Page 103 of Tipping Point

I’m crying now, tears spilling down my cheeks.

“Can I ask you something?” I wipe at my face.

“Sure.”

“How did you live with the fear of losing her?”

“I didn’t. If I spent every moment afraid, I wouldn’t have been present, really present, to enjoy the time I had with her. So I had to let it go.”

I’m quiet, thinking it over.

“Cam?”

“I’m still here.”

“What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking that Lotte de Vries tried to tell me the same thing months ago.”

18

Chapter 18

CAMILLE

The crew swarms around me. I’m wrapped in a bear hug from Jay while Evan and Bruce slam into us, lifting us off the floor.

“This is very unprofessional, guys,” I wheeze. Casey is filming us on her phone and laughing. “They’ve been absolute bastards without you.”

“Dix.” I laugh. “Get your crew under control.”

Dixon is wearing a smug smile, his arms crossed over his chest. “They’re your crew today.”

A young woman steps out of a nearby room and gives us a tentative smile. She has auburn hair tied up into a ponytail and her green eyes are carefully taking us in.

“Hope?” I ask.

She nods. Her younger brother, Chance, isn’t here. He’s a minor, and she isn’t comfortable with exposing him to the world yet.

I’m curious why she would agree to do this. I know I should just be content with having this opportunity at all, but it’s a question that has been running through my head constantly.

Why now?

Evan and Bruce set us down and Jay gives me a friendly pat on the shoulder, looking between me and Hope. “We’re all set up inside.”

When I follow them into the large private hospital room, I’m not surprised at the luxury. When the cab drove me up the long, gravelled drive, it gave me ample views of the modern hospice centre. The road is flanked by trees and the large grounds are well kept and green.

In the bed, surrounded by lighting screens and sound equipment, a middle-aged woman lies peacefully, hands folded on her chest.

The room begs a dignified silence, and I notice that everyone talks in lowered voices once inside. Everyone but Hope.

I’m so relieved that Finn isn’t here already. It gives me a moment to take everything in, prepare myself to see him again.

Prepare myself for the questions I have to ask today.

I feel tired to the very core of my being. The sleepless nights these past few weeks all caught up to me on the flight over. I slept listlessly, dreamless and empty. I have had enough of Finnegan Brennan. It is time to move on.

I hadn’t known it would be this difficult. Initially, when I started planning for the interview, I had sketched out questions vaguely, trying to figure out how to navigate Finn’s boundaries. But that had somehow deteriorated into me frantically penning down questions of my own, answers I need to finally move on.

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