Neighborly(97)
The truck is loaded up, and Doug is chatting with the movers. Ellen is the last to show up. I hoped I’d see her. She wrote a letter and slid it under my door a week ago expressing, in great detail, her remorse and regret about not believing me all those years ago. It was a relief to see her handwriting on something other than a piece of cardboard. She also told me more about what she’s gone through all these years and why her denial was so powerful. She just wasn’t ready to lose her family or even the idea of her family; she was too scared to stop being angry, scared of what she’d feel and what she’d do.
“Can I apologize again,” she says, “in person?”
“You don’t need to. You were driven mad trying to protect your family.”
“The wrong family.”
“It was the only one you knew for a long time.”
She nods, with a small smile. “I can’t believe how forgiving you are. I don’t know that I could do it.”
“None of us is innocent.” Sadie is in my arms, and she reaches out for Ellen. “Well, almost none of us.”
Ellen smiles at Sadie. “Such a beautiful girl. I hope she grows up safe and happy.”
“I’m going to do my best.” I tear my eyes from Sadie. “How’s Nolan?”
“He’s a mess. He’s actually been in a psychiatric hospital. I’ve had Fisher with me ever since . . . well, you know. He’s inside with Hope now. She’s actually really good with him.”
“I can believe that.”
“It’s good to see this side of her. But it’s terrible, how it came about.” She looks right at me. “Thank you for protecting Nolan. You didn’t owe him that. What you told the police, I mean. They’re not going to charge him.”
“Charging him wouldn’t help anyone.”
Ellen averts her eyes back to Sadie. “I’m still in shock. I can’t believe how out of control everything got, how far I was willing to go.”
“You thought I was the enemy. That’s what your dad wanted you to think.”
She takes a deep breath and finally looks at me. “So where do we go from here?”
“I have no idea. But I feel like something inside me has been exorcised, if that makes sense.”
“I feel that way, too.” She looks toward the now-empty house.
Then we turn to each other with uncertain smiles. There’s nothing and everything left to say. So much that no one else could ever understand, a bond deeper than perhaps any other I could ever make, forged in the trauma of misplaced loyalty, stronger than steel.
Layton tried to pull us apart, but it didn’t work. Somehow, we found our way back together.
Love is like that.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
To start at the top: I want to thank my husband for his unwavering support, encouragement, and belief. And while I’m not Kat, I was able to summon up the experience of having a newborn—the terror that comes with loving a tiny being so very much—because of my own beautiful daughter, now six years old. So glad you’re you, kid.
Gratitude goes to Mary Jane Weatherbee, Natalie Kiff, and Tara Yudenfreund for being my beta readers, though there’s nothing beta about any of you. You’re all generous and astute, and I’m very appreciative of your contributions.
To the Lake Union team: What a godsend! Danielle Marshall, you’re a fount of enthusiasm and knowledge, and I’m so pleased that you chose me, and Neighborly. Alicia Clancy, when you said you were excited about the new book, you backed it up. What editor reads your draft overnight (when there’s no deadline in sight)? Alicia, that’s who. So glad to continue the journey with you. And Sarah Murphy, I’d never heard of a developmental editor until you came along, but you made me an absolute believer. You brought out the best in my manuscript. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
And finally, to my sterling agent, Elisabeth Weed. You’re a champion of each book and a fierce guardian of my career. What would I do without you? Please, let me never find out the answer to that question. To many more!