“As I’ve already explained to the police, I felt threatened.”
Lori sighed. “Cut the crap, Anna. Vince would never have hurt you.”
“You’d have said the same about Hailey, and yet he did.”
Devon sucked in a breath. “Seriously?” So many emotions swirled through him. She didn’t care. Anna showed no remorse over her actions, much the same as Vince. After all the years they spent together as friends—family. To think neither of them felt any sort of connection after all they’d been through sent pain lancing through him.
“All through high school, you thought you and Kathy were the golden couple. You only threw crumbs to Vince because you felt sorry for him, but he was better than you and your stupid brother. Opening that business should have Vince’s ticket to make decent money, and what did you give him? A penance as a delivery boy.” Scoffing, she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the wall.
There was silence for several moments until Lori stood. “Just as long as you realize we’re all happier and stronger than we were before this bullshit. Caleb and Devon gave Vince so much more than he deserved since he wasn't interested in becoming a carpenter. You and your husband’s deceitfulness didn’t break us. It’s your loss, you selfish bitch.”
She headed for the door, and Devon followed her out. Obviously, coming had been a giant waste of time. “Lori.”
“Not until we get outside, Devon.” Lori kept going, pausing only long enough to allow John to unlock the doors and lead them through the station.
Devon stopped to thank John for taking the time to help them while Lori went outside. He found her by the car, leaning against it with her head tilted to the faded denim sky.
“I don't know what I expected, but not that,” she said at his approach.
Devon heaved out a breath. “I guess I thought she would spill the truth, but I wasn't sure.”
“She seems so distant; so different from just a year ago.”
“Maybe it’s been hard for her.”
Lori dropped her head, finally looking directly at him. He saw by her reddened eyes that she’d been trying not to cry. “No, I don’t think so.”
Sighing again, he said, “Neither of them care about what they’ve done, which boggles my mind. I just don’t think I have it in me anymore to worry about her, Lori. I still have Vince to deal with, and I don’t have room for Anna in my head.”
“I won’t go to her hearing, Devon. I’ll come to Vince’s, but you’re right; Anna doesn’t deserve our time. He wouldn't deserve it either, but I need him to know he won’t get away with any of his viciousness.”
Murmuring an agreement, he hugged her before taking her home.
Devon spent the rest of the day with Hailey, needing to be in her presence and reassure himself she was whole and untouched by what had happened to her. She was incredibly well-adjusted, and it warmed his heart to see her smiling and playing. They went to the park for a little while, and when they got back home, he called Chloe and told her about the visit. She wasn’t as surprised by Anna’s attitude as Devon and Lori were.
He went house hunting again that weekend, and Chloe was able to come along; she was three weeks away from having daytime hours at work. Devon had already debated with himself a hundred times whether he should ask her to move in as soon as he closed on the house, or if he should wait until they'd made their relationship more permanent.
There weren’t many houses for sale in town. They’d gone to the next town over a few times, but it wasn’t Devon’s first choice. He was against pulling Hailey from school, and even more against being far from his parents and brother. After another month passed with nothing for them to look at, finally the realtor called with what appeared to be the perfect house.
He called Chloe first. “It’s on John and Alicia’s street, about eight houses down. It’s a 4/2 with a workshop in the fenced backyard.”
“Devon, that sounds perfect.”
“She’s making an appointment to look at it. Apparently, the homeowners haven’t moved out yet.”
“I have a good feeling about this one.”
He grinned. “Me, too.”
As they hung up, Devon reflected on the fact he had the rest of his life to look forward to now. He remembered feeling like his life had ended when Kathy’s had, and maybe he’d stopped truly living. But now, with Chloe and Hailey, he had so much good happening. He only had the trial to get through, which was scheduled for two weeks away. He wasn't as apprehensive as he once had been about attending, either. After speaking with Anna, he realized he couldn't harbor hurt feelings for people who had already forgotten about him. Whatever he’d put into the relationship with each of them had apparently not been enough for them to love him as a brother in return. As hard as it was to accept, it wasn’t his fault.
Therapy clearly hadn't been a waste.
One evening, he was closing up the shop after sending everyone else home when he saw Chloe pull her car into the lot. He fiddled with the program on the computer until she got out and headed to the door, then he met her there and unlocked it for her.
“Hey, what brings you here? I didn't forget plans, did I?”
She hugged him. “No, Alicia had to cancel on me. Brandon has a cold.”
