Page 39 of Forget Me Not
“Well, I don’t,” she replied. “I grew up in foster care. Aged out a year ago, so here I am. This is my family. The only family I need.”
“What about Montana?”
“He moved here from Missoula a few months back.”
“And he lives here, too?”
“Comes and goes. He’s still in school.”
“How about Annie?” she asked, realizing, somehow for the first time, that she hadn’t actually seen Annie in weeks. She used to be here every time Marcia came by, floating through the field and mostly keeping to herself. She was unassuming, rarely said a thing, but she was a quiet constant. A familiar presence that blended into their surroundings as perfectly as the wildflowers that grew along the river, the subtle smell that occasionally wafted over with the wind the only reminder they were even there at all.
“Orphan,” Lily responded, continuing to braid. “But don’t worry about Annie. She won’t be coming around anymore.”
“Why not?” Marcia asked, her head yanking back with too much force.
“She wasn’t committed.”
“Committed,” Marcia repeated, a familiar heat rising into her cheeks as she felt Lily tie off the ends of her hair. Then a strained silence settled over them both until she heard the girl muttersomething under her breath, her voice so low she could barely make out the words.
“To the family,” Lily said, fingers lingering against Marcia’s smooth skin as she felt her pulse begin to mount in her neck. “To us.”
CHAPTER 26
I turn the page to be ripped from the memory, some strange acronym scribbled in the corner drawing my attention away from the scene.
I lean in closer, my nose practically touching the paper as I take in the silver ink, an odd collection of letters and numbers that looks blatantly out of place. Whatever this is, it was clearly written at a different time than the rest of the entry, but before I can work out what it could mean I hear a noise from outside, the sound of footsteps making me flinch.
I turn to the side, the window still open to let in a breeze as the silhouette of a body approaches the guesthouse just as the first hint of light starts to show.
I shut the book quickly, sliding it back into the sheets before standing up and making my way to the door, opening it before Liam’s fist can connect.
“Good morning,” I say, my mind still trying to process all that has happened.
“Good morning to you,” he responds as I look down at the two mugs clutched in his hands. “It’s just coffee,” he says when he senses me staring, thrusting one in my direction before bringing the other to his lips and taking a sip. “Promise.”
I stare at him, not sure if that’s his attempt at a joke.
“What was that yesterday?” I ask at last, crossing my arms instead of inviting him in.
“What was what?”
“That drink Mitchell gave me.”
“Oh, he’s into herbal remedies, things like that. Not a big fan of modern medicine… or anything modern, for that matter.”
I think back to one of our first conversations, my questions about Mitchell as we worked in the vineyard and Liam’s blunt answer.He’s good with plants.
“He drugged me,” I state, my voice flat as I continue to stare.
“I don’t know aboutthat,” Liam responds. “He told you he was giving you a painkiller.”
“I can barely remember a thing.”
“Well, it worked, didn’t it?”
I think of unwrapping that gauze, the venom in my leg clearly diminished and the plantain leaves juicy and black.
“It’s really no different than an oxycodone or something,” he continues, and I look down at my ankle next. That searing pain that’s all but gone, the flesh returned to its natural state. “Or any of that synthetic crap they prescribe.”
