Page 145 of Insidious Heart
The list is growing and that means my work is even more important, so why stop now?
Who knows? After watching Stevie do a little killing of her own—because, yes, I absolutely caught her hacking into Linnie even though I was on the verge of death—I might even be able to get my baby dove in on the action.
And that thought, that thoughtaloneis more than enough to keep The Harvester of Bones alive and kicking with renewed purpose. And fully erect, if I’m being honest, but still.
Toby was right, and wherever he is, I know my brother is happy for me. I finally got the life we both deserved and while I wish he were here with me to enjoy it, Toby will be my reason to keep it for as long as it’s mine.
Stevie’s and mine.
EPILOGUE
STEVIE
One Year Later
I finish loggingout of my computer before shutting it down, and with a smile, I lean back in my chair, fold my hands behind my head, and kick my feet up on my desk.
Mydesk, which sits inmyoffice at The Heart of Sabine Family Center.
I can’t believe this is mine.
I can’t believe I’m here, honestly.
All thanks to my ghost.
Mostly.
Either way, though, everything in here is mine because thanks to Tor and his connections, as well as about a million other things, I’m the newest counselor at the center specializing in children who experience family trauma.
After the insanity with Linnie, I very quickly quit my job at Rolling Meadows Nursing Home.
There was no way I could go back there, not after losing Margie, and definitely not after seeing what was left of Sasha and Chris once they became victims of my former coworker who I thought was my friend.
All of that was too much to think about as is, and having a daily reminder every time I set foot inside the facility was definitely off the table. So, I quit my job, took some time off from school, and dove head first into attempting to cope with my new reality.
Not that I had much of a choice in that because everything I found out, everything I went through in such a short period of time, was enough of a mindfuck to force my hand.
I moved through the first couple of weeks like a robot.
Victor had brought back so many things from Cal—orDad, as I’ve taken to calling him—and Rochelle’s house that not only supported everything he said to me in those final precious moments, but also proved he really did love me and only did what he did to protect me and the boys. And as we went through the house to get it ready to sell, we found more.
Pictures, papers, and mementos I didn’t even know existed. Cal had my hospital bracelets and footprints from when I was born, the outfit they sent me home in, he even had the nub from my umbilical cord becausehewas the one who cut it. My dad had saved everything he could get his hands on, right down to locks of hair from the first time I got it cut when I was two, and amongst all of that were dozens and dozens of letters.
Letters from Cal to me, letters between him and my mom.
They were absolutely in love, so in love with each other, and even though Beau forced my mother to be with him instead, she still wrote back and forth with Cal almost daily until she died.
Tor sat with me forhourswhile I carefully read each and every one of them, sat and rubbed my back or held me while I cried, while I got to know my parents the only way I could. And those letters were how I found out that my mom had smuggled as many of my belongings as possible to him before her life took a scary turn.
Celeste Williams knew she was going to die, and she knew Beau would be the one to kill her.
So she started having Cal come by when he was gone so he could spend time with me, to see me and save anything sentimental because she felt like it was only a matter of time before everything came to a head. And she was right because when Beau was hurt pretty severely during a run when I was three and needed a new kidney, the in-house doctor started with my mom and I to see if either of us were a match.
We weren’t, and that was because my mother and I both have O+ blood while Beau was AB-.
Huge red flag.
For two people to make a baby with type O blood, neither of them can be AB. And during that same ordeal, Beau the Bastard found out Cal was O-, and shit hit the fan.
