“Cease, I messed up. Everyone knows about us. Your life would be better without me.” She shook her head and stared at the ceiling while my mind went wild trying to put together the pieces.
“What do you mean everyone knows about us? What happened, Brook? Tell me everything.” I gave her hand a squeeze and she gave me one back.
“I’m so stupid. I wanted a fwiend so bad that I let Ashley in. She came to our house and she live stweamed my entire journal. She gave me wazors. She told me you’d lose your license. You’d go to jail.” Her lips trembled and she grabbed my hand. “I know you can live without me but I can’t live without you. I’d rather die.”
I slid my hand out of Brook’s grasp so I could curl my fingers into a fist. That must have been why Ronnie was calling. If he knew then the live stream went viral.
My head pounded and my mind raced, fracturing into a million different splinters. I didn’t want things to happen like this. I had a plan in my head and I wanted to execute it. Now, everything was blown up and I didn’t know what the fuck would happen or how it would play out.
“Brook, I need Ashley’s whole name. I need her address and all of her social media links,” I said, standing to my feet. I wanted to nail that fucking bitch to the wall. I was usually diplomatic and understanding but Ashley nearly killed Brooklyn and she did kill my child. I had no sympathy or remorse.
She was barely human in my eyes.
“Okay but…she was live when she did that. It’s out there,” Brook told me.
“It doesn’t matter. Your journal is not admissible in a court of law. Even if I’m investigated, what you wrote could be nothing more than elaborate fantasy brought on by grief. Ashley, on the other hand, will go the fuck to jail.
She will get the life and I don’t care what I have to do to see that she gets life. She will die in prison.” Vivid, gory images of seeing Brook lying on the floor bleeding to death assaulted my mind making my heart squeeze so tight I had to take a seat.
“Life?” Brooke tried to push into a sitting position but let out a howl from the pain in her arms. She fell backward and a nurse rushed in to check on her.
“Miss Powers, are you okay? Why didn’t you let me know she was awake?” The nurse glared at me and I apologized profusely. I was so happy to see her eyes and hear her voice that it slipped my mind to have the nurse come in and check on her.
“Her arms hurt, can she have something for the pain?” I asked, my brows knitting together.
“Of course. I’ll be right back to take your vitals too. Until then, sweetie, use the buttons on your remote to lift you and lay you down.” She smiled sweetly at Brook then eyed me harshly before leaving the room. Clearly, I wasn’t her most favorite person.
Once the nurse gave Brooklyn the okay, she left us alone and I closed the door to her room for privacy. Brook pushed the up button on her bedside remote and sat up to look at me.
“Why were you mentioning the life in prison, Cease? I’m alive. Ashley didn’t touch me. I did it. I cut my own wrists.” She sounded so remorseful. The fact that she regretted it once she was clearheaded gave me so much hope.
“It doesn’t matter. In the state of California, it’s a felony to encourage someone to commit suicide.” My jaw flexed rapidly as I imagined the day Ashley got sentenced for the heinous shit she did.
“It is?” Brook sounded more alert.
“Yes. It is.” A soft knock on the door disrupted my words for a moment. I stood, straightening my spine and making my shoulders square as I walked over to the door. I was in full-blown protective mode.
I paused briefly when I saw Ronnie standing there. “What are you doing here?” I asked. I wasn’t upset but I didn’t even know how he knew where to find us.
“Hello, Dr. Powers…” He glanced over his shoulder and into the hallway as if to get me to play along. “Since I’m Brooklyn’s psychologist, I’ve been notified that she’s been hospitalized due to attempted suicide.”
“Of course, Dr. Hollows, come right in.” I stepped aside and let Ronnie in. I’d nearly forgotten that he was officially her doctor. He had every right to know she was in the hospital.
“Jesus, Cease. How are you guys?” He patted me on the back and then went over to Brook with sad eyes. “Sweetheart,” he said softly, holding her hand. His simple words made Brooklyn break down into a puddle of tears. Her sobs were horrible to listen to. I felt helpless.
“I-I’m sowwy,” she stuttered, looking up at the ceiling. I wiped her eyes once I realized her arms must have hurt too much to do it herself. “You just…weminded me of my dad.” She cried a little harder and it felt like I’d been punched in the stomach.
“I’m sorry, Brooklyn. I didn’t mean to…” Ronnie apologized.
“It’s not your fault, you didn’t know. I’m glad you’re here Dr. Hollows,” Brook told him.
“I’m glad I’m here too, Brooklyn. You did some pretty serious damage and I’m um…I’m sorry about…” I gripped his shoulder tight and he looked up at me, confused.
“She doesn’t know yet,” I whispered.
“What? What’s wong, Cease?” She asked, her wide hazel eyes were pools of vulnerability. They crushed me beneath their gorgeous gaze. How could I tell her she lost our child?
“Shit. Cease you should have told her the second she came to.” Ronnie gawked at me in shock.
