I carry Stevie into the living room and sit on the couch. She clutches at my shirt, pressing herself as close as possible as she leans her entire body into me.
“Breathe, honey.” I rub a soothing hand up and down her back. “Do it for me, nice and slow.”
Strangled sounds rip from her mouth, and I don’t think she’s even hearing me.
“What happened?” I ask Hadley as I cradle Stevie on my lap and do my best to comfort her.
“Ivy bitchface soon-to-be deadface happened.” A muscle pulses in Hadley’s jaw, and fire spurts from her eyes. “She’s moving Garrick to her house, and Stevie is banned from visiting.”
“Fuck.” I hug Stevie tighter as her wails accelerate. “Can she do that? Is it even safe for him to be moved?”
“Apparently yes, as long as it’s done in a controlled manner. Hugh has known this past week about Ivy’s plans. He kept it from Stevie as he knew it would upset her. He went to his lawyers to see if he could stop it, but he can’t. Ivy has power of attorney, and she’s done her homework. The cunt,” Hadley adds, and that dangerous gleam is back in her eye.
“She’s been gathering a team of experts to take over his care at her home,” she continues. “They all gave written reports outlining the conditions for the transfer and how this could be a good thing for Garrick. To be in familiar surroundings with a full-time specialist medical team who is solely devoted to his care.”
“Yet she plans to deny his girlfriend access to him?” Disbelief bleeds from my tone. Don’t get me wrong. I knew Ivy was scheming to hurt Stevie, but this is completely at odds with this new medical strategy, and it makes no sense.
“From my research,” I continue. “I know how important it is for his loved ones to be there for him. Everything Stevie has done for Garrick plays a key part in his recovery. Coma patients have woken up revealing they heard everything going on around them. Many said it was their loved one’s voice that tethered them to this world. How the fuck can that stupid bitch claim to love her son when she is cutting out the most important person in his life?” My voice elevates as anger charges through me. I am so pissed on Stevie’s behalf. She has been a model girlfriend, devoted to him, and she doesn’t deserve to be iced out.
“Because she hates me,” Stevie chokes out, sitting back a little on my lap. “She hates me more.”
I cradle her tearstained face in my hands. “We’ll fight her. We’ll visit my lawyer tomorrow and see what can be done. She can’t shut you out like this.”
“Except she can.” Silent tears stream down Stevie’s face. “Hugh already asked these questions of his legal team. There is nothing clinically proven that says loved ones aid in coma patient recovery. We have no legal grounds for requesting an order to be granted to permit me to visit him when it’s in her home and she has power of attorney. It would just be a waste of your money.”
“Hugh proposed that everyone boycott visiting him to force Ivy’s hand,” Hadley explains from her perch on the arm of my couch.
“But I said no.” Stevie accepts the tissues I hand her, blowing her nose and wiping her damp eyes. “I appreciate the gesture, but we can’t leave Garrick alone with Ivy and Pepper. He will need familiar voices around him. Especially now Pepper is moving into Ivy’s house so she can be around for him more.”
I hate seeing the defeat on Stevie’s face though I understand it. This is too much for her fragile mind to cope with. Especially today. It’s obvious Ivy timed her attack to strike at the most vulnerable moment.
I never thought I’d hate anyone as much as I hate my father, but she’s right up there in joint pole position.
“That stupid cunt,” Hadley hisses. “Pepper was at the hospital pretending like she wasn’t gloating. Garrick has no interest in her. Governor Barbie just looks pathetic with her stupid pearls and her designer clothes and expensive haircut. I have never wanted to cut a bitch as badly as I wanted to tonight. Even Nana was champing at the bit for a go at her.”
“There is nothing I can do,” Stevie says in a dead voice, resting her head on my shoulder. “I won’t ever get to see him again. The bitch won.”
Not if I have anything to say about it.
“This sucks, babe,” Hadley says. “I hate that woman so much.”
“I don’t have any fight left in me,” Stevie whispers, grabbing a fistful of my damp shirt. “I tried. I tried to be there for him. I’ve put my life on hold, and it’s been for nothing. Garrick is still in a coma. It’s been a year, and I need to face facts. He’s not ever going to wake up. Maybe she’s done me a favor, because this is forcing me to move on whether I want to or not.” An errant sob ripples through the air, and I dust kisses into her hair, feeling her pain like a stab wound to the chest.
“I can’t tell you what to do, babe,” Hadley says, moving to sit beside us. She grips Stevie’s hand. “All I can say is no girlfriend could have done more. If Garrick wakes, he’ll know that. Everyone will ensure it. He will also know this separation was forced by his mother, not you.” She squeezes her hand. “At least you can still get updates. Helena and the nurses will keep you informed too. You know they hate her, and it’s only the lure of the money that has enticed them away.”
“Who is Helena?” I ask.
“Helena is his physical therapist. She and two of the nurses are going to be moving to his private care team, and Dr. Edwards has an agreement to receive regular reports from the neurosurgeon who is taking over from him, so at least Stevie will know how he’s doing.”
“It won’t be the same,” Stevie says in a monotone voice. “I was barely holding on when I got to visit him. I don’t think I can do it if I can’t see him anymore. This is too hard. My heart can’t stand it.” She looks up at me with fresh tears in her eyes. “Tell me what to do, Beck, because right now, I’m so lost.”
ChapterFifty-Four
Beck
“Iwish I knew, honey.” I brush matted strands of damp hair back off her face. “All you can do is take it one step at a time. One day at a time.”
“And it’s good you have already decided to go to therapy,” Hadley says. “You can’t keep this locked up inside any longer, babe. You need to let it all out and start to heal.”
