Page 81 of Deliver Me

“What if they blame me for not doing more?” Seeing them at the trial had been almost more than he could stand, and they hadn’t been able to talk to him directly. How would he have been able to deal with it if they could have leveled their eyes on him and demanded he account for his failures? “I don’t know if I could handle that.”

“They helped you at your trial,” Dr. Lucas reminded him. “You share a unique bond with them, a shared history, and they may have already had a chance to walk the healing road that you’re on now.”

“So … what? You think they might have advice for me?”

“Talking about it might help, with or without advice, but it’s possible.”

“Hmm.”

“You deserve to live a full life and reach for the things that make you happy. Whatever you decide, it’s important that you remember that no one else has control of you now. Not your parents, not Richard or Seth, and not the guards at the prison. You’re the one in a position of power in your own life now.”

Gabriel didn’t know what to say to that. All he’d wanted in prison was the ability to make decisions for himself, to live on his own terms. Now he had it, and he had to decide what to do with it. He tapped his fingers on his knee and watched the clock tick toward the end of his hour.

“Isn’t that right, Mia?”

“Hmm?”

Lilly looked at her curiously and gestured to James’ wife, Emily. “I said, it’s nice that they were able to come this week.”

“Oh,” Mia said, sitting up straighter in her chair and trying to drag her attention back to the conversation. “Yes, it’s great to have visitors.”

Mia had a lot on her mind, and it was hard to concentrate on what they were saying but Emily was soft spoken and had a sweet, patient smile that seemed to put everyone around her at ease immediately. It was obvious that Lilly liked her, and James seemed to treat her well. Mia knew she’d made the right choice in not binding herself to a lifestyle that would never have let her be fulfilled, but she was glad that Emily seemed happy.

“James used to come around quite a bit so it’s good to see him back,” Lilly agreed.

Mia nodded but she couldn’t quite make herself agree with that out loud. “How did Mrs. Prescott’s surgery go?” she asked instead.

“It went well,” Emily said, her face brightening as her husband came into the room. “She’s been very sweet to me since I married James and I’m glad that God watched over her.”

“She’s a kind woman,” Mia agreed.

“Mia,” James said as he crossed the room to Emily’s side. “I see you’ve met Emily.”

“Yes,” Mia agreed. “I don’t think I ever congratulated you on the wedding. You make a lovely couple.”

“It’s nice to see you again,” James said. He said it hesitantly and the harsh words they’d exchanged the last time they’d really spoken to one another hung heavy between them.

She might talk to her father about guiding him into a better way to handle his parishioners, to prevent him from hurting another woman the way he’d hurt her, but she wasn’t going to embarrass him in front of his new wife. Maybe he deserved it, but they’d both found what they were looking for and she didn’t want to hold that grudge anymore.

“It was nice to see you, too,” Mia agreed.

“I know we haven’t always gotten along and I’m sorry about that,” he hesitated and looked around uncomfortably, “but I just overheard some pretty unpleasant things Mrs. Newberry was saying about you. She didn’t seem to think she needed to keep her voice down around me, and maybe I’m not the right person to have said anything, but I think you deserve to know.”

“What did she say?” Mia narrowed her eyes, already feeling the blood start to rush. She’d had enough of this. Mrs. Newberry had kept her distance since she’d found out Gabriel had come with her the first time, and an ever greater one once she’d gotten a good look at his size and scowling face the second time he’d come, but obviously he was right. She was never going to stop unless someone stopped her.

“She said that Gabriel should be ashamed of himself for taking advantage of an innocent young girl. That you were going to hell, and it would all be his fault.” He looked like he had more to say but Mia was beyond listening. It was time they had this confrontation and there was no better place than right here, right now.

“I’ll be right back,” she said, only vaguely aware that she’d spoken, her body hot and vibrating with emotion.

“Mia?”

She didn’t respond, her head swiveling as she prowled toward the dessert table. Mrs. Newberry had just been there a moment before—she couldn’t have gone far. Mia had covered only half the distance between James and the dessert table when she spotted a head of perfectly styled, blonde hair. Her fingers twitched with the urge to reach out and yank it as hard as she was able, but she took a deep breath, prepared to keep her assault a purely verbal one, when a few words of what Mrs. Newberry was saying reached her.

“… actually thinks she’s doing a good job helping to run the group! If it wasn’t for her suggesting the prison program in the first place, poor Mia wouldn’t be in this position. I’ve said all along that this was going to happen, haven’t I?”

The heat in Mia’s blood ran cold, the rage that had burned inside her freezing into a cold sense of purpose. Her mind and heart stilled, and her voice was almost pleasant as she asked, “Who put me in this position?”

Mrs. Newberry jumped, a guilty flush on her face as she spun around to find Mia smiling at her, the grin all teeth and no mercy. “I’m sorry?” she asked. “I’m afraid I don’t understand …”

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