Lynn

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Three days later, the PI, whose name was William, got me in to see Shelly. She was being held behind bars, but she was in the area set aside for mental patients. Mason’s job helped some with that, getting her separated from everyone else until she could be adequately evaluated. Evaluating Shelly would be like evaluating a rock. Or a chameleon. She could be anyone or anything. She would give up nothing, unless it served her purpose.

What her purpose was, I had no idea.

I sat down in a room to wait for her to arrive.

After what seemed like hours, they finally brought her to me. They sat her down across from me, and hooked her handcuffs to the table in front of me. She could use her hands, but she couldn’t grab for anything, so I took her hands in mine.

“You look like shit,” I said.

She blew a lock of hair from her eyes. “Yeah, well, this place lacks some of the amenities of home.”

“You’ll be going home soon. I’m going to turn myself in, as soon as we’re done talking.”

“No, you’re not.”

She said nothing else. She just said no.

“Yes. I am.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Shelly…” Damn it, she was going to make me cry.

“They’ve sent three therapists to see me so far,” she said. “You know how much I hate having someone poke around in my head.”

“I know. I’m so sorry.”

“It was kind of interesting, actually.” She shrugged and her face turned pink.

“Why are you blushing?” I asked.

“Nothing.” She grinned.

“Tell me,” I said.

“That nice PI guy has been by a few times.”

“Oh my God,” I said. “You like him!”

“What’s not to like? A bald head and a broad chest. That man is in fine physical form. And he was good in a crisis. I kind of like that.” She shrugged.

“I think he likes you too. He’s been doing a lot to help you.”

“Well, I’m bat-shit crazy, so he probably feels sorry for me.”

“I don’t think so. I think he truly wants to help. I don’t know why, though.”

Shelly said nothing. She just stared at me. “You seem different,” she finally said.

I swiped a hand beneath my nose. “They’re gone.”

Shelly’s brows rose. “All of them?” She rocked in her seat a little, squirming.

“Yes. I haven’t heard from any of them since that day. Not one.”

“Not even Ash?”

“No. But I had an insatiable desire to run ten miles this morning.”

“That’s Charlie for you.”

“And yesterday, I felt the need to paint my nails black. I don’t even like black.” I wiggled my newly blackened fingernails in her face.

“That’s Ash.”

“And I got the stuff to change the oil in Mason’s car. I don’t even know how, but I bought the stuff.”

“It’ll come to you. That’s Jamie.”

“And their memories, the ones that had seemed fuzzy to me, they are really clear now.”

“No missing parts. That’s good.”

“I don’t even know what’s happening.”

She squeezed the hand she still held. “They’re integrating. They’ve always been a part of you, but now they’re really part of you, rather than separate from you.”

“Why do you think they’re doing this?” I asked.

“They realized your baby is the most important thing in the world. That’s why.”

I snorted. “You make it sound like he’s the messiah or something.”

“He’s not the messiah, but he’s the truth and the light. He’s you and Mason, because your love grew so big that it spilled over and made someone new. Something beautiful. And they know how important he is to you. They know he’s worth it.”

“Worth what?” I chewed on my lower lip.

“Worth integrating. They don’t have to go away. They just have to become part of you. Easy peasy.”

“It’s not easy peasy.” Nothing about this was easy peasy.

“You know what I mean.”

“I’m going to go to the police when I leave here. I’m going to tell them I did it. I’m going to get you out of here. It’s the right thing to do.” My voice cracked. “I know we haven’t been close in a really long time, but I do love you.”

This time, it was Shelly whose eyes filled up with tears. She blinked them back quickly. “I wasn’t going to sleep with him, you know?”

I shook my head. I didn’t know. “None of that matters right now.”

“He’s good for you.”

“He is.” I nodded.

“Everything I’ve ever done was me trying to protect you.”

“Well, now it’s my turn to protect you. I’m going to tell them. You’ll be able to go home.

She kicked the table so hard that I jumped. “You won’t tell them anything. You’ll keep all that shit to yourself, Lynn. You know why? Because if you tell them, they’ll lock you up, either here or at a mental ward, and then they’ll take your baby. Mason will have to raise him alone, because they’ll decide that you and your friends could never care for a child. They’ll keep you from him.” Spittle flew from her lips. “So for fuck’s sake, Lynn, listen to me.”

“I can’t let you rot in here.”

She laughed. “I’m not going to rot in here. I’m going to get out. I give it six months, tops.”

Even six months was too long.

“I can’t let you take the fall for me. I just can’t. It’s wrong.”

“No,” she said quietly. The room fell deadly still. “Do you know what was wrong? Leaving you alone with him was wrong. That day, when he nearly killed you? I begged Mom to take me out. And to only take me. I wanted to be alone with her. I wanted to have her all to myself. And he nearly killed you. That’s what’s wrong, Lynn. That is why I’m staying. I owe you for all that. I owe you.”

“You don’t owe me anything.”

“I’m taking the fall for this one. And if you stir shit up, I’ll make you look so crazy that they’ll take that baby regardless. Do you understand?”

I suddenly remembered why I’d stopped talking to her. She had a way of overriding every decision I ever made. And she did it using logic.

“I’m going to be the best aunt ever!” she sang out. The guard looked into the room to be sure we were all right. I waved at him to reassure him.

“It doesn’t feel right,” I said quietly. A tear tracked slowly down my face.

“Call it my penance.” She shrugged again. “Now get out of here and go have sex with that beautiful man of yours. I hear pregnant women are really horny.”

I laughed. “I might be if I could get over the puking.”

“Eww, gross,” she said, scrunching her face.

I stared at her, seeing her as someone new. Everything she’d done, she’d done for me. She might have gone about it the wrong way, but it was for me.

“I get major points for this, right?” she teased.

“Major,” I confirmed.

“You will let me see him, right? When he gets here? You’ll let me hold him at least once, won’t you?” This time, it was her who had the tears. I reached over and wiped them from her cheek.

“I’ll let you see him. I promise. But you have to stop trying to kill people.”

She pretended to pout. “You’re no fun.”

“Can I ask you something?” I said quietly.

“I’m an open book.” She waited, smiling softly at me.

“Did you kill him?”

“Him who?” she asked, but I was pretty sure she knew.

“Our father. Did you kill him?”

“Are you sure you want to know the truth?”

“Yes. I’m sure.”

She sucked in a deep breath. “Yes, I killed him,” she said on a big rush of air. “He’s dead. He’ll never bother you again. Ever. He won’t bother anyone.”

“Thank you.” I knew it was wrong, but I was so damn grateful he was gone.

“Don’t tell anyone about that. I’ll deny it if you do.”

“Understood.”

She kicked me lightly under the table. “Go home. You look tired.”

She called for the guard before I could say anything else. He began to lead me toward the door, and Shelly called out, “Lynn!”

I turned back.

“I love you. You know that, right?”

I nodded. “I know it. I love you too. You know that, right?”

She nodded too. And then I let the guard lead me from the room. I held back my tears until I’d turned the corner where she couldn’t see me. And then I took the time I needed to get it all out, pull myself back together, and go home.