“Please, Finn. Please. You can’t keep going on like this. Mum and Dad are in pieces. You need to see that you need help.”
He glances away as another tear rolls down his cheek.
“This could have ended up far worse, and I don’t want to see you in this position again,” I whisper. “Please think about it. For yourself. I know you’re not pleased about it, but there is no shame in getting help. We will all support you through it.”
“I don’t want to lose you,” he breathes.
My lips tremble. “Then do this for yourself. Please.”
Finn turns back to look at me, fear evident in his eyes. When I think he’s not going to say anything more, he eventually says, “Okay.”
CHAPTER 45
JJ WOODFORD
The last few days haven’t been fun, to say the least.
Seeing Finn in that hospital bed, disheveled and broken. It hurts.
But it hurts more knowing he made up lies about Ivy to get her to stop seeing Ben, which could have resulted in her death.
We all noticed his drinking habits; I should have tried to do something about it sooner before it ended up like this. Now he’s been taken off to a private rehabilitation centre. He needs it. He needs to find his peace again.
He carries so much guilt and hatred for himself; it’s something he needs to work through on his own and with professional help. I might be mad at him, but he’s still like a brother to me.
I fear that if I push him away, it won’t help his recovery.
When I head downstairs in the morning, Ivy is sitting at the edge of the back door with her feet on the patio and her knees drawn towards her chest.
I pause behind her and glance down at the way her head is tipped back and admiring the clouds, not sensing I’m here.I perch beside her, and she flinches a little at my unexpected arrival.
“Uh.” I clear my throat. “I’ve been thinking, I should probably go home.”
Ivy’s face falls. “What? Why?”
“Because I don’t want to be in the way, your parents probably need the space?—”
“No,” she cuts over me. “Don’t go.”
I blink at the sudden fear in her voice.
“Please.” She exhales and reaches for my hand. “I want you to stay.”
My eyes flick down to our entwined fingers. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. I need you here.”
“Okay,” I say softly.
“My parents don’t mind that you’re here at all.” She shakes her head. “They would have said something by now if they did. You’re not in the way; you could never be in the way.”
“Okay,” I whisper as Ivy’s face relaxes. “How are you feeling?”
She shrugs once. “I don’t know. A little numb, but I know it’s what’s best for him. It’s going to take some time to get over what he did.”
“Yeah, I think so too.”
“I kinda just wanna get out of the house. Distract myself, you know?”
