She told me Thursday night about her phone call with Ellen, and I was livid on her behalf. I knew I didn’t like the look of that other guy last week at the hospital. It seems my instincts weren’t wrong. Will is a jackass, and if I ever see him—see either of them—again, they’ll be getting a piece of my mind.
She shakes her head, rubbing her fingers back and forth across the ink on her wrist. “It’s not that. After you drove me home last night, Mom and Nana showed up. Dawn and Hugh asked us to come over to North Bend to discuss Garrick.”
Aw, shit. I hope they’re not proposing to shut off his life support. Although I have to imagine it will get to that point one day unless he wakes up soon. “Why don’t you go into the living room and take it easy while I clean up here?” I suggest, wanting to move to more comfortable surroundings before we have this conversation.
“I’ll help,” she insists, and we work together to clean the room and stack the dishwasher. When we’re done, I grab a fresh bottle of wine from the fridge and two clean wineglasses, and we head into the living room.
Stevie kicks off her heels and tucks herself into one corner of my couch while I do the same on the other end. “We found out something important about Ivy.”
“And?” I ask as I pour wine into our glasses.
“She has durable power of attorney for health care.”
Well shit. That can’t be good. “How does that compare to regular power of attorney? I’m not familiar with the differences.”
“I wasn’t either until Hugh explained. He only discovered this a couple weeks ago, and he’s been talking to the hospital director and his lawyers to understand what it means and whether there is anything that can be done. It seems it was drawn up when Garrick was sixteen and he went on a European skiing vacation with Ivy and some friends. Hugh wasn’t even aware it was in place, and I’m guessing Garrick had forgotten.”
I hand her a wineglass, and she gulps back a mouthful before continuing.
“Unfortunately, this type of power of attorney doesn’t expire.” She traces the Celtic symbol on her wrist with the tip of one finger. “It will hold up unless revoked, which obviously hasn’t happened in this case, or until the person regains consciousness and control of their faculties to petition to have it revoked.”
“Can Hugh challenge it legally as his father?”
A forlorn expression appears on her pretty face. “He could try, but the lawyers have told him he’d be wasting his money. It’s legally watertight.”
“Shit.”
“Yep.” She knocks back more wine, and I get up to fetch a couple of glasses of water.
“Has she played her cards yet?” I hand a glass of water to Stevie before reclaiming my seat.
“Not yet, but now we know this, we know she’s planning something that we won’t be able to stop.” Tears fill her eyes. “She’s going to shut me out. I just know it.”
Putting my glass down, I scoot down the couch closer to her. Slowly, I take her free hand in mine. “She hasn’t done it yet, so try not to worry. At least until we know what we’re dealing with. Say the word, and I’ll make those calls.”
She vigorously shakes her head as a solitary tear leaks out of the corner of one eye. Pain spears me through my heart at the sight of it. “I can’t risk doing anything to make this worse.” The tear rolls down her cheek and over her chin. “I’m so scared, Beck.”
“Come here.” I open my arms, grateful when she sinks into my embrace. “I can’t tell you not to be, but I can promise I’m here for you. As is Nana, your mom, Hadley, Hugh and Dawn, and Hudson. We’ll fight her, Stevie. We’ll fight her with everything we’ve got.” I rest my chin on top of her head and hold her close. Her entire body trembles against me, and I feel her pain as acutely as if it was mine. Cradling her in my arms, I squeeze my eyes shut, vowing to do everything in my power to help her.
Stevie has already been through so much.
I won’t stand by helplessly and watch her get buried under more shit.
There is one constant she can always count on, and that’s me.
ChapterForty-Eight
Beck
“Okay. I’m dying of curiosity. What’s the big secret?” she asks, lifting her head and forcing a smile.
“We don’t have to do this today. You’re upset.”
“I need a distraction, and I told you I won’t derail our plans for tonight.” A genuine smile ghosts over her full lips. “I feel better after talking to you about it.” She briefly squeezes my hand. “You’re right. There’s no point worrying until I know what I’m facing.” She climbs off the couch and drags me to my feet. “Show me what’s in your office.”
Nerves fire at me from all angles, and she notices.
“Hey.” She holds on to my arm. “Don’t be nervous. You can show me anything. Tell me anything.”
