when I wouldn’t budge an inch once she laid down her ultimatum.
Biggest fucking mistake of my life. Not only did I pay for it because I’ve never had anything remotely close to what I had with Juniper, she’s paid for it ten times over.
I try to push those thoughts away as I enter the hospital. I have no clue if Preston is here, but he’s had plenty of time to visit since I saw him this morning. Truth be told, part of me hopes he’s in the room so I can confront him on his supposed treachery but deep down, I know that’s not smart. I don’t want him to have any clue that I suspect a thing. I most definitely don’t want him to know I know there’s no video of my mother’s fall.
However, now that Joshua knows I’m involved with Juniper’s escape from that life, if they’re smart, they’ll watch the feed from today and know I was at the house. They’ll know Juniper and I went into that IT room. I have to figure out how to play this.
When I reach the nurses’ station, I check in to see if the doctor has made any further rounds. I glean that my stepdad was indeed here to visit but left over half an hour ago. Guessing he didn’t stay long.
I’m glad to see my mother sitting up in bed, working on a bowl of soup before her. She smiles when I walk in.
“How are you feeling?” I ask as I pull a chair alongside her bed.
“Like someone was rooting around in my brain.” She grimaces but it’s said with good nature.
I study her critically, notice she has more color in her cheeks, although the massive bandage on the side of her head lends an aura of frailty. It’s a reminder she did just have brain surgery. “You look better than you did even this morning.”
“You just missed Preston,” she says, her smile lighting up, and it makes my insides boil. While I’m confident beyond measure that Juniper has no tender feelings for Joshua, my mom still loves her husband, no matter what he’s done to her in the past.
The doctor said that she should be able to go home in a few days, which doesn’t leave me a lot of time to figure things out. I know this may not be the absolute best time, but I’m going to take advantage of my mom feeling better right now.
“Mom,” I begin, and her eyes leave the soup bowl and come to me. “I’m going to ask one more time… did Preston do this to you?”
Anger suffuses her face and she tosses her spoon down. “You’ve already asked that and I’ve told you he didn’t.”
“Then was it Joshua?” I ask.
My mom blinks in surprise. “Joshua? No. Why would you even think that?”
Because he beats his wife too, that’s why.
I scoot my chair closer and take her hand in mine. She tries to tug it away because I know she doesn’t like me pushing this. She’s trying to create distance in our mother-and-son bond, which is tenuous at times.
“I went to the house this morning and Juniper helped me look at the security recording of the patio.” My mom’s hand twitches against mine and I don’t say anything further.
I let the silence hang heavy enough that she needs to fill the void. It’s a horrible trick, but I need the truth.