Hollywood Ever After (Red Carpet 1)

And I’d relented. I was overwhelmed with their generosity. Once I’d let myself accept their gift, I was unbelievably relieved to have a place to call home. I hoped I’d get released soon. I was ready to go home. Now. But finding a doctor that was willing to sign off on my release was a bigger challenge than anticipated.

Mom stared at me now, the cup held toward me in her hands, waiting.

I shook my head. “I’m done, Mom. Thanks, though.” I pushed it away, leaning back on the pillows as she gave me a long, worried look. “I’m fine.” I was just very tired, which didn’t make sense since I couldn’t seem to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time.

“Knock knock.” Mrs. Witt, my neighbor, stood in the doorway carrying a huge pot of mums. Shannon and Mom both jumped up, taking the mums from the frail-looking older woman and guiding her to the chair at my bedside.

“Oh, Mrs. Witt, you really shouldn’t have.” Mom smiled at the older woman and put the flowers on my bedside table.

Mrs. Witt came forward, patting my hand. “I won’t stay long. I just needed to see for myself that you are okay.”

I smiled and nodded. “I know I look a mess right now.”

She shook her head. “Oh, honey, you look a sight better than the last time I saw you.” Her face was pinched. “You okay? There was so much blood.” Her gnarled hand curled around mine, holding it firmly.

My mom put her hand on Mrs. Witt’s shoulder. “Janet, I don’t know how to thank you. If you hadn’t called for help—” Mom shuddered.

Mrs. Witt shook her head. “I didn’t know what was happening. I just got worried over Daniel’s car being parked down the street there, since I knew he shouldn’t be around. Then yours was home, and then another car went flying into your yard. That gunshot… Tiny and I moved as fast as we could.” She smiled at me.

I looked at my mother, aware that she was close to tears. Shannon was like a statue, her eyes glued to the floor.

“Mrs. Witt, can you tell me what happened? I don’t remember much…obviously.”

Mrs. Witt nodded. “I saw the young man, your Josh, run into the house yelling your name. By the time I got inside, you were on the floor. But you were talking to Daniel. You were so brave.”

I shook my head. If I’d kept my mouth shut, maybe none of this would have happened. No, it would have. Nothing I’d done had caused this. I wasn’t going to own any of this, or what had happened in the past. Not anymore.

Mrs. Witt continued. “You passed out and then Josh started talking to Daniel.”

My mother sat on the side of my bed. “What did he say?” she whispered.

“He asked Daniel not to hurt you anymore. He said that Natalie and Will needed their mother. Daniel was really mad, his face all red as he stared at Josh. I was afraid Daniel was going to kill your Mr. Wiley, but Daniel pointed the gun at you. And Josh moved, throwing himself over you. He pulled you under him and braced himself. Daniel stopped and…turned the gun…on himself.”

She paused. “Mr. Wiley checked for your pulse and carried you out of the kitchen, in case you woke up, I think. I told him I’d called for help. He said thank you. I went to stand by him in the yard. I didn’t know what else to do. He kept talking to you until we could hear the ambulance. He told you to be strong, to fight, that you had to. I told him you would. Then the ambulance was there. They were quick. Thank the good Lord for that.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Witt, for staying with him, for helping him,” I murmured.

She nodded. “I love you and your family, Claire. You know that. I wish I could have done something.”

“I’m so sorry you had to see that,” my mother said softly. Shannon looked at me, then Mrs. Witt, her face pale and guarded.

“It was horrible. I won’t say that it wasn’t.” Mrs. Witt smiled then. “But that’s all over and done with. And you shouldn’t think on it anymore.” She patted my hand then changed the subject. “I hear you’re moving to California. My Tiny will miss you, but my sister Rebecca is going to move in with me soon, so we’ll be able to take care of the brute together.”

I smiled. “I’m glad, Mrs. Witt. You look wonderful!”

“My new hip isn’t marathon-ready yet, but I’m getting there.”

Mom and Mrs. Witt continued talking. Mrs. Witt wanted to hear all about California and the move. I tried to listen, but felt exhausted suddenly.

Shannon came to sit by me, hugging me firmly before she sat at my feet.

I closed my eyes, the images Mrs. Witt had described playing out before me in my imagination. I tried to stay awake, but my body had other ideas and I fell into a deep sleep.

I must have slept for some time. I felt like someone had tried to glue my eyes shut; I couldn’t quite get them open.

“She’s fine, even if she doesn’t look so great right now. Nothing’s broken. She’s still a little sedated.” I could hear the nurse talking, but i

t sounded like I was at the bottom of a well.