Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 89840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89840 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 449(@200wpm)___ 359(@250wpm)___ 299(@300wpm)
Prior to this plan, I was numb for months. I was lost and confused and afraid. But getting to this point, despite the hiccups, has given me a strength I never knew I had.
“And now we wait,” Shavonne had said when I’d finished sobbing like a baby in the motel. We both laughed, then we went to Cook Out and bought ourselves burgers and shakes. It was the best burger and shake I’d ever had—a victory meal we both deserved.
I turn off the screen of my phone and stare ahead at the lake. It’s early spring, butterflies flutter by, and the emerald water ripples beneath the sun. The sun feels good on my skin, giving me a sheer reminder that I’m here. That I made it.
No longer do I have to carry that massive weight on my shoulders.
No longer do I have to hide.
I won. I finally won.
SIXTY-EIGHT
JOLENE
It’s been a month since Dominic’s sentence, and I feel like an entirely different person. There is no fear inside me or worries over what I eat. In fact, I’m eating an oversized chocolate chip cookie right now as I sit in a café called Monet’s and wait for the person I’ve agreed to meet.
It’s astounding what comes from having a husband—well, ex-husband—like mine. You think your life will be worse without them but ever since Dominic was found in that cabin, I received way more attention for his horrible acts and my stress has dwindled. Publishers wanted me to write books for them for millions of dollars, talk show hosts wanted me to come on for interviews. Is it bad to say I took them all? I did, and it felt amazing getting so much of what Dominic had done off my chest, but I didn’t do it without crediting Brynn and Shavonne. They should’ve been the people receiving all the praise, not me, but I will get to that as soon as the person I’m seeing arrives.
As I sip my chai, the door of the café opens and a lean woman in jeans and a lavender T-shirt walks into the shop with a young boy’s hand in hers. Her hair is piled into a neat curly bun, and she wears small pearls in each ear. She stops when the door closes and scans the restaurant, and I wave a hand for her to see me. When she does, she presses her lips, then grips the boy’s hand as she weaves through the tables with a slight limp.
As they approach, I can’t help seeing the resemblance of Dominic in the boy. He has his eyes and nose. Even his ears are like Dominic’s, but he has his mom’s mouth and almond skin tone.
Michelle Dawson stops at my table and pulls one of the chairs back for the boy to sit on. When he does, he grins at me and rests his forearms on the tabletop.
“Hi,” he says meekly.
My heart snags a beat and I can’t help smiling at the sweet sound of his voice. “Hi.”
Michelle claims the seat beside him and wedges her hands between her thighs. “Thank you for meeting me, and I’m so sorry we’re late,” she murmurs.
“It’s no problem.” I wave a hand. “You’re a mom. You have your hands full.”
She smiles, then glances at her son. “He loves this café.”
“What’s your name?” I ask the little boy.
“My name’s Elijah,” he says proudly. “What’s yours?” He’s six years old now and very well spoken. Pretty sure he gets that from his father. Michelle wasn’t really much of a speaker.
“I’m Jo. Would you like a cookie, Elijah?” I ask.
“Yes, please!” he cheers.
I give him one of the two cookies I ordered. I ordered an extra one on purpose, just to have something to give him and something that proves I didn’t come here fueled with animosity. He unwraps the cookie and digs right in and Michelle asks him, “What do you say, Lijah?”
“Oh—thank you, Jo,” Elijah responds, grinning with chocolate bits in his teeth.
I can’t help laughing at the sight of it. Adorable. He really is and though it pained me to know Dominic had a whole child with someone else, there was no way I could take anything out on this boy. He’s so handsome and kind and besides, I’m not evil like my ex. For awful parents, they sure have done a good job raising him. Or perhaps that’s all Michelle. Perhaps she’s changed, and a little part of me believes that, and it’s that part of me that’s willing to sit right across from her all these years later.
I watch her dig into her purse and pull out her cellphone. She hands it to Elijah who grins and says, “Thank you, Mommy!” before unlocking it with ease and opening the YouTube app.
While Elijah is watching a video and nibbling on the cookie, I shift my gaze to Michelle. “You know, I almost didn’t bother coming here.”