I smiled. “It’s really over?”
She nodded. “Yeah, honey.”
“But, my dad. The company.”
“They took Brock into custody regarding your dad. They have evidence he was the one who…” Bea glanced away, and I knew what she meant. Brock had pulled the trigger and killed my father. But they had him. He’d be punished. “Anita set the fire. They found all kinds of nasty stuff in her garage, and they are also charging her with a whole bunch of other things, including hurting you.” She rubbed my face. “It’s all over. They got them. You’re safe now.”
I closed my eyes and leaned into Bea’s soft touch. Her thumbs brushed my cheeks as she held my face. It was soothing. Felt like…family.
When I opened them again, I noticed the small room was empty. My heart sank. Had I imagined Jack and Cal at the window?
“They’re here,” Bea said, as if reading my mind. But, however she knew my thoughts, I didn’t care. “We got word you were in recovery and just one person could come back. I told them I was your aunt and got to come first.” She winked. But th
ere was a sadness to her expression. “The boys are walking holes in the floor out there. They didn’t know if you’d want to see them…”
My heart broke. No matter what, I’d never not want to see them.
“I want to see them. Very much.”
Bea nodded, just as Jack’s menacing voice sounded from down the hallway. Saying something along the lines of, “try and stop me from seeing her.”
I laughed and Bea rolled her eyes.
“It seems that they are on their way.”
That was just like them. Pushing in when there was no other way. And I loved them for it.
When Jack bounded through the door and I saw him, a smile so wide split my cheeks that it actually hurt. The nurse was telling him to leave.
“It’s okay,” I managed. Then Cal was right behind him, shoving his way through the door. “They can stay.”
The nurse eyed them, then left. Bea patted my cheek, “I’ll just go get some Jell-O.”
She left, leaving me with a very tired, very annoyed looking Jack and a very pissed off Cal.
“Jesus, baby,” Jack whispered and hovered near me, afraid to touch me. “I’m so sorry.”
“I can’t believe we almost lost you,” Cal said, and came to the other side of the bed and held my hand. “I’m sorry too. For everything.”
“There’s nothing to be sorry about,” I said. Jack ran the back of his finger along my cheek. He looked ready to tear at the seams from exhaustion.
“There’s much to be sorry about,” he said. “We let you walk away. I was trying to control a situation that wasn’t mine to control. I shouldn’t have forced your hand.”
“I walked away, and I’ll never forgive myself for that,” I said.
“We messed up,” Cal said. “From the beginning. But if you’ll have us, we’ll make it right. Every day.”
“Us?” I asked. Cal squeezed my hand and shot a look to Jack.
“Yes, us. We won’t make you choose. We’ll be whatever you need us to be. Just as long as it’s forever.”
My heart hurt with so much hope it was ready to burst open. But logistics crept in.
“How can that work? I will never be able to choose. And a relationship between me and both of you is not…”
“Standard?” Jack finished.
I nodded.