Page 100 of Free to Believe
My head shoots around. I see him lounging negligently in the doorframe.
Phillip Freeman.
61
Jake
“You’re her brother,” I murmur. Of all her siblings, even knowing they’re not biologically related, Emily looks the most like the man standing before me.
He glares at me. “Phillip Freeman-Ross. What the hell are you doing here, Madison? She’s starting to heal.”
I stand and face Phillip head-on. “If you think she’s healed any more than I have, then you are completely wrong.”
Two quick strides and he’s in my face. “What makes you think you know her better than me? What makes you even think she might still give a damn about you?”
“Em told me she would sooner burn her journal than show it to another human. That’s how she told me about you. She showed me pictures about her parents’ murder, her Aunt Dee.” Shock drains the color from Phillip’s face. “There were pictures of the day she met her ‘new’ brother and sister and the day they all tried to stand before a judge to become a family.”
“Shit,” I hear Caleb curse behind me. I don’t turn from Phil to look anywhere else.
“She showed me her pride the day her sisters graduated college and pictures of Mugsy through the years. But above all of that, do you know what shetoldme?” At the wordless shake of his head, I plow on. “She told me she was prepared to live without love so all of you can survive.”
The room explodes behind me. “What the hell do you mean by that, Madison?” Keene growls.
“She thinks she’s the catalyst of her parents’ death. Her aunt’s death. The night she opened that journal and told me her story, she told me it was eight days before her eighth birthday. Which is on August eighth. And then she asked me if I knew that the number eight means death. She’s not living.” Turning my back on Emily’s brother, I sit back down.
Jason drops his head in his hands. “Jesus Christ.”
“I fucked up. I am well aware I’ve lost the second-best thing in my life—Jenna being the first. That is entirely on me, and I’ve been working with someone to fix that in the smallest hope in hell she ever lets me back in. But Ineedher to know it isn’t her fault. She has to live.” Taking a deep breath, I add on, “Whether that’s with or without me.”
My head drops into my hands. There’s nothing more I can say.
“Madison, can you give us a minute?” My head snaps up as Caleb stands along with Keene. They make their way over to a still-stunned Phillip. “Brother, come with us for a minute. Everyone else, we’ll be right back.” The three men make their way out the door.
It closes softly behind them. There’s absolute silence for a long time while I try to regain control.
“Jacob,” Jason says quietly. “From a medical standpoint, Jenna says she’s okay, but I notice she’s still limping. Is everything going well with her rehabilitation?”
Even though I’m mentally and physically drained, I appreciate the quiet conversation to take my mind off what’s going on outside the door. “Her therapist says everything is on track. She has a few more weeks, and I’m sure the winter won’t be great, but they expect a full recovery.”
“That’s good to hear. I had the names of a few specialists I was going to recommend if things weren’t.” I offer him a small smile in gratitude.
“Actually, that reminds me.” I reach into my jacket pocket. Pulling out an envelope, I slide it to the center of the table. “The reimbursement of Jenna’s medical bills for the hospital.”
Colby sputters, “The family paid for those.”
“The family assumed I blamed Em for something that was never her fault. I never would have expected you all to do that.”
“They’re not likely to take it back.”
“Then donate it,” I tell him. “But it’s not coming home with me.”
Charlie reaches for the envelope. Slitting it open, he whistles. “Damn, son. That’s a check for the entire bill.”
“Yes, it is.”
Cracking the first joke of the day, Charlie asks, “Can you still send your kid to college after that?”
“Mr. Henderson, you’ve read the report in front of you? I assume everyone has?” At his nod, I continue. “I’d appreciate if no one mentions I cowrite songs with Brendan to my daughter. It’s bad enough when Dani’s around to curb her shopping tendencies. If she knew there’s a trust in her name…” I shake my head.
