Page 111 of Love Notes & Lifelines
“Together,” I say, and this time I try to believe it with my whole heart.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
BECK
It’s the girls’naptime when I get off the phone with our new family law attorney. He’s the best and worth every dollar it costs to fly him in from Charlotte. I walk straight to Laura’s room, sure that’s where I’ll find Stella.
She sits beside her mother, holding her hand and speaking in hushed tones, so I lean against the doorframe and observe them.
In some messed-up way, it helps me work through the guilt and grief of knowing my sister was in this very position not that long ago—without me.
Bringing Laura here was the right move, but it’s been an exhausting few days.
The baby monitor lights up when Ruby cries for five seconds, then rolls over and goes back to sleep, but the disruption causes Stella to raise her head and she meets my gaze.
Her smile is sad, and I hate everything about it because she’s experiencing a hurt that has no cure. I can’t fix this.
“Hey,” I say, entering the room. “Hi, Laura. It’s me, Beck.” I lean down and kiss the side of the old woman’s head. It’s awkward, but Stella talks to her, so I do too.
It’s these moments when flashbacks of my mom and visions of Cally choke me the most.
“Hello,” she says.
I sit in the seat next to Stella.
“What did the lawyer say?” Stella asks.
I close my eyes briefly, trying to gather my thoughts, but I’m too tense to focus. “Danica requested an emergency hearing, saying she was scared for the girls’ safety.”
Her beautiful face crumbles. “It’s my fault.”
“Don’t do that. No one is to blame here except for Danica. Do not bear the weight of someone else’s poor choices. We need to stay focused on what matters.”
She nods and bites the inside of her cheek, then sits up taller. “You’re right. When is the hearing?”
“Tomorrow.” That one word sounds bitter, but it’s really hiding my fear. My head is still a mess. I’m angry at my sister, and I love her. Every emotion I experience where my sister is concerned is followed by another one that contradicts it.
“What did the lawyer say?”
I’d wanted her in the meeting with me, but naptime is when Lucía takes a break, so Stella sits in here with her mom. We have another nurse who does the overnights, but she’s usually gone by the time we wake up.
It’s amazing really, that in just a few short days we’ve all fallen into a schedule that works. Well, as well as any schedule can work with kids this age, I guess.
“We’ll give more statements, prove it was self-defense. Lucía signed hers before she left the clinic, and that will help. But honestly, it’s going to depend on who we get for a judge. I have no doubt what Danica says is true—she does have some judges in her back pocket, but not all of them. That’s what we’re hoping for, that we get one she can’t bribe or blackmail.”
I shift in my seat so my knee rests between her thighs as we face each other.
“I’m scared,” I admit. “I’ve wondered if the worst happens if I’ll have the guts to run with the girls. How insane is that?”
“It’s not, Beck. You love them, and you know how she’ll treat them, so your mind is running through every worst-case scenario to keep them safe.”
The doorbell rings and we both look to the side like we can see the door from here. Our cheeks nearly touch, and I inhale deeply. Her apple scent calms my racing heart.
The sound of Daisie racing through the house makes me cringe. She’s going to break at least one thing before she reaches the door, and sure enough, there’s a small crash before she barks at the front of the house.
Is it weird that I’m learning her barks? That’s a happy one. Whoever’s at the door, Daisie wants to lick.
“Are you expecting company?” I ask.
