“Yes.” She shoves the paper at me. “Everything’s all filled out. All you have to do is sign it.”
“I’m not signing over custody. Are you crazy?”
Well, yes. I think she might be.
“Yes, you are,” Sharon replies. Now she sounds eerily calm. “Because if you don’t, I’ll kill you. And then Justin will getcustody, anyway. Now.” She presses the paper against my hand. “Sign it.”
“And then what?” I ask. “Do you really think the court will accept this? That I’m just signing over custody after ten years? To a man Haley’s never met? And you think I’m just going to walk away from my own daughter?”
Sharon frowns. The lines in her forehead deepen. Could this really be the first time she’s thought about theafterpart of her plan?
With a frown, she tosses the paper to the floor. “Then I guess I’ll have to kill you.”
Oh, crap.
“No,” I start. “Listen. There’s no reason you can’t be a part of Haley’s life.” Lie. “And I’d be happy to have Justin involved.” Another lie. “Why don’t we just sit down and work through this?”
“No.” Her eyes go flat. Cold. “You’re right. Signing over custody won’t work. The only option is to kill you.”
“Sharon.” I cast a desperate glance around the room. Is there a weapon I can use? Something I can hide behind? Is there any chance of getting clear before the gun goes off?
As if it’s happening in slow motion, I watch her finger squeeze down on the trigger.
My life spins by in a blink.
I see my dad carrying me on his shoulders, laughing, still healthy and happy before cancer took everything away from him.
I’m in the kitchen, cooking with my mom. She’s teaching me how to roast a turkey, so I can make Thanksgiving dinner when I have my own family.
Then she’s hugging me after I told her about being pregnant. She’s telling me it’s all going to be okay.
I’m holding Haley in my arms right after she was born, already desperately in love with her.
I watch a thousand memories with Haley all at once. Her temper tantrums. Her cuddles. Movies together. Mani-pedis. Our hot chocolate buffets. All the love she’s given me unconditionally.
And Ronan.
I feel his arms around me. I can smell his minty breath right before he kisses me. I hear his voice when he tells me how gorgeous I am. And I’m filled with the certainty that I love him. That he’s the one I’ve been waiting for.
“Sorry,” Sharon says. “But you’re right. This is the only way.”
But my future. My dreams.
I won’t give them up.
So I leap to the side just as the gun goes off.
Something bites my arm.
I slam to the ground with a jarring thud.
My ears ring.
Sharon’s voice is distant as she screeches, “No! You weren’t supposed to move!”
At first, my arm is numb. Then fire ignites.
Then there’s a tremendous crash. And another.
