HOLLY

Skidding to a halt when she reached Rev’s car, as she’d run from the hospital to avoid Jake, she unlocked the door and threw herself behind the wheel. She hated the nights Rod worked and she didn’t; their schedule was screwed up. She missed the chats they used to have when they shared an off day. Apart from her mom, he was the only one she could talk to, and she needed him, needed to talk about the awful feelings in her gut, about what seeing Jake was doing to her mind, although she couldn’t mention Jake. He was playing fucking games with her.

The engine roared to life as she started the car. Pulling out of the parking bay, she made her way toward the boom. In these almost seven months, she’d learned a lot about Boston. The traffic outside the hospital grounds was jam-packed, which meant the trip home would be a longish one, as well as the wait before she even joined said traffic. She was glad Rev had sorted the radio out with his first paycheck—seriously nothing to write home about—because she needed the distraction.

When her turn finally came, she smiled and waved at Christopher, the night guard, as he lifted the boom. Traffic was a bitch, and she’d be lucky if she made it home in time to watch The Real Housewives at seven. She finally understood why Bern used to love it so much. She’d really became fond of it over the past few years.

Crawling along, she bet some idiot either had a breakdown or caused an accident. The radio blared while she watched the time every so often. Fifteen minutes later, she’d barely gotten a mile away from Downsend. Little by little she inched forward until she drove by the problem. A collision. She followed a big-ass black SUV into a turn-off lane. If anyone else was going to bump someone, it would be this SUV. Driving behind it, she was protected, considering she was in a tiny Golf. As the light was red, traffic was stopped once again. She smiled when she noticed the SUV’s license plate: The Beast.

The traffic light changed to green and everyone drove off except the SUV. “Ugh! C’mon.” Holly honked the horn, and she wasn’t the only one. A couple cars behind her managed to get a gap into the other lane, whooshing past her to pull in front of the SUV, honking once again at the driver. Frustratingly, the light turned red again. She hadn’t moved at all.

“Stupid SUV,” she grunted. Some people just don’t know how to drive. 

The person in the SUV turned up the music. That confirmed her suspicions—it was definitely a chick because of the song choice. Listening to the words, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes up to the sky. “Seriously, a little break, please?” she begged. She hated that song. It was funny how the characters portrayed in books and in songs didn’t exist. This particular song had played in the movie Pretty Woman, called “King of Wishful Thinking.”

“I’ll get over you, I know I will…” she found herself singing the chorus, which was something that always happened, no matter how much you hated a song. The light turned green again, yet the SUV didn’t move an inch. What the fuck was going on? She blasted the horn again, but got no reaction from the driver. Turning on her indicator, she managed to find a gap and pulled out, slotting herself in front of the SUV. She finally managed to turn before the light turned yellow. Thankfully, the rest of the journey home was uneventful. 

 Holly cooked dinner, which consisted of stir-fry chicken on white rice accompanied by a glass of red wine. Holly enjoyed Bridgette’s company. She wasn’t a giddy and giggly kind of girl, and her head was screwed on right, although she liked going to a bar on Thursdays. Holly had caught her coming out of Rev’s room a couple of times in the mornings, but other than that, she was the nicest out of the lot of them. Julia, as usual, sulked throughout the entire meal because Macaroon had spent the entire day at Downsend. She hated Julia for her obsessive crush on Jake. He was the highlight of her day and when she didn’t see him, she would sulk. It was so pathetic, Holly could puke.

After dinner, Holly ended up doing the dishes as well. It would take a miracle for someone other than Rodney or herself to do them, and she refused to live in a pigsty. Satisfied she’d cleaned up to her liking, she took a long bath and had a second glass of wine before calling Jamie.

“Hi, Mommy!” Jamie squealed down the line.

“Hi, baby. Do you miss me?”

“Always,” Jamie said.

“I miss you, too. So, how was school?”

Jamie recounted everything about her day. How a boy named Dean had pushed Bobby from the jungle gym, and how mean Dean was to her, but that Nanna thought Dean and Bobby both had a crush on her.

Holly laughed, because the way she’d said it was cute. The ache of missing her daughter pooled in her belly and pierced her heart. She wanted Jamie here with her, but bringing Jamie to Boston was out of the question, especially now. She couldn’t take that chance now that Jake was constantly in and out of Downsend. It would be a catastrophe. After listening to a few more silly stories, they said their goodbyes, making kissing noises over the phone, before Jane came on the line.

“Hello, sweetheart. What’s new with you?”

“Nothing much. The idiot remembers me,” Holly said.

“He spoke to you?”

“No, but he told a patient what to call me. A stupid name he had for me back then.”

Jane remained quiet for a few seconds. “What name did the patient call you?”

“You know which name, the honey one.”

Jane laughed. “Bee Puke?”

“Yes, that one. He is driving me insane, Mom. Why is he doing this?”

“Oh, baby, I wish I knew. But be careful. If he’s being friendly, it could only mean one thing.”

“Please share, as I’m clearly the only stupid idiot who doesn’t know.”

“You are so naive when it comes to men. He’s clearly not done with you, Holly.”

“Oh, please! He’s getting married.”

“Well, that certainly didn’t stop your father.”

She winced. “So what you’re trying to say is that he just didn’t want the girls?” She knew it sounded stupid even as she said it.

“It could be. Just don’t give in to him.”

“Mom, are you stoned or something?”

“No, but I’ve seen his pictures, Holly. That man screams sex on legs.”

Not expecting that, Holly wasn’t sure if she should laugh or groan. But deep down, she was upset her mother would even suggest she’d fall for him again. 

“Okay, whatever. I’ve got to go.”

“Are you upset with me?”

“Mom, I’m tired, and yes, I’m a little bit upset. I can’t believe you would think that of me. He threw us away when we needed him the most.”

“Okay, okay. Just as long as you remember what he did.”

“You’re doing it again.”

“I’m just saying.”

“I’m going now, bye.”

Huffing, she chucked her phone onto the bed. That couldn’t be his reason for being friendly, could it? She didn’t want to think about it. He’d left, and that was what she should never forget.

Climbing into bed, she tried not to think any more about Jake and his hidden agenda, so she forced her thoughts to Ty and his surgery the next day. Her thoughts veered to Jamie. She really wished she could have her by her side, but it was a wish that couldn’t be fulfilled. Jake could never find out about her. She groaned as thoughts of Jake invaded her mind again. Angry with herself, Holly pulled the covers over her head and thought about the color black until she fell asleep