Page 49 of Crossroads of Innocence
A twinge of regret echoed inside her. As far as she knew, her own mama was as healthy and vital as the day she’d left town. So many years laid between them. Had they been wasted or necessary for her survival? She’d always believed necessary but maybe she was wrong.
“Are you still here?”
The angry sound of her sister’s voice opened her eyes and tightened her nerves. A hundred different things she wanted to say clogged her brain, all struggling to find a way out of her mouth.
Laura crossed her arms over her chest, piercing blue eyes narrowed. “Well? Why are you still here? We’ve been fine without you for twelve years. You don’t have to show up to celebrate with the family you left because your brother’s finally awake.”
“Matthew woke up?” Jude asked, standing taller.
Huffing, Laura worked her jaw back and forth. “Of course that’s all you care about. He’s all you’ve ever cared about.”
The accusation cut like a knife. “That’s not true. I’ve always cared about you.”
“Really,” Laura said, her voice pitching high. “Is that why you left me? Alone and scared and lonely in that house? That’s caring about me?”
Jude reached for her sister, but she flinched away. “I thought I was helping you. If I wasn’t there getting in trouble, Dad couldn’t use you to get to me.”
Laura frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Memories of all the tears Laura had cried because of her actions increased the pressure in her chest. “All those times he hurt you. All those times he played mind games with you. It was my fault. He knew hurting you would punish me more than anything he could ever do to me. And you were so young, so innocent. I didn’t want to be the reason he went after you anymore. I wanted to protect you. And if that meant leaving town, then that’s what I had to do.”
“Do you really think the second you left town he changed?” Laura asked with a small snort. “That he magically didn’t need to torture anyone or pull a hundred strings to make everyone move the way he wanted them to? Because trust me, that’s not what happened at all.”
The statement crashed down on her like a bomb. She leaned against the wall for support. All those years, all those wrong turns that led her away from her home and her friends, and for what? She hadn’t protected her sister. Hadn’t gotten her over her feelings of anger and bitterness toward her father. Hell, she’d fallen apart at the mere sight of Jenson. Leaving might have saved her from enduring more pain and torture from her dad, but she wasn’t sure if it had solved any of her problems.
“I’m sorry. I wish I could do or say something to make things up to you, but I can’t. I can’t change the way I left. I can’t change that I wasn’t there to protect you.”
“I didn’t need you to protect me. I needed my sister.” Tears welled in Laura’s eyes, and she dashed them away. “You abandoned me. He told me it was my fault. That I pushed you away. I’ve blamed myself for years for being the reason our family broke up, and now you’ve confirmed everything he said.”
“No,” Jude said, horrified Laura had taken on such a heavy burden at such a young age. Disgusted—yet not surprised—Jenson would shackle that burden on her. “I was young and made the only choice I thought I had. But I’d love to make up for lost time. I want to stay in Pine Valley and be here for you. Please. I want to be your sister again.”
“There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” Isaac rounded the corner, his sleazy smile growing as his wolfish eyes landed on Jude. “Well look who it is. Long time no see, Jude.”
She tightened her jaw and gave a little nod. “Isaac.”
He stopped beside Laura and hooked an arm over her shoulders, pulling her tight to his side. “How’ve ya been?”
“I’m okay,” she said. “You?”
“Better now that your brother’s awake. It’s been a tense couple of days. You know. For the family. No one ever thought you’d come back here, but lucky for us you did and brought all your shit with you.”
All the color drained from Laura’s face, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. “Isaac. Don’t.”
He dug his fingers into Laura’s flesh. “Don’t what? Speak the truth?”
Laura winced. “Things are complicated and now’s not the time to get into it.”
His smile fell. “You’re right. She’s not worth our time. Come on. Your parents are in the waiting room.”
“No.” Laura’s voice was so small Jude could barely hear it.
“Excuse me?” Isaac said, anger spewing from his words.
She licked her lips and cast a tentative glance at Jude.
Jude gave a tiny nod, doing what she could to silently urge her sister on. To give her the support she needed to stand up to her bully of a boyfriend.
“I’m taking my sister to see our brother. It’s past time we’re all together.”
