“I’m going in, Scarlett.”
“To confront them?”
“No.” My voice softens. “To find my daughter and convince her to come home.”
They don’t stop me when I walk back to the bedroom.
I sit on the bed and dial before I can talk myself out of it.
The camp staff won’t recognize me as Sadie’s mother right away, I don’t think. My face and name were never in the papers. I was also too torn up to do any of the media appearances. Eachtime the producers called us in, I’d nod and agree to speak, only to dissolve into tears minutes before the cameras rolled.
Eventually, Gabriel started going alone, sparing me the humiliation of another breakdown in the green room.
“Saltspray Cove Center,” a woman answers brightly. “How can I help you?”
“I was wondering if you have any rooms available.” I keep my voice steady. “For the adult retreat.”
There’s a pause, keys tapping. “May I have your name?”
“Judy Ellis.”
Another pause. This one is longer and heavier.
“I’m afraid we’re fully booked at the moment, Miss Ellis,” she confirms at last. “This is a beta program and we are not taking many people at the moment.”
“That’s a shame. I was referred to you. The thing is, I’ve been going through a…difficult time in my life. A lot of stress and depression. I’ve tried other programs and nothing has helped. I was told this place is different.”
Silence.
“Please hold,” the woman says.
Soft music filters through the line, thin and tinny. I grip the phone tighter, listening. Then the music cuts out.
I hear voices. Muffled. Close. One of them quieter than the rest, calm and firm, speaking just out of reach.
The line clicks.
“This is admissions,” a new woman announces. Her voice is composed and practiced. The kind that doesn’t rush and doesn’t explain itself. “I understand you’re looking to book a stay with us.”
“Yes. I was just told there weren’t any rooms left.”
“There was a misunderstanding,” she replies smoothly. “We do have one room available.”
My pulse stutters. “One?”
“Yes. The last.”
“When?” I ask, barely breathing.
“As soon as tomorrow, if that works for you.”
“Yes, that works perfectly.”
“We specialize in restorative care,” she continues. “You’ll find our environment very supportive. Structured. Safe.”
Safe. The word lands strangely.
“We’ll take care of the intake process when you arrive, Miss Ellis. All paperwork can be completed on-site.”
