“Thank you,” James said and clasped his hand.
“I’m so sorry, I…”
“It’s okay. I understand. I’d do anything for my wife and baby too.”
“Baby?” Briggs turned his head to me and smiled. “You’re pregnant?”
I nodded. None of this news was happening the way that I had planned.
“Congratulations,” he said with a big smile.
I couldn’t think about this right now. I tried to run through everything Isabella had said to me in my mind. “Officer Daugherty was working with her,” I said. “And possibly the nurse. I’m not sure she knew what she was doing. Find Detective Lee.”
“I already called it in when I was hightailing it back here after checking to make sure my family was okay. Detective Lee is on his way. And…”
“You piece of shit!” Porter yelled as he came running into the room. He grabbed Briggs by the collar of his shirt and pushed him onto his side. He landed a hard punch across Briggs’ jaw. “I trusted you!” Porter yelled as he landed another punch.
“Cole! Stop!” I tried to stand up, but James’ put his hand on my shoulder.
“Porter, he just saved our lives,” James said.
“And you wouldn’t have needed saving if he had done his job. He was behind the whole thing!” he spat and grabbed Briggs collar again.
“Both of you stop!” James said affirmatively.
“I wasn’t behind the whole thing, man,” Briggs said. “Just today. She threatened my family.”
“And what about when Isabella snuck in here the first time and tried to kill him?” Porter said. “Because of your stomach issues. Bullshit.” He pushed him back down on the ground.
“That was true. I didn’t… she didn’t threaten me until today.” He ran his hand down his face.
“You can tell it to the cops,” Porter said and pulled him to his feet. “I’ll be right back,” he said and he walked Briggs out the door.
“I’m sorry,” Briggs said as he was pulled out of the room. “I’m sorry!”
“We can’t let him get sent to prison for this,” I said.
“He drugged you.” James ran his palm along the side of my face.
“And he saved you.” I swallowed hard. “Is she dead?”
“I think she was dead before she even fell.”
“It’s over.” I pressed my head against his chest.
“It’s over.”
Saturday
Isabella was dead. I shouldn’t have felt at peace with that. But she had been my hell. She had been James’ hell. And we were both breathing easier now. I wasn’t happy that she was dead. But I was happy that James and I didn’t have to live in fear. I was happy that there wasn’t a shadow over us. I was happy that maybe, just maybe, there was a little less weight on James’ shoulders.
We had just given our statements to the police and now a silence had settled over the new hospital room they had put James in. My head was resting on James’ shoulder and I was staring out the window at the sun rising.
“It’s beautiful,” James murmured against my temple.
I hadn’t realized he was watching it too. I tilted my head up to look at his face. He smiled down at me and kissed the side of my forehead.
“Is it horrible that I feel so peaceful?”
He lowered his eyebrows slightly. “No.” He pulled me in closer to his side.
“She needed help. She needed…”
“You can’t get someone help unless they accept that they need it.”
I nodded my head against his shoulder.
“For the first time in a long time, all I see is light.” He grabbed my chin and tilted my face toward the sunrise.
I blinked away my tears. “Me too.”
We both sat in silence, watching the colors stretch out over the horizon. No one was going to try to hurt us again. Everything was going to be okay. It was truly, finally over.
Rob came bursting into the room and we both turned toward him. He had kicked the door open with his cast and was now cursing under his breath.
“Rob, just wait one second!” Daphne said from behind him as she tried to grab the door to hold it open.
James laughed and Rob’s face immediately looked more at ease.
“Is the troll really dead?” Rob said. He was balancing a crutch under one arm. His other arm was in a sling.
Daphne made an apologetic face.
James gripped my shoulder a little tighter. “She’s dead.”
“Good riddance.” Rob collapsed in a chair. “Sorry it took me so long to come see you. The doctors kept delaying my discharge for no reason!” he yelled over his shoulder.
Daphne quickly closed the door.
I laughed and she started to laugh too.
“And when I finally did get discharged, the po-po wouldn’t let me come in and see you until right this second. Something about collaborating witnesses or something. Trust me, I was giving them hell.”
“Well, the investigation must be coming to a close if they’re letting us talk now,” said James.
Rob nodded. “Right, right.” He glanced at me and then back at James and raised both his eyebrows.
I was just about to let James know that Rob knew about the baby when James cleared his throat.
“I’m really happy you’re both here,” James said. “We actually have some news.”
Oops. But I didn’t bother telling James they already knew. I was excited that he was so excited about it.
“Penny’s pregnant. We’re having a baby!” The joy in his voice was almost palpable.
“What?!” Rob said in a weirdly high pitched voice. “That is totally a huge surprise to both me and Daphne! We didn’t know about that at all! How exciting!”
James laughed. “You already knew?”
“Your baby mama has a big mouth. Right, Daphne?”
Daphne’s eyes got wide. “I’m not sure that’s exactly what happened.” She laughed awkwardly.
Rob laughed.
James turned toward me and I was surprised to see his smile vanish. “Don’t cry, I’m not upset with you for telling them.” He slowly wiped his thumb under my eye. “Why are you crying?”
I hadn’t realized I had gotten tears in my eyes. “No, it’s just… I’m so excited that you’re excited.”
The smile returned to his face.
Rob slowly stood up out of his chair and hobbled over to James. “You’re going to make a great dad. You know you are.” He clapped him hard on the back despite the fact that they were both hurt. “And my main MILF.” He gave me a hug too.
James groaned.
“You don’t approve of her new nickname? You better get used to it.” He grabbed both sides of James’ face. “You beautiful, beautiful man.”
“Stop touching me.”
“I’m just so happy you’re alive.”
“You’re freaking me out,” said James. “Are you still on pain killers?”