Page 61 of Myla: The Hawthornes

“It’s not that bad,” I complained as we reached what must’ve been my room. Lou and Frankie were lying on the bed watching the small TV bolted to the wall.

“You’re back,” Frankie said, sitting up. “How’s Aisling?”

“She looks like she’s been run over by a train,” I replied tiredly, setting my purse and helmet on the table. “It’s bad.”

“Did she calm down?” Lou asked sympathetically.

“Yeah. She said the guy that beat her up kept driving by their house.” I dropped onto the bed. “Brody was sure he hadn’t seen the same car twice, and Cian was positive that the guy wasn’t driving anywhere last night—”

“I bet,” Frankie mumbled knowingly.

“But I don’t know.” I looked at my best friends. “She didn’t seem like she was overreacting to me. I think she saw him.”

“That’s not good,” Lou replied.

“Plus, Cian was jumpy when we left the hospital. Like he was waiting for someone to jump out at us or something.”

“Then it’s only a matter of time before they send the little ladies home,” Frankie announced, standing up to stretch.

“It’s so bizarre how they act like we don’t notice what’s happening around us,” Lou added. “We’ve been trained since birth to be hyperaware of every situation—”

“Especially when it comes to men,” Frankie agreed.

“Exactly,” Lou agreed. “So not only do we notice when they’re acting funny, but we canfeelwhen a situation is off even if we don’t know why.”

“It makes them feel in control,” my aunt Rose said as she stepped into our doorway. “We humor them for the most part.”

“Thanks for letting me use it,” I said as she picked up her helmet.

“No problem. How’s Cian?”

“He slept all night and woke up pissed that we let him.”

“Sounds familiar,” she mused. “We’re gonna go grab some breakfast. Any of you want a sandwich or something?”

“Yes, please,” I groaned. I was starving. “I’ll eat anything at this point.”

I gathered up my bag and took it into the bathroom while the girls gave my aunt their orders. I needed a shower and a few minutes to myself. As I washed my hair, I wondered where Cian was.

He was holding up well, but I had a feeling it was because he was too worried about whatwouldhappen next to actually deal with what hadalreadyhappened. I just hoped I was close when the full force of it hit him.

Lou and Frankie had disappeared by the time I came out of the bathroom, so I followed the voices down the breezeway. Uncle Mack was sitting outside eating a hash brown and pointed to the room next to him.

“Food’s here.”

“Thanks.”

“Cian good?”

“Yeah.”

“Good.”

I stepped inside the room to see everyone either pawing through the fast-food bags or already eating.

“When did you get here?” I asked my sister-in-law Noel, making my way through the room.

“Just a few minutes ago,” she replied, hitching my niece further up on her hip. “We left really early this morning…or last night? It was dark and I’m tired.”

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