Page 131 of Ink and Ashes
“Water,” she says simply.
I release her hand to pour some from the jug on the table intoa cup, then hold the straw out to her. She takes slow sips, wincing as she swallows. When she finishes, I place the cup back on the table, lean over her again, and brush her hair behind her ear.
“Hi, Red,” I croak, another tear slipping past my waterline.But this one isn’t out of fear or sadness—it’s pure relief and happiness.
“Hi, Lieutenant,” she says, keeping her gaze locked on mine. Then with a smile, she adds, “I love you too.”
CHAPTER 47
Holland
“You heard that?” Colson asks, his eyes glassy.
I tilt my head down. “Every word,” I rasp. My throat is dry and sore, likely from the amount of smoke I inhaled during the fire. My mind is foggy, but bits and pieces are slowly coming back to me. “He’s really dead? This is over?”
Colson nods, his thumb trailing over my hand where he holds it. “Yeah, Red. It’s over. He’s gone.”
I let out a sigh of relief as tears well in my eyes, and I don’t bother fighting them. It sounds awful, but I’ve never been so relieved to hear someone has died.
A sob racks through me, and Colson wastes no time wrapping his arms around me. He wedges himself into the bed beside me, pulling me against him.
“You’re okay, baby,” Colson says, pressing a kiss to the crown of my head. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you again.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as the tears fall harder, and I relax against him, letting him be my strength for alittle while.
Eventually, the doctor returns to check on me, and after quickly checking that my vitals are stable, he asks, “Are you up for some more visitors?”
I don’t think twice before I nod, and a moment later, the entire crew, as well as Mary, Emmett, Stacy, Will, and George fill the small room. Cassidy is the first one by my side, and Colson stands from the bed to let her close enough to hug me.
But he doesn’t let go of my hand while she does.
“I’msoglad you’re okay,” Cass says as she hugs me tight. “You really scared us, Hol.”
I squeeze my eyes shut as I hug her back, trying to keep the tears at bay. “I know. I scared me too,” I admit. She pulls away with watery eyes and a relieved smile on her face, then moves aside for others to do the same.
It’s overwhelming as hell having everyone here so soon after waking up, especially when my mind is still so fuzzy. But it also takes everything in me not to burst into tears again knowing that they’re all here forme.
The last thing I expected when I first arrived here was that I’d make a home for myself, with people I care about and people who care about me too. But as I glance around at all the faces, I realize I’ve done exactly that. It may not have been intentional, but I’ve come to learn that things don’t always go as planned. And that’s okay. Because sometimes, what you end up with is even better.
If the me from four months ago could see me now, she’d think I’m insane. But if there’s anything this whole experience has taught me, it’s that it’s okay to follow your heart. In all my twenty-nine years on this planet, I’ve never once prioritized what Iwantover what’s expected of me, and the pressure I’ve put on myself to be perfect in every aspect of my life has been unbearable.
I may have come here with the intention of redeeming myself, but somewhere along the way, I think I stopped needing to prove myself to everyone else and just started trying to prove myself tome.
This case did that for me. I stuck to my guns and figured it out. I may have almost died in the process, but I’m here. I’m alive, andWelland isn’t. That’s enough for me to know that Idohave what it takes to be on my own, that my successes are mine and mine alone. And now that this case is over, I can finally let go of the expectations of everyone else. I can let go of my hopes of getting my old job back, and I can let go of the desire to prove myself to people who couldn’t care less about me.
This case was closure for me—the final piece of the puzzle, shutting the door to my life back in Toronto. Deciding to stay in Ember Grove is the one choice I’ve made with onlymein mind, and no matter what happens next, I will never regret it.
“Are you ready?”Colson asks as he stands behind me, holding his hands over my eyes.
I was released from the hospital this evening after a twenty-hour stay, and we came straight to the station. I was dying to just go home and rest andshower, but Colson insisted we stop here first. He stayed at the hospital with me the entire time I was there, so I assumed he just had to pick something up. But when he made me close my eyes before we pulled up, I realized there was more to it.
With a smile on my face, I nod. “Let me see.”
He chuckles. “Okay. On the count of three…”
He counts up, and as he says “three,” he removes his hands and crosses his arms over my shoulders. I grab hold of his forearm as I slowly open my eyes, and at the same time, a chorus of people shouts, “Surprise!”
It takes a second to adjust to the light, but when I see the giant banner withWelcome Home Hollandpainted across it, tears sting the backs of my eyes. I glance up at Colson, and the look on my face is enough to convey the question.
