“I’ll never be his son. How can you defend him?” Hannah asked.
“Your dad has gone out of his mind worrying about you. When we brought you here, he prayed every day for a miracle,” her mom said, pulling a chair close to the bed.
“You worried about me? I haven’t seen you but twice in the past eighteen months. It hurts, Mom,” she cried.
Her mom grew quiet. She opened her purse and grabbed a tissue. “We couldn’t come because I underwent treatment for breast cancer. Your dad has stayed by my side and checked on you every day. We planned to come after the holidays because we assumed I needed radiation. The chemo worked, and I’m cancer-free for now.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked, grabbing her mom’s hand.
“Oh, sweetie, you fought a battle of your own. I refused to let you worry about me. Then we got the best news of all when you called us on Thanksgiving. Your dad wanted to hop on a plane as soon as you hung up. We waited for my last doctor’s appointment and flew out the same day.”
“Why doesn’t he ever tell me he loves me? You tell me all the time. If you don’t call, you always text me. You’ve never missed a night since I deployed.”
“It wasn’t me,” her mom said, smiling. “Your dad worried he pushed you into the military. When he insisted you join a gym and watch your diet, he did it to protect you. He realized his mistake the day you announced your enlistment. Then, when he questioned your job, you took it the wrong way. Conrad worried about where they put his little girl. He knew if he texted you, you’d push him away because of his damn pride and rightly so. Every night, he took my phone and texted, “I love you, my sweet girl.”
“You mean, he did it all this time?” Hannah’s heart leaped into her throat, not believing her mother’s words.
“Yes, honey. He sent those texts.”
The door opened and her father entered. His eyes appeared glassy as he moved toward her bed. “You have an incredible boyfriend,” he choked out. “Today reminded me, life’s too short, Hannah. I’ve made a ton of mistakes, but my biggest regret was letting you think you weren’t enough. You’re my biggest accomplishment. And no matter how old you get, you will always be my sweet girl. Do you think we can start this over?”
Hannah wrestled out of the blankets and cried as his arms wrapped around her. The unconditional love she always yearned for bloomed under his tight hold.
“I know we have a lot to discuss. Mom and I want to stay a few more days and celebrate Christmas with you. Maybe then, you can come visit us,” he suggested.
“I’m sure we can arrange something. The team will spin out soon and I won’t be able to leave until they return,” she told them.
“We’ll figure it out when the time comes,” her mom assured them.
Cole entered the room and approached Hannah’s opposite side. “They admitted two seniors for observation and the rest went downstairs to the Christmas party. Kassie says if your vitals stay stable for another hour and we get you warm, we can go home.”
“Where’s Leo and Patch?”
“You broke Patch’s nose in the lake when he tried to help you. Leo’s sporting a black eye,” he reported, chuckling. “Kassie says Catherine will demand he give you an extra Christmas bonus for doing what she’s wanted to do if he keeps on swearing in front of Grace. Apparently, she’s walking around the Christmas party using her new favorite word, shit.”
“I bet Catherine’s ready to choke him,” Hannah said, laughing. “Will I see you tomorrow?” she asked, turning toward her parents.
“Absolutely, sweetheart,” her mom said. “Why don’t we join the party? I’ve enjoyed getting to know the seniors at the community center. I want to check on them.”
“All right,” her dad reluctantly agreed.
Cole climbed into bed as soon as they left. “How do you feel?”
“It feels surreal. Claire will help me sort through my feelings concerning my captivity. Oddly enough, I feel like a different person than the one who endured the kidnapping. I thought my body held me prisoner. Now, I think the old Hannah kept me safe until you and Brody walked into my life.”
“I owe Brody a stack of burgers for bringing you a pinecone,” Cole murmured.
“He brought me more than a pinecone. He brought me, you.”
CHAPTER 35
In the evening,they entered the cabin to find the tree lit, a fire going, and something baking in the oven. Brody and Brownie greeted them as Cole let them out of the kennels. Hannah opened it to find a big pan of mac and cheese. Cole went to the fridge to see all the sides.
“Scarlett must’ve done this,” Hannah guessed. “The timer says we have an hour.”
“Then, why don’t you change and we’ll watch a movie?” Cole suggested.
“I’ll be a few minutes. I want to take a shower,” Hannah said, going into her bedroom. She went to the dresser and pulled out a pair of comfy pajamas. Her gaze landed on the bag Samantha gave her. She reached in and pulled out the delicate satin and lace gown. She fingered the fragile material, thinking of how it hid her scars. Now, she didn’t feel worried about them. Today reminded her she won the battle. Maybe not the war, but she survived. After two years, she felt ready to celebrate it with the man who made her feel safe.
