Page 54 of Dark Shadows
“Richard blamed himself.” Catherine's gaze flickered to Savanah’s before she dropped it back to her tea. “He thought if he'd sheltered you more and stood up for you, that things might have turned out different.”
“Mom...”
“I started seeing Dr. Lawrence because I couldn't handle losing both of you.” She met Savanah's gaze. Hurt flickered in her eyes. “Sometimes running away just means you have farther to come back. I should know. I let your father's job move us so many times, trying to escape who we are, what we can do. Then I let Richard walk away without fighting for what we had.”
The kitchen TV flashed a video of Officer Daniels in handcuffs being escorted out of the police station at the same time Savanah's phone buzzed. Mason's name lit up the screen.
She let it go to voicemail.
“Was that him?” her mom asked.
“Yeah.” She cleared the lump in her throat.
“He's trying,” her mother said quietly.
“To what? Profile me? Figure out if I'm manipulating him?” The bitterness in her voice surprised them both.
“To understand. It's not easy loving someone who sees things others can't.”
“You would know.”
Catherine's smile was sad. “Yes. I would.” She stood, gathering their empty mugs. “We all show love differently, honey. Sometimes badly. Sometimes not at all. But running from it never solved anything. Trust me on that.”
Savanah pushed back from the table. “I need some air.”
“Savanah, maybe you should stay inside. It could still be dangerous.”
Savanah gestured to the TV. “You saw the news. They caught the killer.”
The treehouse ladder creaked under her weight. The worn wood was smoothed by years of climbing. Inside, moonlight filtered through the old windows, casting patterns on the floor.
She traced the initials she'd carved so long ago. S.M. + T.L. - Best Friends Forever. Except nothing was forever. Not friendship, not love, not trust.
Her phone buzzed again. This time a text from Tina.Heard about Daniels. You okay?
Before she could respond, another message appeared.We’re all worried about you, including Mark andWesley.
Savanah turned off her phone, not ready to deal with any of it.
Outside, gravel crunched as a car pulled into the drive. Car door. Footsteps. Her mother's voice, then Mason's deeper tone.
“She's in the treehouse,” Catherine said. “Oh, and, Mason dear, don’t mess this up.”
Savanah pulled her knees to her chest, listening to him climb the ladder. His broad shoulders filled the entrance, moonlight catching the uncertainty in his eyes.
“Can I come in?”
She nodded, not trusting her voice.
The treehouse seemed smaller with him in it. He settled across from her, their positions mirror images of that morning's kiss.
“I'm sorry,” he said finally.
“For what? Doing your job?”
“For letting other people's words make me doubt what I know.” He reached for her hand then stopped. “What I feel.”
“What do you feel?” she asked, glad that the night hid her expression.
