Page 124 of After All The Wreckage

EVER SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN

Performed by Survivor

Roryand I spent hours in the emergency waiting room as the doctors assessed Demi. We paced to keep ourselves awake, swallowed a whole lot of coffee, and when that got to be too much, we simply sat with arms twined.

My burdens should have felt heavier after seeing my mother in the shape she’d been, seeing the shoot-out and the reality of Monte’s visions, but instead, they lightened. Maybe it was because Rory and I had admitted we loved each other. Maybe it was just knowing we were standing there holding our responsibilities together instead of alone.

When a doctor came out asking for Demi’s relatives, Rory and I stood up and joined him in the hall.

“She’s severely malnourished and dehydrated,” the doctor said. “It’s my understanding she was being held against her will. Is that correct?”

“It’s what we believe. We won’t know more until she can tell us herself what happened,” I said.

“There is a significant amount of opioids in her system. Did she use drugs before this?”

I shook my head. As flighty as Demi had been, I’d never seen her on drugs. She didn’t even drink much. She was just high on life most of the time.

“Well, they may have been used as a way of keeping her subdued. It’s going to take some time for that to work through her system, and the withdrawals are likely to be painful. We’ll start the process here, but I highly recommend she be removed to a rehabilitation center afterward. They’ll be able to support her with counseling in addition to the physical aspects of the withdrawal.”

I swallowed hard and nodded. I wasn’t sure I could talk even if I wanted to. My fingers tightened on Rory’s, and she squeezed them back, taking over the conversation for me.

“Were there other signs of abuse?” Rory asked, and my lungs constricted because I hadn’t even thought about what Dunn and West and whoever was guarding her might have done. The doctor shook her head.

“None that the team noticed at this time. The only physical injuries were the marks on her wrists from where they’d restrained her.”

“Can we see her?” Rory asked.

“I’ve given her a sedative because she was a bit hysterical and not making much sense. I’m not sure if it was from what she experienced or the drugs wearing off. I’m hopeful that with some sleep, she’ll be more coherent and be able to tell us what she needs.”

“Do you know how long that will be?”

“Several hours at least.”

I cleared my throat, and when I finally spoke, my voice was raw and raspy. “Thank you for taking care of her.”

“They’re moving her to a room now. The front desk can tell you the number in a few minutes. She’ll be here a few days, but I’ll have the nurses give you a list of the centers I recommend. With time and rest, she’ll be okay. Try not to push her too hard.”

The doctor walked away, and Rory wrapped me in her arms. I rested my cheek on the top of her head and just held on. I was still a knot of conflicted emotions over my mother. Pissed that she’d gotten mixed up with Dunn to begin with. Pissed that she put Monte and the rest of us at risk. But I was also still terribly sad for what she’d gone through.

“Maybe we should head back to Cherry Bay. Shower and change?—”

Just as the words escaped me, my family walked through the door. Monte was holding Ivy, with River and Audrey trailing them. As they shifted, another person became visible—Rory’s grandmother.

It wasn’t just my family. It was ours. Together.

My throat closed.

I moved toward them, wrapping my siblings in my arms, holding them tight as Rory did the same with Kora. Then, Audrey and River were there, surrounding me and my siblings until we were nothing more than a mound of arms and legs. Ivy giggled, and that was enough to break us apart.

Ivy stuck her hands out, and I took her from Monte. “I missed you,” she said.

“I missed you too, Ives.”

“We bwought Tanksgiving to you,” she said, and my heart squeezed tight.

With everything that had happened, I’d forgotten the holiday. I looked over at Audrey and River, who were grinning. At their feet were several warming bags and a cooler.

Rory’s grandmother gave me a one-sided hug and a kiss on the cheek, but the real surprise was Monte dragging Rory into an embrace. Rory patted his back as she shot me an uncertain look.