Page 92 of Belonging to Them
“Fourweeks?”I exclaim.
She giggles, and Bash laughs.
“A couple more days,” she says.“They want to monitor your healing just in case.”
“You two are horrible, you know that?”I say to them.
“So horrible,” Ella agrees, passing the coffees to Bash so she can climb onto the hospital bed with me.She’s careful of all the stupid needles and monitors and whatever the hell else they have me Frankensteined to, and soon enough, she’s cuddling with me, and I swear, it’s better than any pain killer.
* * *
Ella
Three weeks have gone by.I pull into the bank parking lot in the car that Kingston and Sebastian bought for me.It’s a nicer make and model than I would’ve picked out for myself, but honestly, it’s kind of great to allow them to pamper me sometimes.They really like to do it, and I’m growing more comfortable with accepting their generosity.
As soon as I kill the ignition, I look around for Tommy.He’s already here, standing near the bank entrance and looking all dapper and polished, ready for when he goes to work in half an hour.He has a job at a cell phone store now.
He’s really getting his shit together.He attends a weekly support group for recovering gambling addicts.On those nights, I hang out with Gianna, giving her breaks from baby duties or cooking or just generally hanging out.I think Tommy’s going to propose to her sooner rather than later, and I’m enjoying hanging out with my future sister-in-law.
Owen, the baby, is a champion sleeper, which is lucky for Gianna and Tommy.And even though he’s only three weeks old, I could swear I see him smiling sometimes.
I get out of my car and walk to the front of the bank, which is just opening.
“Hey, E,” Tommy says, giving me a hug.
“Hey.”I hug him back.Three weeks after that terrible night, and I think I’m finally forgiving him, getting over the hell he put me, Gianna, and Owen through.It helps that I can see he’s making a real effort to turn his life around.
“I got paid last week.My first check.”He holds out an envelope.
“What’s this for?”I ask.
“I’m going to pay half of Dad’s bills.You shouldn’t have had to cover it all on your own.”
“Tommy—I can afford it now,” I say.It’s true—I can.Helena has booked me more gigs at the Red Letter, and my VideYou channel is as strong as ever.I’m even putting together an album, and graciously allowing Bastian Crown to collaborate with me on a couple of tracks.
Tommy looks down.“Right, well, you shouldn’t have to.”
“It’s already taken care of,” I say.
“Then I’m paying you back.I talked to Gianna, and she’s good with it.I’m going to do my part, do right.I’m going to do what Dad would have wanted.He wanted me to be honest with you from the beginning, I think, which is probably another reason he never told you about this safe deposit box.He wantedmeto tell you.”
“It’s okay,” I say.I’ll probably never figure everything out.But right now, we’re going to find out what’s in that box.I look at the front doors of the bank.“Do you think it’s valuable, whatever he put in there?”
“Sentimental, probably,” he says, pushing the envelope toward me again.“Don’t change the subject…take the money.”
Now I understand why Kingston and Sebastian were so frustrated with me when I wouldn’t accept help.“I don’t want your money, Tommy—you don’t have anything to prove.”
“Please?”he says.
“Fine.”I take the envelope and tuck it into my bag.As soon as we leave the bank, I’m asking Kingston for the name of a good financial advisor.I’ll use Tommy’s payments to set up some kind of college fund for Owen.
“Thank you,” he says.“And I’m buying you back your keyboard, as soon as I can afford it.I’m so sorry I let them take it.I was afraid they were going to hurt you, but I see now what I did was wrong.”
“It was wrong, but I forgive you,” I say.
His blue eyes look wetter than normal, and he blinks rapidly.“Really?”
“Truly.”I hug him again.
