Page 81 of My Destiny

My movements are hurried as I rush down the corridor towards the men’s room. I just manage to make it into a stall before emptying the contents of my stomach.

As I splash water on my face at the basin, my eyes move up to the mirror before me. It’s not just blood on my white business shirt; I also see small chunks of flesh. Images of Jake lying in a crumpled heap on the floor flash through my mind. Bile rises to my throat as I use paper towels to rid myself of any remnants of him.

When I finally make my way back to the waiting room, I see Mike leaning up against the far wall. The sullen look on his face speaks volumes. Like him, I’m also burdened with guilt. I know time wasn’t on our side tonight, but I wish we’d thought things through a little better before going off half-cocked.

I head straight toward him. “Any news on John?”

“They’ve rushed him into surgery. I’ve just had a conversation with the investigating officers. We’ll need to make a full statement at some point in time.”

“Okay. I presumed that.”

“Listen,” he says, bowing his head. “I’m sorry for the way things turned out.”

“Don’t beat yourself up.” I place my hand on his shoulder because I’m not sure what else to do. “He’s going to pull through, and we got Brooke back safely. We couldn’t have asked for a better outcome than that.” I’m unsure if I’m trying to convince him or myself, but my uncle has to pull through—he just has to.

I’m jolted from my thoughts when I hear a raised voice in the background. “I demand you take me to see my husband, do you hear me?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I turn to face the front desk and witness the poor nurse behind the desk practically cowering back into her seat. My aunt has arrived, and I know all hell is about to be let loose. That woman is insufferable.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Logan

It’s well after midnight, and I’m sitting in the waiting room with my mother, awaiting news. Mike’s still here, although he’s fallen asleep on a chair in the corner. My father has taken my aunt for a walk to try and calm her down. She’s already had a go at me as I tried to explain what had happened tonight, and although I would’ve gotten great pleasure from telling her about her husband’s infidelities with Brooke’s mother, it wasn’t my place to say anything. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the truth finally comes out, though.

“How are you coping, sweetheart?” my mother asks, placing her hand on my leg. I shrug instead of answering. I’m trying my best to keep it together. “Don’t listen to anything Kathleen says. That woman is a bitch, I’m sorry, but she is. I only tolerate her because she’s your father’s sister.”

“I know. I can’t believe John’s put up with her for all these years.”

“John’s a sweet man, and the way she treats him at times is deplorable. You can’t choose your family so they say,” she says, making me chuckle. “Speaking of family, have you notified Brooke’s parents?”

“She has no family.”

“What do you mean she has no family?”

“Her mother has passed.”

“Oh, that poor girl. I didn’t know that. What about her father?”

I let out a long breath. “There’s a part of the story I left out earlier.”

“What part?” she asks.

“That John is Brooke’s father. That’s how this mess started.”

“What?” My eyes move to her, and I can see the shock on her face.

“Keep that between us for now. John hasn’t told Kathleen yet. Well, as far as I know, he hasn’t.”

“How is that even possible?”

“He had an affair with Brooke’s mother a long time ago when she was doing an internship with the company.”

“Our company?”

“Yes.”

“He never let on that he had a child. I know how much he wanted children; that’s why he spent so much time with you and your sister when you were young.”