"I'm not pressing charges. I got my father, Judge Ravenshaw, to stop prying. Theo will not be going to jail."
She stared at him, waiting.
"And I’m here,” he claps, “because I would like to visit Nessa."
My mom inhaled.
"I need to apologize to her. I need to make things right. And I will do everything that I can to make sure that the Mayor doesn't press charges against your daughter."
"Why would you do that?"
"I've been asking myself the same thing, Mrs. Rhodes. I've had a lot of time to think about what life's really about. When I woke up from the coma, I wanted real revenge, not just justice. I didn’t want Theo to rot in a prison cell, I wanted to put him in a coma, but I had something—or someone—who kept me grounded. The girl your daughter hit is my girlfriend of two years."
"Was," I added.
Cody scowled at me. "I want to do what Adela would want me to do, and this is what she'd want. I wronged your son under pressure, and I wronged your daughter when she was innocent, so I need to make it right with Nessa."
I ground my teeth.
"Okay," my mom said and walked back up the driveway.
I looked at Cody. "You're lucky she's agreeing to this."
Cody looked back at me. "She wants to see if it'll help her daughter, so I don't blame her."
He was always a cocky bastard.
We drove to the facility where Nessa was staying. It's a private hospital with a mental wing. I haven't even visited Nessa. I've been too fucking mad.
We wait in a room with my mom seated between us. She turned to Cody and said, "Do not say anything that will upset her. She's been through enough. No excuses. No promises."
"I won't," he replied.
By the time Nessa walked in, the room had gone cold.
Nessa stared at Cody and then looked at my mom in confusion. "What is he doing here?"
Cody leaned forward.
She looked at him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came here because I needed to talk to you in person."
"About what?"
The room fell silent. Nessa stared at him.
"I'm sorry, Nessa. I'm sorry for everything I did to you. You didn't deserve it."
Nessa leaned forward. "You think that's going to solve it?"
"No, no I don't, but I hope that in time you accept my apology. I would take it all back if I could."
"That's because my brother kicked your ass! And I hated him for it, but now I'm glad that he did."
Cody nodded. "I paid for my mistake, Nessa. I did, and I almost didn’t make it out alive, but I am sorry. Really."
Not once have I ever respected Cody Ravenshaw.
