Page 59 of Finally Found You

It doesn’t take more to make me realize that my child needs a private counselor, someone who will gently guide her to express, not suppress, her emotions. This camp, teeming with raw, exposed grief, might not be the best place for her if she views vulnerability as weakness.

“Listen, I’m in the middle of something, but I’ll have a friend pick you up.”

“What friend? Are you with Camilla? Is that why you sent me here?” Kenzy fires back with suspicion and hurt.

“No, Kenzy, it’s not that,” I reassure her, attempting to balance my annoyance with her questions. “We’ll talk when you get here.”

My fingers are already flying across the screen to text Finnegan. His response is quick—he’ll have his people retrieve her within the hour. I urge him to call Cam and share this with her. As much as wanting to ask for her input tugs at my heart, I control the impulse. She asked just one thing of me, and I owe it to her to respect that.

* * *

“Why are you in Oregon?” Kenzy’s question breaks through my thoughts as she steps out of the car, her gaze wary and curious.

I tilt my head and walk toward the house where I’m staying temporarily. Though I want to begin the conversation with the therapist we found, I tell her about the people who hurt Atzi and how it’s best to stay away from the house until they’re captured.

“So everyone is here?” she asks, concerned. Then she gasps. “Are we okay?”

I nod. “Yes, everyone is fine, and they’re all looking forward to meeting you.”

“What if they don’t like me?” Her question is barely more than a whisper.

“The beauty of family, Kenzy, is that they love you no matter what,” I say, offering her a smile. “And love is a lot more meaningful than mere liking.”

A ghost of a smile pulls at the corner of her lips, and I wonder if I said something right or reminded her of… What is she thinking about? I wish I knew her better, but we only met a few weeks ago.

“So I was thinking we could find a therapist for you, someone who can help you navigate through the loss of your grandmother. Also, a family counselor who can guide us on how to become a family,” I suggest, observing her.

“Why would we need that?”

“Because I want to find a way to relate to you better, bridge the gap between us. We lost fifteen years, and while I’m aware we can’t get them back, I want us to build a father-daughter relationship that’ll be strong enough to last, even when we have disagreements.”

She shrugs, her eyes softening. “Okay, I like that.” She shrugs. “You’re the only person I have left.”

Her words sting, and I’m tempted to remind her that Cami is still around. But that’s something she has to come to terms with at a later time. And I hate myself for breaking that bond. Though, I’ll find a way to help them mend it.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Lysander

As nightfall descends, a message from Finnegan lights up my phone. They have apprehended everyone who was involved in Atzi’s accident. They got my mother and the Meyer brothers, who confessed to their crimes. Mom is cooperating to lessen the sentence of Brendan and Bryce Meyer.

The following day, we are all back in San Francisco, Heath and Atzi included. Only their triplets remain in France, with Cécile and their great-grandparents. Finn cashes in a few favors and we’re allowed to speak to my mother in a private room. We only have twenty minutes with her, and all of us have questions.

“I thought it was my lawyer,” she says when we enter. Disappointment flickers in her eyes.

“No, it’s just us, your children, coming to wish you farewell as you head into the next chapter of your life,” I say bitterly.

“Orange will look perfect on you,” Cory says with a fake smile plastered on her lips.

Mom’s nostrils flare, and her gaze drops back to her hands, lying flat on the cold metal table.

“Why did you do it?” Heath’s voice cuts through the tense silence. “Why pretend I failed to save our father when you were the one who murdered him?”

“I did no such thing,” she responds, lifting her chin proudly. “He had a heart attack.”

My eyes narrow. “Are you really going to play this game, Mother? Even after you tried to kill Heath’s fiancée and their children?”

“She’s going to ruin him, just as her aunt ruined your father,” she says.

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