Page 82 of Dream Mates
“Katie and my father tried to check me out. My mother then had me moved to someplace else. She had me locked down, so that no one could see me but her–not even Katie and my dad. While he thought I needed help, he didn’t think I was unfit.” It was part of why I did what my mother told me. She had a lot of power and I’d seen what she could do when you angered her.
“I can’t believe they did that to you.” Grace started crying.
“I promise, no one harmed me. But in the second place she sent me to, they didn’t help me the way I needed,” I assured, trying to comfort her.
“The drugs were the worst. That’s what they tried first, to make me less rebellious and bad at math.” Her voice was muffled by my shirt.
“I’m sorry they did that to you.” Yeah, we were going back to that.
We went up the stairs to the next floor, which was mostly storage.
“In the meantime, Jett, being a persistent asshole, got worried about me, and showed up at my place. When he found out that I wasn’t there, he tracked down Katie and she told him what had happened,” I said.
“Please tell me he busted you out.” Her look went hopeful.
“He did.” My chest shook a little.
I didn’t deserve it. I’d ghosted him. And there he was, rescuing me.
“It involved getting a favor from a friend of Jett’s that’s an ambulance driver, Katie dating a judge’s son, and Terrance doing some browbeating. But yes, they got me out of there–and, much to my chagrin–into the place Katie wanted me to go to. There, the three shitheads assholed me into learning to walk again to spite my mother who was pissed at us. I also got my shit together there, both personally and regarding my business.”
I’d needed that ass-kicking and was grateful to have people in my life that cared enough about me to do that–even when I was being a knothead.
“I’m so glad,” she told me while we went down the backstairs.
“Me, too. Jett was by my side the whole time–not just while at the rehab facility, but after. Also, a lawyer at the firm Katie was interning at took my case and I sued the fuck out of the car company. That money helped to buy the resort Jett and I got married at.”
My mother never did quite forgive me for that–and certainly she never completely trusted me again. Which was why she was always forcing me to play the good son to ‘prove’ my loyalty to her and the family.
“You’re better now?” she asked.
“I still get headaches, but I recovered more than they ever thought I would,” I assured her.
We were now in the main ballroom, which opened out into the gardens.
“Thank you for opening up to me.” She hugged me again. “Sorry, not sorry, you feel nice to hug.”
“Jett and Evan would agree.” I patted her back. “It’s a hard story to tell. It was a long journey. There were times I hated Jett,especially when trying to get my life back together. He hated me sometimes, too. But in the end his persistence saved me. He believed in me, pushed me.” Loved me. Gave me a way to heal–and a way to regain the control I’d lost.
“I’m glad you shared it with me.”
“I had a feeling that you’d understand,” I told her. Wes had resonated with it as well. Even though Wes had been in the military at the time, he’d really been there for me, too.
There were a lot of people that hadn’t.
We entered another room. “This would probably be the room where you’d have the party after your wedding–or be the backup in case of rain. He’s looking for the ceremony to be outside in the gardens. Evan’s set on a May wedding. Though June would be better because the flowers would have more time.”
Something about his parents being married in May.
“This is beautiful. Look at the moldings.” She looked up at the elegant ceiling. “This could be something so special, Bren.”
“It really could,” I agreed. “Would you like to see the gardens? Or have we done enough walking?” Though she’d been doing well. Maybe she was fine.
She smiled and took my hand. “Let’s go. I can’t wait to see them.”
Chapter Twenty
Grace
