Page 66 of All of Me

“And that’s how I was able to lift Drake? To carry him?”

He paused. “No, that’s a hormone called epinephrine, which you would know as adrenaline. Have you ever heard of the fight-or-flight response?”

I grunted because, of course I had even if Shae hadn’t. Everyone reacted differently to combat situations.

“As far as I am aware, there’s no truth to the tales of moms suddenly being able to lift a car their child was trapped beneath, and the strength tests we performed today simply tested how your body is recovering.” He leaned forward. “But frankly, we have no idea what the enhanced are truly capable of. But,” he stressed, “while that’s completely fascinating, my focus is your heart. I want to study the tests some more, and I would like to see you in three months. I see no reason to restrict your response in anemergency, but no lifting cars.”

I could see he thought that was funny, but if he ever met Vance from the Tampa team, it would probably blow his mind.

I glanced at Shae, who was positively beaming, and I might have fallen in love with him a little more in that moment. Not that I wasn’t all-in anyway with my own personal miracle. And a thought occurred to me.

Maybe…

Maybe it wasn’t about being able to love someone the longest.

Maybe it was about loving someone the best you could every single day you had them.

I was feeling good about everything until my mother arrived.

I was being discharged tomorrow, so maybe security wasn’t as rampant when she sailed in looking like she owned the place. I knew Dad was being booked and, as an ex-cop, would have a miserable time inside before he got the death penalty if they could uncover the tapes from Lee Dunne’s cell. I’d tried to be sympathetic, but the fact that he had attempted to murder mylittle miracle kind of cancelled that out, even if the bruises I’d gotten as a child never did.

“Drake, you need to do something about these ridiculous charges.”

I was glad Shae had gone to the bathroom, because this conversation had been coming a long-ass time, and he didn’t need to hear it. She wasn’t worried for my dad. I knew that. What she was worried about was her own neck.

“Yeah?” I asked casually, zipping my tote bag. “Which charges specifically? The corruption charges leveled at him by the department, the intimidation of a public official, the attempted murder charge, or the first-degree murder charges that are being investigated? ‘fraid you’re gonna have to be a bit more specific.”

I’d have liked to say I was amused at her fish-face. Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times before she recovered, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak. “I’d have forgiven you for your complete disinterest in me if you’d ever once attempted to interfere with Dad’s punishments. If you’d given me any indication you loved me but were helpless to stop his brand of discipline because you feared for yourself. If you’d done that, I’d have laid him out cold the second I could.” I took a breath. “But you didn’t. At best you were indifferent, at worst you ignored cruelty and abuse. I knew you weren’t ignorant of it, anyway.” He’d often taken his belt out while she was there.

“A lot of boys dream of adventures when they sleep. Fighting bad guys. Slaying dragons. I always dreamed of you getting sick of me and giving me up for foster care, because anything would have been better than being forced to spend another day with you.”

I felt Shae’s fingers curl around mine suddenly, and I clung on. “You’re going to die alone. You’re going to die a bitter, twisted old woman in the same way you lived. Always assuming you don’t go to jail for corruption yourself.”

I saw her irritation morph into fear.

“Whereas I’m going home now to a soon-to-be husband and a daughter that loves me. To a couple that they will know as their grandparents. To a huge family of friends and aunts and uncles. To a life filled with love.” I swallowed, and belatedly realized I’d announced we were getting married and hadn’t actually asked him. I risked a glance and Shae was staring at me with bemusement on his face.

I turned back. “And you’re never going to have that.” I nodded to the door. “Get out before I have you thrown out. Lose my number.”

I fancied I saw a glint of regret in her eyes before she turned, but it was probably my imagination, and from that day on I vowed never to give her another thought.

She left and before I had chance myhusband-to-bewas kissing me. He drew back way too soon and chuckled. “Was that a proposal?”

I squirmed. Goddam actually squirmed. “A statement of intent. I want to do it properly and shit.”

Shae chuckled. “You’re so romantic.”

A day later, I finally walked through my own front door. We were greeted by Albert, Moira, and Dolly. The team had set up a barbecue for next weekend to celebrate Tammy’s birthday and told me in no uncertain terms that I was to do nothing except turn up.

Tammy and Maxie were coming home tomorrow, and I couldn’t wait.

We sat out back after enjoying an amazing dinner of fall-off-the-bone ribs and all the fixings, and yeah, I’d had a few twinges, but I was the happiest and most content I thought I’d ever been.

Shae came back from the kitchen with some iced tea Moira had made and while I really tried to drink it, I hated that shit, so I settled on water as she wasn’t here to berate me. Shae satdown, lifted his legs, and I grabbed his feet to put them on my lap. I’d have loved to take him to bed and do all sorts of wicked things, but I reckoned I might need a couple more days. For now, I just wanted to sleep with him in my arms, and think about how lucky I was.

“I love you,” I said. He’d said it a million times and while I thought about it all the time, I really had to remember Shae’s enhanced gifts didn’t include telepathy.

He sighed. “Well thank fuck, because you’re stuck with me.”

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