Page 140 of Mangled Memory
“I talked to Gallo. He’s on it.”
“You talked to Ren?” Christian says over my head.
Liam nods. “He spends the day with his mom every now and then. Leaves his phone in the car.”
“Bad day to be incommunicado.”
My brother just shrugs and sits in the chair he occupied prior to his disappearance.
“So we know about everyone but the kidnappers and Dad then?”
Mom’s head flies up. “Your father was there?”
“Did you miss the part about all of this being his fault?” Liam’s voice thunders.
“Where is he? How is he? Why haven’t we heard?” Mom seems to be panicked.
“He was—” Christian starts.
But he is cut off by Cian who says his first words since beforeall hell broke loose, “No. One. Fucking. Cares.” He grits each word through metal like it costs him dearly.
Christian
Cian is right. And he’s wrong. I know Ayla cares, though she shouldn’t.
Janie, though, is a basket case and has no one in her court.
Seamus was being arrested while the EMTs worked on me. It took extra time because I hit my head and blacked out when I leapt in front of my wife, and if I dare to admit it, in front of her dad too. I was on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace since I couldn’t communicate and they didn’t know where I was hurt, when I woke to see my father-in law-being handcuffed and read his rights.
I don’t think the thugs were aiming at her, but there was no option for collateral damage. I’d never live with myself if she were hit just for being near her dad. Or if she were executed for failing to do the same to him.
“I’m ready to go home.”
“Almost.” Ayla pats my chest. “I need to see Fitz first, then we can go.”
I squeeze her again and kiss the top of her head. “Okay, Princess. But if we’re staying, you need to take care of your mom. She’s a wreck.”
“No, Honey. I’m right where I’m supposed to be.” She looks up at me, her green eyes blazing, and adds, “I didn’t know. I promise. Well, I guess old me did. That was a bitch move on her part and I’m pissed at her for it.”
“It didn’t last long,” Janie interjects quietly. “You were over the moon for him and basically told Seamus to shove it before you were ever married.”
I might as well sink to my knees in relief. It started poorly,but our vows weren’t lies. My promises to her were true, and hers to me were too. We can figure everything else out.
“We need a vacation. After all this dies down and we feel safe again, we should take a trip.”
“Greece? I’d love to see and shoot those blue waters and white-domed roofs.”
“Yeah, Ayla. I’d gladly take you there.” Or back there. A second honeymoon in the same place as the first sounds perfect. “We’ll get you some SPF four million sunscreen.”
She smacks my chest. “That’s rude.”
“Rude but real.” Liam interjects while doing something on his phone.
This feels so similar to how it did before Ayla’s fall. My wife, her brothers, and I having a great time together.
“Be right back.” I need to know about Fitz so I can take my wife home. I need a good night’s sleep with her by my side where everything is right in the world.
I’m a patient man.I say this to myself on repeat, trying to convince myself of its veracity, during our time at Porter Adventist.
