Page 113 of Please Open Me
“Because we didn’t think we needed to.” Sophia lifted one shoulder, causing her bubble-gum colored sweater to slip slightly. “We got you sober once, you chose drugs over your children, we thought it was time to let you hit rock bottom.”
Lucian’s eyes darted away from mine as he seemed to crumple in on himself.
“Ididn’tchoose drugs over my kids,” Lucian faltered.
“No, you’re completely right, you chose drugs over your kidsandyour partners… especially Mason.” Sophia seemed to revel in rubbing salt in Lucian’s mental wounds, and I sat back and watched.
It was like I was seeing Sophia for the first time despite knowing her for my whole life. And I didn’t like what I was seeing.
“For her entire life, her parents chose drugs and alcohol over her… And what did you do?” Sophia’s voice dropped to a coo as she leaned closer, fingers digging into Lucian’s cheeks like he was some naughty toddler.
Lucian winced, but he didn’t push her away. Instead, he continued to shrink, making him appear smaller than he ever had before.
“You becameexactlywhat she feared. You abandoned her for pills, and worse than that, you made her raiseyourkids while you turned what little brain you had left into complete and utter mush.”
Something twisted in my gut. Anger at Sophia? Pity for Lucian? Or shame for the part I’d played? If I hadn’t killed Mason’s mom, none of this would exist.
Sophia’s lips turned into a razor-thin smile, one that quivered at the edges, barely concealing the anger she pretended not to feel. And, my bossy, annoying, brash older brother just sat there, tears gathering in the corners of his eyes as he shook harder than before.
This was like watching a python coil around a rabbit, and I couldn’t watch it anymore. So, I stood up and quietly snuck upstairs, hoping all ofthiswould be done when I came back down.
With little else to do, since all my electronics were still in Hartwood, I decided the best option was to finally sleep for the night. Before Alex and I broke up, I’d invested in an embarrassingly expensive mattress. Heated, cooled, adjustable firmness and positioning–you name it, it had it. But I’d only slept on it once or twice, between the endless arguments and my refusal to lie beside my rapist.
And yet, the second I sank into it, I realized something: whatever I’d paid for this bed, it wasn’t nearly enough.
Before I could even turn on my sleep playlist, I fell into a deep sleep. The kind where you wake up completely disoriented in a puddle of your own drool. My eyes were still heavy, burning with the urge to shut once more, and that’s exactly what I’d planned on doing. But, as I rolled over, my body collided with something soft, warm, and Cameron-shaped.
Opening my arms, I pulled myself closer to him and rested my head on his chest.
His heart beat in a soothing, even rhythm, one that aided me in my quest for more sleep. Then, he spoke.
“You read what’s in that big yellow envelope yet?” Cameron asked, patting my back.
Ugh, not that. Not right now.
Slowly, I shook my head. With that motion, my barely-there consciousness grew, leaving me to stare into a mostly dark room.
It was nice knowing the curtains Ialsonever really got to see in action worked.
“I don’t want to know what’s in there; it’s not real if I don’t know.”
Cameron’s sigh warmed the top of my head.
“That ain’t how this works, is it?” he asked.
My knowledge of the law saidno, but my heart said if I didn’t know, how could I abide by whatever Atticus delivered?
“Doyouknow what’s in the envelope?” I just wanted to change the conversation.
“Yeah… I do.” He kissed the top of my head and held me a little closer.
And that, in combination with what he said, made me feel uneasy, to say the least.
“Is itbad?” I couldn’t imagine it being anything good.
Cameron didn’t respond; instead, he shifted around.
“I’m gonna go talk to her,” he said at last, voice low, certain. “See if I can fix it.”
