Page 79 of Surviving in Everton

“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,” Hudson teases, walking around the island to steal a kiss from me. “Sleep well? I came in to check on you last night. Ayden said you never moved once you passed out.”

“Yeah, it sure felt like that when I woke up,” I groan. “God, my whole body was sore. It’s feeling a little better now that I’m up and moving around.”

“Eat up, we gotta leave soon.” He kisses the top of my head as he slides a plate laden with all my favorite breakfast foods.

He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I’m starving! Digging into my breakfast, I talk around a mouthful of French toast. “Kay-en sas erone’s com-in to-ay.”

“I’m sorry, what was that? Care to try again without a mouth full of food so I can actually understand what you say, Sugar?”

Putting my fork down, I glare at him. “I’m fairly certain everyone in this room can understand me speak with my mouth full by now. Don’t get smart with me Hudson.”

“I’d like to see you speak with your mouth full of my coc-” Ayden coughs as he recovers from the brutal smack Nate just gave him.

I just roll my eyes at him. “Of course you would. Now go away with your sexy talk. I’m trying to eat here.”

“I will not. But I will let you eat. Also, yes we are all going.”

Goody. Even more people to see me fall apart when the doctor says it didn’t work.

“Whatever you’re thinking right now, stop it. I know the last few times you’ve seen Dr. Johnston haven’t been good, but this time will be different. You can’t tell me you don’t feel different since you took the potion. You look more alive. Your eyes are clear and bright, free of the glassy film I never even noticed until it was gone. Stop and really think about it, Rowe. How do youfeel? Do you feel different than you did just the other day?” Kayden presses.

Taking his advice, I close my eyes to block them out so I can concentrate on how I’m feeling. I feel… light. Free. Like I’ve been restrained for years and the chains are finally gone. My head’s not all foggy like it has been. I can remember things with crystal clarity. I test it out, thinking about our trip to the zoo. I’m able to recall Violet’s elation when she saw a real live unicorn for the very first time like I’m watching a video of it.

To be sure it’s not a fluke, I decide to think about something that happened after I started dating Harris. I remember when I brought him home after graduation. The last time I thought about that it was fuzzy and confusing. Now I see it all so clearly. After seeing the guys and their reactions to meeting Harris, I started to have second thoughts about marrying him. It was like I was coming out of a fog then. Now I know I was breaking through the spell. I recall Harris giving me a cup of tea after my shower and telling me everything would be fine in the morning. He said I wouldn’t even know who they were when I woke up. I don’t know how I could have forgotten he said that!

I remember on my wedding day, not having anyone on my side except Quinn and my parents. Maddy didn’t even come. She said she didn’t like how he was changing me and she couldn’t support my decision to marry him. How do I know all of this happened? I have no true recollection of this, but Iknowit happened. I’ve always wondered why my sister stopped talking to me when I moved. My parents always said she’d come around, but she never did. I hope I can repair our relationship now that Harris is gone and I have complete control of myself again.

“Hey, it’s okay baby. Don’t cry. You know I hate it when you cry, Kitten.” Nate wraps me in his arms and rocks me from side to side.

I hadn’t even noticed I was crying. There’s just so much that has happened over the past ten years that I really had no idea about. He took so much from me. He took my guys, my family, myhome. I can’t help but sob into Nate’s chest as memory after memory zooms through my mind. Every time my head would start to clear and I would start to question what was real, he would just dose me again and I’d be right back in his trap.

“It’s okay, baby, we’re here now. You could never truly get rid of us,” Hudson says from behind me, rubbing my arm.

An incessant ringing forces me to pull away from Nate’s comforting arms and I look around to find the source of the ungodly sound. I finally find my phone bouncing across the counter. I catch it just as it falls off the edge before it crashes to the floor, quickly answering before it goes to voicemail.

“Hello?” I greet, out of breath.

“A Stor! What’s wrong?!”

“Declan?! What are you doing calling me?! You’re supposed to be teaching! Oh god, is something wrong with Violet?!” My heart races as I picture all the awful things that could have happened to cause Declan to call me in the middle of class.

“Calm down,A Stor. Violet is fine. It’syouwe’re worried about! We can feel your agony from here! What happened? Please. Tell me.” His voice cracks as he begs me to tell him what’s wrong.

“Wait. You can feel me from there?” That’s crazy! That’s way too far to be able to feel my emotions. Especially Violet.

“You explain first,A Stor,” he demands.

Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I think about how to explain what just happened. “Kayden’s been trying to convince me the potion worked and I don’t have anything to worry about going to the doctor today. He finally told me to examine myself and see how I feel. So I did, and it was like the floodgates were opened. I suddenly rememberedeverything. I can’t… Dec I can’t…” I grip the phone so hard it hurts my hand, but I can’t let go. It’s like a lifeline, connecting me to Declan, who I suddenly need with me. I feel like I’m missing a piece of myself.

“Shhhh, I know love, I know. I’ll come home,A Stor. Let me get someone to cover my class and I’ll be right there, okay?”

“Don’t… don’t be ridiculous. You can’t just drop everything and leave work because I’m having a hard time. I’m sure I’ll be fine.” My sharp hiccup of breath belies that statement and I jump when arms wrap around me from behind, holding me tight.

“I can and I will. Put one of the guys on,” he demands.

I hold my phone out for someone to take, it doesn’t really matter who. I hear muffled talking then Hudson’s reply behind me.

“I understand, Dec. Do what ya gotta do. We’ll be here.”

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