Page 206 of Unexpected Heroine

I nod, swallowing around a jagged lump in my throat. “Um, yes. Staying here for a few days to try it out and see how it goes.”

“You’re going to love it here. They have everything we could ever need. It’s like staying in a fancy hotel. But with therapy and lots of security.”

My eyes catch on a flurry of activity behind Tina. More girls, some of whom I recognize, head this way excitedly. Some of them are clapping and waving. Some are practically squealing in delight. What in the world?

Electricity zaps from my chest through my limbs. Not from fear, but from a bone-deep sense of belonging. It’s like being wrapped in a quilt of comfort.

And for an extra special bonus... there isn’t a man in sight.

No twig and berries to be seen.

I’m sure the whole place isn’t sans dick, but it’s still nice.

“Look who it is!” Tina hollers to the others, bobbing on her toes.

Laughing, I find myself bouncing a little too.

Sabrina brings me in for a hug. She has an air of peace surrounding her, which I certainly never expected. Especially after the horrors she’s lived through for years. Either she’s happy as hell to see me, or this place is magic.

Tears well in my eyes.

Damn. I didn’t think seeing these girls again would affect me this much. On the contrary, I expected to be hit with horrible memories of screams and suffering. But there’s none of those so far.

There’s still time for that, I suppose. After all, I’ve only been here for about thirty minutes.

Correction. Only been on my own for thirty minutes. Stella and Freya did a one-hour goodbye ritual in the lobby. Said ritual involved them asking me in no less than twenty-seven ways if I was sure about staying here.

Do you want us to sit with you?

Why don’t we go to lunch first and think it over some more?

Blink twice if you’re under mind control.

And then trying not to blink was impossible.

I cried silently when I walked away from them, but I did it without collapsing onto the floor as a blubbering mess. I insisted they let me do this on my own. Reluctantly, they agreed. Pretty sure if I walked back out the front door, they’d still be standing by the entrance, peeking through the windows.

Stella said she has no plans to leave town any time soon, staying until she’s certain I don’t need her any longer. It eases my mind to know that Freya won’t be alone.

Fortunately, I don’t have much time to dwell on the sadness of leaving my friends behind because I’m pelted with questions from the girls surrounding me.

Once their curiosities are sated about how I’ve been, where I’ve been staying, and what made me decide to come here, Sabrina takes charge of the moment.

In an odd move, she wraps her arm over my shoulders and waves her outstretched palm in front of me in a sweeping motion. “Back up, Betties! Give the girl some breathing room.” To me, she whispers, “Did you get the grand tour yet?”

“No. I just got here. Did the paperwork up front, then they brought me to my room so I could unpack. They said to come down here whenever I was ready. And here I am.”

Keeping me under her wing, she walks me through the recreation room. It’s a large, sprawling space filled with comfy spots for relaxing and functional areas for activities. The decor is cozy meets cheery with a blend of neutral earth tones and bright accent colors.

It’s so inviting. And what is that smell? It’s sweet. Like freshly baked sugar cookies.

“This is where we sit and bitch about men,” Sabrina says, gesturing to the first sitting area we pass. Two plush recliners box in an L-shaped couch, creating a cozy space. There’s a teal blue fluffy carpet that I want to roll around on. Throw pillows coordinate with the rug.

“And over here is where we sit around and bitch about men,” she jokes, pointing to another seating area. This one has about six oversized bean bags surrounding a low-to-the-ground coffee table.

I’m hit with a memory of cuddling up on a similar-looking bean bag with James in an after-care room at Bask. Well, I thought he was James at the time.

Shaking off the intrusive thought, I point to a cluster of tables on the other side of the room. “And is this where we’ll sit around and bitch about men while doing arts and crafts?”

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