Page 48 of Justus
Wehaven’t talked about her life much. She explained that she ran away from thelast foster home because her foster father kept trying to put his hand down herpants. She was only on the street for a few days before she was drugged andkidnapped, held prisoner and forced into prostitution. Eight years. They hadher for eight years.
“Idon’t want to let you go again,” I confess, holding her tight.
“It’sonly temporary this time. A couple of months at most.” I should be comfortingher, but she always was the strong one.
“I’llbe at family therapy in two weeks,” I assure her. The car from the rehab centerpulls up out front and she gives me another squeeze before picking up hersuitcase.
“Goafter that woman who has you so tied up in knots.”
Shocked,I gape at her. I’ve never even mentioned Sadie. “Ayda has a big mouth,” Igrowl.
“Youkeep saying her name in your sleep, so I asked Ayda about her. She sounds likea good one. Don’t fuck it up on my account.” Her eyes are wise beyond heryears. “This is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and I won’t let you putyour life on hold for mine.”
Withoutlooking back, she walks out to the waiting car. Tears fill my eyes as I watchthe taillights disappear. I don’t even notice when Ayda pulls into thedriveway.
“Justus?Are you okay?”
“Yeah,”I reply, trying to swallow the lump in my throat. “What’s up?”
“I’msorry. I know this isn’t a great time, but I thought you should know. Sadie’sback in Oklahoma. Her mom is dying.”
Shit.There’s nothing I can do for my sister right now, but there is another woman Ilove that I can help.
“Canyou book me a plane ticket? And do you have a Valium?”
“Alreadybooked. I’m going with you. And I’m not a drug dealer.”
Afterrunning by her house to get her suitcase, Ayda and I head to the airport. Ihave given no thought to what I’m doing or what I’ll say to Sadie when I getthere. I just know she’s losing her mother and she needs me. I’ll worry aboutall the other shit later.
Mynerves are in overdrive, but I manage to keep my cool through security andboarding. I don’t know why I’ve always been afraid of flying. Something aboutcareening through the air stuck inside a metal can just terrifies the shit outof me.
Theflight attendant goes through the whole spiel, demonstrating the seat belt—who thehell doesn’t know how to put on a seatbelt—and draws our attention to theemergency exits. Yeah, that’ll help when we’re hurtling toward the ground.
“Inthe event of decompression, an oxygen mask will automatically appear in frontof you…” she rattles on.
Aydaregards me when I scoff, “I’ll bet there’s no oxygen in them.”
“Whywould they deploy the oxygen masks then?”
“Tokeep us in our seats? Or maybe to muffle the screams as we all plunge to ourdeath in the ocean.”
Laughing,she shakes her head. “We aren’t even crossing an ocean.”
“Amountain then. They should fill them with Valium. I’d huff the hell out of thatabout now.”
Theattendant finishes her announcement and it’s time for takeoff. Ayda grabs myhand which is shaking like hell, and I should be embarrassed, but I’m toopetrified to give a shit. As soon as we level out, she calls the flightattendant and hands me a tiny bottle of liquor. “Drink it. It’ll help. Theflight is only a couple of hours.”
Theflight is smooth, and I actually relax a little while Ayda fills me in oneverything I’ve missed with Sadie. “She misses you, Justus, but she’s given up.She told me she’s thinking about going out with one of the doctors she workswith.”
Asick rage fills me at the thought of any other man touching her. I haven’t somuch as looked at another woman since our little trip. Not willingly, anyway.“You told her I was working?”
“Yes,and she knows things with In Safe Hands have to be kept secret, but she’s alsonot stupid. Can you honestly say you couldn’t have called her, even once? Orsent her a card, an email, anything to let her know you’re still interested?”
Sighing,I close my eyes. “I was focused on my sister and…” My hand crawls through myhair, reminding me I need a haircut. It’s getting wild. “I love her, Ayda, butit’ll never work out. Hannah is going to need me and her recovery isn’t goingto be an easy process. I’m sure she won’t want to get dragged into all that.”
“That’sSadie’s call to make. You aren’t even giving her the option.”
“Andlet’s say she does still want to be together. Do you think she’ll still want mewhen she finds out what I do for ISH?” Sadie is strong and independent with agood heart. I can’t imagine she’ll be okay with me killing men and feeding themto pigs, no matter how evil they are.
