Page 53 of Tye

“Oh, hell. Can you tell me what ward she is on? McKenna’s going to be so angry at me if I don’t visit.”

“She is on one-three-one, in room four. It’s close to the entrance,” the nurse replied.

“Do I just walk in?” I asked.

“Push the button and say who you are, and they’ll let you in.”

“Thank you so much,” I said and scurried away.

Minutes later, I found the correct place, and before I buzzed, I checked my clothing. I’d hit the ground hard, but I looked okay. I was let in and headed for room four, but I stopped when I saw a guard there. Shit. She had a guard on her. How could I talk to McKenna if he was there?

The guy turned, and before I could hide, he spotted me. His eyes narrowed, and I blanched. It was the angry man, Davies. He stormed over to me before I could run and grabbed my upper arm.

“What are you doing here?” he snapped in my face.

“I wanted to speak to McKenna.”

“Ain’t gonna happen. McKenna’s traumatised enough.”

“And she hasn’t spoken, right? Not at all, or to anyone? I wanted to try to reach her.”

“How will you do that?” Davies sneered.

“By talking to her,” I answered weakly.

“Let her try,” a woman said, and Davies turned around.

“Marissa—”

“Davies, let the girl try. McKenna’s shut everyone else out. She won’t see me or Lina and can barely tolerate you at her door. Even if she gets McKenna to scream or shout, at least it will be a reaction. At the moment, we have shit to work with, and she’ll be locked up soon if she doesn’t start to snap out of it,” Marissa said.

There was a whole load of pain in her voice.

“Are you her sister?” I asked gently.

“Not by blood. But in the heart? Yes. Marissa Hawthorne,” she responded, putting out a hand. I took it and held it.

“I’m Demi Moore,” I replied, and Marissa snorted.

“Your mom had ambitions,” she drawled.

“Yeah. I never found my Bruce Willis until now,” I quipped, and Marissa’s lips curved into a quick smile, which soon disappeared.

“I know who you are. Go and do your worst. It might be better than our best,” Marissa said and waved me through the door.

I glanced at her and entered the room. The blinds were drawn, making the space dimmer, and there was an abundance of flowers and gifts. Cards were stuck to the wall because there were so many of them. In the middle of all this lay a beautiful woman who gazed into nothing.

I began to doubt myself but forced myself forward.

I took a seat, and McKenna didn’t even flinch. She never acknowledged my presence, either. Uncomfortable, I wriggled in my chair completely unsure of what to say now I was here. Emptying my brain, I opened my mouth and just spoke.

“Hi McKenna. You don’t know me. My name is Demi Moore and yeah, Mom named me for the actress. She loved her. Mother always said I would find my own Bruce Willis, and I guess I have. I am with Ice. Or Tye Michaelson, as you might know him. He’s pretty fantastic. We’ve been dating for a few weeks, and I know he is the one.”

McKenna didn’t react.

“But that’s not why I’m here. I came to tell you a story about two brave women. The sad fact of my life is I’m a child of rape. It’s hard to explain how I feel about that. See, it breaks my heart to know what my mom must have suffered, but at the same time, if she hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here. I hate my birth, but love my life.”

McKenna moved her head and stared at me, expressionless.

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