The next, I’m falling.
26
EVA
I’m caughtin between two worlds—conscious enough to hear the hum of voices, and too far gone to respond.
“Is she okay?” Valerie shrieks near me.
Dan’s strong cologne wafts over me, pulling me back to reality as I’m lifted off the floor and carried somewhere warm. Valerie’s sobs follow us. Then my head hits something soft, my body sinking into the couch or the bed, I’m not sure. A cold finger lands on the pulse point in my throat.
“She’s fine.”Jonathan examines my head, turning it every which way. “She’s just unconscious. Give her some space.”
“This is your fault,” Valerie cries. My fingers twitch, but my eyes feel too heavy to open. “You justhadto bring her here for your grand display of power. It’s not enough that you have corrupted Daniel? Eva is too fragile for your world right now, you know that. Doctor Janet warned us, Eva can’t handle all of us together. There are too many memories. Did you forget how close it was in the ICU?”
Um—What?
My head gets clearer, eyelids lighter, limbs stronger. But Idon’t move.
I want to know what the hell they are talking about.
“My memory works perfectly fine, Valerie,” Grandpa responds. “We obviously overestimated how well she was doing. But rest assured, she will get all the help she needs.”
“What sheneedsis to stay away from here,” Valerie wails. More Tears. More sobs.
Then a chaotic bout breaks out between Grandpa and Valerie, unintelligible words are exchanged. I can’t follow who is saying what. Finally, Jonathan manages to yell them out of the room, leaving a long silence.
Did everyone leave?My eyes begin to flicker, ready to see light, but then I hear a voice.
“It was just an accident.” Grace sighs. “She’s doing well in Fort. She’ll be fine.”
“How is she going to be fine?” Dan yells, making no attempt to whisper for my sake. “She’s with Mason fucking Grant.”
“Have you considered you might be wrong?”
“Do you need to see the video again?”
“I’ve seen it,” Grace replies. “But you don’t know them, Dan. I have lived there for over a year, and I’m telling you, there is just no way they arethiscareless. Not a chance.”
“Forgive me if I don’t take your word for it,” Daniel grits out with spite. “It’s not like you care what happens to her.”
“Excuse me?”
“I asked you to do one thing. Look out for Bean. But I should’ve known you are simply too shallow to put away your misplaced contempt for my sister.”
Dan’s words hang in the air for a long, silent moment.
“How dare you?” Grace grits out.
“Tell me I’m wrong.”
“I don’t have to explain myself to you.” Stilettoes clack on the wooden floor. “And just so we’re clear, you asked me to do more than ‘one thing.’I’m done with all that.”
Could they be a little more descriptive? A little context would be brilliant.
“Suit yourself,” Daniel snaps. “I don’t need anyone’s help to take down Reginald Grant and his fucking Fort.”
My heart skips a few beats.
