Page 98 of Trusting Skulls

“Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore,” I tell the little dog.

I stare at the pills in my palm. They’re no ruby slippers, but they will take me home.

Home.

It’s not really the home I want to go back to, but I’m so fucked up in the head right now. To stay, all I have to do is get a brain, conquer my fear, and find my heart. That all sounds so impossible.

I rub my hand over my chest, thinking about my conversation with Rachel, and I begin to cry.

“We’re all links of love, baby.”

I’m so stupid. Rachel would do anything to live, to be here for her new grandbaby. While I sit here with a pile of pills ready to give up.

I can’t give up. She and her family need my help.

Carefully, I pour all the pills back into the bottle, and then I close my eyes.“There’s no place like home,” I whisper.

I’d click my heels together if I didn’t have this stupid boot on my foot. But it doesn’t matter, because this time it works.

I stand under the porch light, happy they left it on for me. Silly thought, but I have to start somewhere. Raffe would be so proud.

As I’m struggling between holding onto my box and balancing on my crutches, the door swings wide open.

JD and Elizabeth instantly wrap me in their warm embrace, all three of us crying. It’s the best welcome home I could have asked for.

“I missed you guys,” I tell them.

“We missed you too. Jacob and I were just watching a movie when Ash called to let us know you were on your way home,” Elizabeth says, wiping her eyes.

JD settles me on the couch, taking the box from me and setting it on the coffee table. He props my foot up on several fluffy pillows.

“What? How did he know?”

“You don’t have us figured out quite yet, do you?” JD laughs.

“I’m going to go make something to snack on,” Elizabeth tells us, disappearing into the kitchen.

JD sits down on the floor beside me, resting his back against the couch. “You look tired. Maybe we should get you to bed.”

“No. I don’t want to go to bed. I’d rather stay out here with you guys.”

“Do you want to talk?”

I shake my head. “Not tonight.”

“Okay,” he says, patting me on my arm. “Whatever you need, we’re here for you.”

“I do have something I need help with.” When I hug myself around the waist, he sits up straighter. “Um, my pain meds are in that box …”

He turns to look at it.

“Maybe you should hold on to them for me.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Ash

Ibreathe a sigh of relief when JD and Elizabeth wrap their arms around her.

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