Page 7 of If You Love Me

“Why?”

“Because you are an awesome little girl. I bet your mommy was awesome too.”

She smiled and squeezed my hand. I tried my hardest to be the supportive wife and stepmother I would soon be. Even though she didn’t remember her mother, Tyrion kept pictures of her around the house and spoke to Summer about her mother often. He kept her memory alive, even if he wasn’t sure if she was.

We pulled into the parking lot a few minutes later. I grabbed my bag, and Summer threw on her backpack before we got out. Jersey was waiting at the entrance just as she promised, and sowas her mother, Nina. While we spoke casually to each other, Nina and I weren’t exactly friends. We spoke to each other and celebrated things when it came to Summer, but we weren’t hanging out.

She wasn’t someone I’d call for advice or tell my biggest secrets to. We had a mutual respect and understanding. She and I shared a love of Tyrion and Summer Rose, but it was clear that her loyalty was with her former best friend. She was never disrespectful, but I knew we’d never be close, and I was okay with that.

They smiled and waved as we approached them.

“Hey, baby!” she exclaimed, scooping Summer Rose up into a hug. “You look so pretty!”

“Thank you, TiTi. Hey, Jersey.”

“Hey, Summer.”

I smiled as I extended my hand to Nina. “Good morning.”

She returned the smile. “Good morning. All right girls, give me a big hug and go on inside. I don’t want you to be late.”

They both gave her a tight squeeze before giving me one as well and hurrying inside.

“They grew up way too fast,” Nina commented.

“They did.”

She turned to me. “How was Tyrion this morning?”

“He cried before he woke her up.”

Nina shook her head. “I figured as much. I’ll call and check on him later.”

“Okay.”

“Have a good first day, Iona.”

She walked off to her car, leaving me on the sidewalk. It was the same old, slightly awkward exchange we had most every time we were face-to-face. Maybe one day she would get over it. I was marrying Tyrion, and she had to get used to it.

3

Evenie

Then

My eyes fluttered open,and all I could see around me was darkness. My head was pounding, and my limbs felt heavy as hell. I tried to sit up but quickly realized that I was strapped to something. Frantically, I tried to free myself, but to no avail.

“Help me!” I screamed. “Somebody, help me, please!”

Just then, a door opened. The light cast the shadow of a figure, but I couldn’t make out who or what it was. The figure slowly advanced toward me, causing my heart to race.

“Who are you? What do you want? Please… just let me go. I have a family—”

“I’m your family, Lisa,” the figure said.

A light flickered on, and I looked around. I was in a small bedroom. Looking down, I realized I was strapped to the bed. As the figure approached me, it took me a second to notice that this was the same man from the grocery store. He stood overme with a tray of food in his hands. I recoiled in fear as he placed it on the table beside the bed and took a seat next to me.

His rough, ragged look was gone and replaced with a clean-shaven face and a low haircut. The polo styled shirt and khaki pants he wore looked freshly pressed and free of stains. He smiled, and if he wasn’t a deranged lunatic, he might have been handsome.

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