Page 37 of Tormenting Me

“Of course.”

We continue to enjoy our breakfast together, basking in the warmth and joy that fills the room. As I watch Layne and Ma interact, I can’t help but feel immense gratitude for the love and happiness they bring into my life.

Chapter twenty-four

Layne

Day before Thanksgiving

Wes and his dad pull out of the driveway to head to the store, leaving me home with his mom. After breakfast, I helped clear the table and clean up the dishes. I am enjoying the time getting to know his family. They are wonderful, loving people. It feels surreal to be embraced by a family overflowing with love, especially when I grew up feeling constantly unwanted.

I get lost in my thoughts as I dry the dishes that Wes’s mom hands me, so lost that when she tries to get my attention, I drop the dish. Fuck, how embarrassing!

“Oh,” I crouch down and start grabbing at all the broken shards of glass. “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t paying attention.” Tears prick the corner of my eyes. Emotions are running high and I don’t need that right now. A sharp piece cuts into my palm, causing blood to well up and stain my skin.

“Love,” she grabs for my cut hand, “ya were gone there for a moment. Where’d you go?”

Taking a deep breath, I try to steady myself. “I’m sorry,” I say, my voice shaky. “I just got lost in my thoughts. It’s overwhelming to be surrounded by so much love.” I glance up at Wes’s mom, her eyes filled with concern.

She gently takes my injured hand and leads me to the sink, turning on the faucet to rinse away the blood. “It’s understandable,” she says softly. “Wes has told us ya been through a lot in life, and it’s difficult to adjust to a new environment. But remember, ya part of our family now, love, and we’re here for ya.”

Her words touch my heart, and I feel a warmth spreading through me. “Thank you,” I whisper, tears streaming down my face. “I never thought I’d experience this kind of love and acceptance.”

Wes’s mom wraps a bandage around my hand, her touch gentle and comforting. “We’re grateful to have ya in our lives,” she says, her voice filled with sincerity. “Ya love our son, and I know he can be a lot. Remember, it’s okay to let your emotions out. We’re here to support ya.”

I look into her eyes and I feel a sense of belonging I’ve never felt before. I realize I don’t have to hide my pain anymore. This family has opened their hearts to me, and I can start letting go of the past and embrace the love that surrounds me.

Feeling a renewed sense of strength, I smile at Wes’s mom. “Thank you for understanding,” I say, my voice more steady now. “I’m grateful for your support and love. And to answer your question, I went to a place where I was wanted for the first time.”

Wes’s mom has photo albums spread across the coffee table as she shows me family pictures. Pictures of Wes as a baby, as a teenager in high school; he was so handsome, and if I had seen him back then…instant crush. She shows me his photos from basketball for the high school team and being in the Science club. I knew he was a closet nerd.

“Oh,” his mom lets out a gasp, “Siobhan.”

I take the photo from her of Wes holding a little girl with fiery red hair upside down by her ankles. Her infectious, joyful smile fills me with happiness, making me smile, too. Next to me, Wes’s mom dries her eyes with a tissue. “We got those photos done a few weeks before she was murdered.” My heart sinks, looking at young Wes, so happy with his little sister.

“She was a little hellion, she was. Wes adored her. We worried Wes would hate having a sibling so much younger than him, but he was in love with her the moment he held her. The level of devotion he had for her was ridiculous. I never thought I’d see an eleven-year-old boy offer to feed and help care for a baby. But Wes has always been different. Her death was causing him to lose himself. There was a moment when I feared losing him, too.”

My heart breaks for her. I couldn’t imagine losing one child and then living in fear that your other could be close behind. “I can’t even imagine…” I say, not knowing what to say. A world without Wes is unimaginable.

She dries her eyes. “But he is still here, making San Francisco a safer place. What with his little hobby and all.”

I freeze.

What did she just say?

“Huh? Hobby,” I ask, not wanting to say anything because I can’t be sure she knows.

“Oh, sweet girl,” she grabs my hand and pats it gently. “I have complete knowledge of my son’s actions. How he helped take care of your father and he brought Siobhan’s murderer to justice. All of it.”

Oh, my fucking god. His family knows.

They know and they are supportive of him. Am I living in a dream?

I sit here, stunned by Wes’s mother’s revelation. A mix of emotions washes over me. Relief, gratitude, and disbelief all intertwined within me. Right now, I realize that not only does his family know, but they support him.

Well, that makes things so much easier. There will be no need to keep anything hidden from them.

Wes’s mother, sensing my shock, squeezes my hand reassuringly. “Dear, I know this may surprise ya, but we’ve known for a while. Wes has always had a strong sense of justice, even before Siobhan’s tragic passing. It was as if her murder ignited a fire within him, a determination to protect others from experiencing the same pain.”

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