Page 69 of Harmony Island Gazette
Pieces of the puzzle started fitting together in my mind. After I kicked Boone out of my parents’ house, he went to his mom’s. If he came to say goodbye yesterday, that meant he had to be settling his mom’s estate. He was facing a past that haunted him as much as my past haunted me. But instead of having a family to support him, Boone was alone.
“I need to go,” I said as I pushed the barstool back and stood.
Mom looked confused. “Go? Go where?”
I glanced over at Mom as I rounded the counter and headed to grab my shoes by the front door.
“Juniper! Where are you going?” Mom asked as she followed after me.
“I need to go to Boone’s mom’s house. He’s alone, and I need to be there for him.” I grabbed my purse and fished around for my keys. “Please don’t tell me not to go.”
When Mom didn’t respond right away, I glanced up to see her studying me with tears in her eyes. “Go,” she whispered.
“Really?”
She nodded. “You and Boone were meant to find each other. If he needs you, you go.”
I drew my eyebrows together as my mom’s words percolated into my mind. Then I nodded. “Thank you,” I said as I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her. “I love you.”
“I love you, too, sweetheart.”
I pulled back and turned to grab the door handle.
“I’ll text you the address.”
I shot her a smile of thanks before I headed out onto the porch. She followed after me, lingering at the steps while I crossed the yard and pulled open the driver’s door. Mom’s text came in when I was heading down our road. I pressed the link, and my maps app opened up.
I drove until I got to the Harmony Cove community. His mom’s house was a few streets down from the entrance. I recognized his truck when I turned down her street. My heart was pounding as I pulled in beside it and parked my car. I glanced to the front of the house to see that the front door was open, which meant he was inside.
I hurried out of the car, slamming the driver’s door behind me. I headed up the sidewalk and up the stairs. As soon as I got to the front door, I peered inside. I didn’t know what I was going to find there, I just knew I needed to find Boone.
I softly knocked on the open door and waited. “Boone?” I called out, not sure if it was overstepping to just walk in. When there was no answer, fear crept over me, so I stepped inside.
If he was in here alone, I was going to find him.
I passed by some pictures on the wall of a small boy. I could only assume that it was Boone. The woman in a few of them had his same dark hair and blue eyes. She was holding him close and smiling at the camera. My heart ached for the small boy in the pictures.
Had he seen his mother get abused at that young age?
Seeing Boone with his mother made me realize that if I hadn’t stood up for myself now, I would have continued this vicious cycle. I needed to stop the abuse and keep Kevin away if I was going to give this baby a healthy life.
I didn’t blame Boone’s mother. In fact, I understood her. I just wished she had found the strength to walk away. To start over.
I got to the hallway that I assumed led to the bedrooms. Some of the doors were open, so I headed down it. The first door was the bathroom, but Boone wasn’t there. The next room’s door was closed, so I walked past it to the far bedroom. As I stepped up to the doorway, I paused when I saw Boone sitting on the floor.
Clothes and things were spread around him. He was clutching a blanket in his hands. I hated that he looked so alone. So lost. I couldn’t stop myself as I headed into the room.
“Boone,” I said as I crouched down next to him.
He glanced up at me, his eyes cloudy from pain and tears. He stared at me for a moment before he closed his eyes. “You’re not here. I’m dreaming,” he whispered as he tipped his head back down.
“No, Boone. It’s me,” I said as I moved to sit cross-legged next to him. I wrapped my arm around his shoulders and scooted in close.
That seemed to startle him out of his trance. He glanced over at me and blinked a few times. “Juniper?”
I nodded, tears pricking my eyes. This pregnancy was going to do me in. I felt like my emotions were constantly right at the surface. I was going to die of dehydration before I got to the second trimester if I kept crying this much.
Then he frowned. “What are you doing here? You should be in the hospital.” His gaze drifted over to the handiwork Kevin had left on my face.
