Page 213 of The Sweetest Obsession

Grabbing the one free chair in the room, I drag it over to where they’re all clustered like birds, nesting around Angela’s bed, the girls perched on the edge and all of them clinging to each other.

Well, fuck.

I’ve never been cut out for this.

A hundred years as a cop wouldn’t make this any easier.

Never been much good with words, either, but somehow for Ophelia, I learned to speak my mind without snarling them. To be honest rather than sliding into harshness.

Unfortunately, with the shit that needs saying today, this can’t be gentle.

Yet it’s Philia’s encouraging gaze that makes me dig deep, find my voice, and speak.

For her.

Because she needs this.

They all do when they’ve been waiting far too long.

“I know what happened to Ethan,” I begin slowly. “The whole story of the night he disappeared. I knew he never would’ve left us willingly. I know those bones belong to him—forensics confirmed it this morning. And now I know without a doubt that he had nothing to do with what happened to Celeste Graves. That he tried tosaveher. That he’s innocent. It won’t bring him back, no, but it lets us have our memories without any nagging questions. Without more wishing or guessing or doubts.”

I’m expecting the tears.

What I’m not expecting is that it makes me panic anyway, freezing up as all three Sanderson women look at each other—then burst into rolling grief, grabbing each other, burying their feelings in a big group hug.

They’re not saying anything, no, so I don’t know if it’s relief or horror or if I did this right, if I fucked this up—

“Come here, boy,” Angela almost snaps, but there’s warmth in her voice. Deep, heartfelt emotion, and she holds her arm out. “You’re part of this family, too. Come let me hug you.”

Relief then.

Gratitude tinged with sadness.

Oh, thank God.

I’m slow to move, but then Ophelia peeks past her mother’s shoulder and gives me a shy, sweet smile, offering her curled fingers as well.

I can’t resist.

So I stand, stepping closer to the bed.

Soon, I’ve got my arms full of all three women, crying on me and hugging like it’s the end of the world. In a way, they’re not wrong.

Good thing I’m a human tree, I guess.

I ain’t gonna cry myself.

I’m not.

But it still feels like years of heartbreak bleeding out of me.

It’s finally over.

And there’s nothing better than being part of this tight-knit family knot, wrapped up with these girls and able to grieve for real.

Finally, finally, able to let go.

It takes a good while for them to let go—and when I fall back into my chair, Ophelia disentangles herself from her mother and sister to join me.

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