Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
I grab his hand as tears sting my eyes. The pain is excruciating.
“Can you stand up?”
I release a desperate sob and shake my head.
He lets go of my hand. With a grunt, he rips off several rotting boards with his bare hands, then he offers his hand again. I take it and he slowly pulls me up.
“Easy.”
I try to stand, but I can’t. “My ankle,” I seethe.
“Dammit.” He scoops me up.
“Ah!” The pain is blinding.
“Sorry.” He presses his lips to my head, standing still for a moment until the pain becomes bearable again. Then he navigates us off the porch, testing each step. “Let’s get you checked out.”
“I’m f-f-fine. We n-need to get back to S-Savannah.”
“Your fucking teeth are chattering like you’re going into shock. You have a gouge on your leg that’s bleeding and you can’t walk. We’re going to the emergency room. At the very least, you’re going to need a tetanus shot and some stitches.”
What the hell, Karma? This isn’t fair.
*
Theodore
Fucking porch. I never should have taken her there.
“I don’t want the surgery.”
The doctor and nurse glance at each other.
“You’ll never walk again if you don’t have surgery,” the doctor says.
“I have somewhere I need to go.”
She can’t even speak without gasping from the pain with each word.
“She’s having the surgery. Please give us a few minutes.”
The doctor nods, then he ushers out of the room behind the nurse.
“You don’t understand,” Scarlet says with so much anguish in her voice.
Taking her hand in mine, I press a kiss to the back of it. “You’re right. I don’t. Why don’t you explain it to me? Because I can wrap my head around the cancer going away. I just don’t see the two complete fractures in your ankle mending on their own if you meditate, or drink shitty smelling tea, or suck down gallons of carrot juice, or—”
“Stop! I’m not saying that. I just don’t have time for this. I need to see Oscar. It’s—”
“Not happening.”
“Theo—”
“Fine.” I step back. This is laughable, yet so damn frustrating. “I’ll drive you. Your clothes are right there.” I walk toward the door. “I’ll meet you in the truck.”
“Theo …” This time my name is a broken sob followed by more sobs.
This woman breaks my heart. A heart that, not long ago, I didn’t think still existed. “Scarlet …” I take her face in my hands and kiss away her tears. “I’ll make this right. Shh …”
She covers my hands with hers and claws at my skin, like she’s trying to crawl inside of me—desperate, broken.
“Is your dad’s number in your phone?”
She sniffles then nods.
“I’ll make sure he’s here by the time you’re out of surgery tomorrow. Okay?”
“O-O-K.”
Eventually, they give her enough pain meds to help her drift off to sleep. Her phone is locked, so I press her fingers one at a time to the lock button until it finally unlocks. Oscar Stone is the only name in her contacts. It only rings once.
“Ruby, why haven’t you—”
“It’s not Ruby.”
“Who is this? Where the hell is Scarlet?”
“My name is Theo. Scarlet is sleeping. She broke her ankle in two spots and they’re doing surgery on it tomorrow.”
“Did you hurt her?”
Yes. I’ve hurt your daughter in ways I can never completely mend.
“She fell through an old porch. She asked for you. I’ll text you the address.”
I end the call. “What the hell is going on, Scarlet?” I whisper. Why is your father out of prison? Why did you suddenly need to see him? It makes no sense.
*
Scarlet
My heavy eyes make several attempts to open before the blurred figures come into focus. The tray table in front of me has a glass of water and a bottle of something orange.
“Carrot juice. Freshly pressed.”
Oscar.
“Hey.” My fuzzy mind feels as lethargic as my voice sounds.
Bell.
Belle.
Theo’s mom.
Nellie.
Harold.
Something beside me begins to beep over and over. A nurse comes in the room.
“What’s going on?” Oscar asks with panic in his voice.
“Her heart rate is a little high. Are you in pain, Scarlet?”
It all comes back. The affair. Murder. “Oscar … I have to tell—”
“Shh.” The nurse brings the back of my bed up a bit more. “The doctor is on his way.”
“No. I have to tell—”
“Ruby, calm down. You’re going to be fine.” Oscar rests his hand on mine.
My eyes dart around the room.
Oh my god. Nellie is in the chair by the window. When our eyes meet, she smiles.
“Hey, sweetie.”
“Th-Theo.”
“He left to get something to drink. He’ll be right back.”
“No.” I shake my head.
“Look who’s up.” The doctor smiles as he walks in the room. “The surgery went well.” He frowns at my monitor.
“Is she reacting to the anesthetic?” Oscar asks.
The doctor shakes his head. “No. How are you feeling, Scarlet?”
My gaze returns to Nellie. Theo is going to kill her. He’s going to find out, and he’s going to kill her and Harold too. I continue to stare at her until she begins to squirm in the chair.