Page 20 of Loving Lies (Granton University 3)

Chapter Six

TESS WAS PLEASED when Jonah’s nurse transferred her glare from him to her. He didn’t need to be glared and bickered at right now. He just needed a little tender loving care, proof taken from the way he kissed her hand in thanks, stirring a warm tingle inside her.

The nurse narrowed her eyes ominously before muttering, “I’ll be right back with the supplies,” before she spun away and stalked from the room.

Tess waited until Nurse Ratchet was gone before she turned her attention to the boy on the bed with the silent tears streaming down his cheeks. She blew out a breath and forced a smile. “Well, she’s certainly pleasant.”

Jonah didn’t smile at her joke. His chest still heaved from the nervous breakdown she was sure he’d just adverted himself from having. But at least his breaths were coming more easily now. And no new tears welled in his eyes.

“None of them like me. I think I’m the worst patient in the entire hospital.”

He sounded so apologetic and regretful about that fact that her heart went out to him. She began to reach for his hair to soothe him, but he lifted his face to look at her. Feeling caught in the act, she dropped her fingers unobtrusively.

“I can’t believe you came back,” he said, his voice full of awe.

“I said I would.” She tried to stay upbeat, but with the tragic way he stared at her as if she was the only thing keeping him together, she had to bite her lip and glance away again. “I didn’t mean to get here so late, but I drove to Bristol and…” Her voice trailed off as she peeked at his face for any sign of recognition. “Does that name mean anything to you?”

He squinted as if running the word through his head. “Bristol?” he repeated. When she nodded, he shook his head. “No. Is it a town?”

She nodded again. “Yes. It’s your hometown. I found your parents and went to tell them what happened to you.” Wincing, she glanced away. “And now I know why you never talked about them.”

His eyes widened with panic. “Why?”

Tess blew out a breath. Man, this was going to be hard to report. But she wanted him to know. “The permanent home address you have in the school directory is false, so obviously you didn’t want to be tied to these people in any way. Except I found them in a phonebook once I reached Bristol. They live in a trailer park called Whispering Pines.” She paused to study his face. “Does that ring any bells?”

Jonah blinked once, then twice, before he slowly shook his head.

She shrugged, not really expecting him to have a bright flash of clarity but kind of hoping he might. “Well, that’s where they live. Ted and Phyllis. Those are their names.”

He puffed out a sudden, harsh breath. “You talked to them?”

After a pregnant pause, she sighed. “Yes, I did.”

His face paled as if he already knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say, but he asked anyway. “And?”

“Well…” She eased into the chair beside him. After tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, she dropped the bomb. “They didn’t…” Oh man, how was she going to word this? “Apparently, you had a big falling out with them years ago or something. I’m not sure. But it was probably before you

were eighteen, because I don’t…Well, your dad said something to make it sound as if he hadn’t seen you since you’d become a legal adult. Anyway…” She fluttered out a hand as if it wasn’t an important detail. “I don’t think they’re going to make it down to see you.”

The air exhaled from his lungs. He stared at the wall over Tess’s shoulder. “Okay.”

She bit her lip again. “I’m so sorry.” When she covered his hand, he turned his over so they lay palm to palm and their fingers interlaced.

“So, both of them want nothing to do with me?” he asked. “My dad and my mom?”

She wrinkled her face into a look of indecision. “Well, mostly. Your dad was the biggest jerk, telling me…Well, anyway, I have a feeling if I’d caught your mom by herself, she might’ve responded differently.”

He glanced at her, hope flaring in the depth of his intent gaze. “How’s that?”

“She…” Tess shook her head. “I don’t know how to say this, but I think…I think maybe he beats her. Her eye was bruised, and she just acted…you know, submissive. Abused. She looked concerned about you until he showed up in the doorway. And then she just…shut down and went blank.”

Jonah stared for the longest time before he blinked and glanced away. “I don’t know how to feel about that.”

Her fingers tightened around his. “It’s okay. Without your memories, these people don’t mean anything to you. I can only imagine how hard it is for you to learn…well, what you just learned.”

He nodded, his face still vacant of emotion. “I wonder if I still love them.”

“Of course you do.” She rose up so she could kiss his forehead. “All children love their parents, even if they’re crappy, awful parents that don’t deserve it. They gave us life; we just can’t help it.”

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