Chapter 7
“Where the hell were you when she needed you? Now that she’s dying, you suddenly care?”
“What kind of parents let their daughter spend the night in a place like that?”
The woman in the bed next to mine wasn’t having any of my family’s bullshit, and honestly, I loved her for it.
More people started chiming in-other patients, visitors, even some of the nurses.
‘She’s the girl from the morning news, right? The one whose family kicked her out with no money, no phone, nothing. Had to stay at some sketchy motel.”
Are you kidding me? A young girl like that? Those places are full of creeps and predators.”
And look what happened-she got attacked, assaulted, beaten to hell. Poor thing jumped in the river because she couldn’t take it anymore. Can you imagine
ow cold that water was?”
These parents are heartless. What could possibly be so bad that you’d throw your own kid out on the street? They look like they’ve got money too. Disgusting.”
tom was running her fingers over the bruises on my arms, muttering like a broken record. “Does it still hurt, Emma? My sweet Emma, Mommy made a ustake.”
My baby girl was innocent. I’m so sorry I didn’t believe you.”
f we hadn’t accused you, you never would’ve been out there. None of this would’ve happened.”
e kept slapping herself in the face, then turned on Dad like a rabid animal.
his is YOUR fault! She called us, remember? She begged us to let her come home, said she had no money and no phone. But YOU wouldn’t listen!”
- Dad thought I was carrying some stranger’s baby. Joke’s on him-I’d never even kissed a guy.
ie next few days blurred together in a haze of pain meds and unconsciousness.
metimes I’d surface just enough to hear them talking, their voices floating around me like ghosts.
ley wouldn’t let me go. Even when the doctors said there was no point, they kept me hooked up to machines in this freezing hospital room.
om would whisper in my ear for hours.
mma, when you get better, Mommy’s gonna buy you all the collector figures you want, okay? Mommy was wrong. I never should’ve lied to you.”
hat limited edition one you wanted? I already told Jacob to give it to you. From now on, Mommy will never lie to you again, I promise.”
and about my diary-you read it, didn’t you? It hurt your feelings, right? I’m so sorry, baby. I know I neglected you, but you have to believe me-I always loved
nu.”
ved me? I honestly didn’t know anymore.
III knew was that diary was full of Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. And me? I was just background noise in my own family.
couldn’t argue with her even if I wanted to. Didn’t have the energy to care anymore.
ad grabbed my hand, his voice cracking. “Emma, Mommy and I added your name to the house deed. And the insurance policies-when you wake up, Daddy’s onna make you the beneficiary on half of them.”
oo little, too late, Dad.
What was I gonna do with a house when I was six feet under?
Sweetheart, Daddy’s so sorry for those horrible things I said. It’s all my fault.”
Daddy saw your bucket list. When you get better, we’ll do everything on there together, okay?”
Don’t sleep, baby. Daddy still needs to take you hiking to see the sunrise. We never took that family photo…”
“You were gonna spend your last days with us, and we threw it all away. We failed you.”
But I could feel myself slipping away, like someone was slowly turning down the volume on the world.
In those final moments, I heard their voices one last time-raw, desperate, broken.
Emma, can you ever forgive us?”
Probably not.
Emma Mitchell, if you die like this, don’t you EVER come visit me in my dreams!”
Sis, please don’t go. I still have something to show you.”
No, I don’t want anything anymore.
NO! My baby girl! You came from my body! Please don’t leave-come home with Mommy!”
But their voices were getting fainter and fainter.
Until I couldn’t hear anything at all.
