Elle
I pushed the grilled chicken around on my plate. I couldn’t blame morning sickness for my loss of appetite today. It was lunch time, and I was sitting in Smothered in Love by myself. I sat by the window, watching the people pass by. A couple with two little kids walked by, all of them bundled up in their winter clothing. They held tiny cups of hot chocolate they’d picked up down the street at the bakery.
I wanted a happy family like that so badly.
Instead, I was sitting in a booth, pregnant and alone, my emotions getting the best of me and my food going to waste.
I hadn’t felt like eating since the run-in with Jeremiah.
I looked down at my plate, managed to take a few bites as the family passed by and out of sight. I looked out again and saw a familiar face. I don’t know what got into me, but I pushed myself out of my seat and out the door. I walked past the black Jaguar with the ridiculous vanity plates.
Lauren Holt was standing on the sidewalk, putting some change into a meter and cursing to herself. She looked tired.
“Hey, I heard you left town,” I called out. “Decided to come back and see your girls?”
Lauren looked up, eyes wide. “Elle, what-”
“Oh, wait, that’s right. You want nothing to do with them. I don’t know how a mother could just throw her children away like that. Put them up for adoption, sure, but you know where they’re at, you know Jeremiah could end up behind bars, yet you do nothing.” My voice was shaking with rage.
“Elle, please,” she said, her voice cracking. For a second, I almost felt bad for her, but she stiffened her spine. “You have no idea what you’re talking about,” she spat. “You should just go back inside the restaurant before you make a fool of yourself.”
“You should do something about your family,” I seethed, my hatred clear in my voice. “I heard they want to take the babies away from Jeremiah. You can’t let that happen.”
Lauren’s face blanched. “I told Jeremiah I can’t help him.”
“If he goes to prison, you really want your father raising those girls?”
Lauren opened her mouth to speak, but then closed it. She no longer looked me in the eye. Disgusted, I said, “Yeah, I didn’t think so. But if you don’t do something, it very well could be your dad – and dare I say it, your brother – raising those babies, and we both know how terrible they are.”
I didn’t want to say it, but I could see the broken woman behind the facade. The drinking during the interview, the way she acted around her father and brother, it was clear she had been damaged by them. Maybe she wouldn’t have been a half bad person had her family not stuck their claws in her.
“There’s nothing I can do,” she reiterated, and for the first time in her life, she sounded helpless. The rich and powerful Lauren Holt was nearly whimpering. “I can’t speak against them. I can’t.”
“I know somewhere inside, you care about those girls. You wouldn’t have carried them for nine months, given birth to them, and made sure they were cared for if you didn’t. I want to believe part of you loves them, even if you try so hard not to.”
My own baby wasn’t even the size of a soybean, and I loved him or her more than life itself. I couldn’t imagine carrying my child for nine months and not loving it. Even giving the girls to Jeremiah to raise was an act of love.
Lauren still wouldn’t meet my gaze, but I saw the tears sliding down her cheeks. I’d hit on something, that much was clear. I just prayed it was enough to make her do the right thing. Because we were running out of time.
“You’re right. There’s no way my dad can get near those girls. Not after what he’s done to me.” She stopped there, but I didn’t need to hear more.
I already knew there must have been abuse. Whether it be mental or physical, I could see it all over Lauren’s face. Her father had hurt her. And I had to believe she wouldn’t let him do it to those girls.
“I have to go,” she said abruptly, turning away from me and hurrying down the street.
I waited, debating on going back inside to finish my chicken salad. But I decided against it. I had to see where she was going and why she dared come back into town. She was probably better off staying far away from the mess, but something had brought her back to Liberty.
I kept my distance from her and watched as she turned down an alley. I waited and then turned down as well, ducking behind a dumpster. I could hear Lauren talking to her brother. No, not talking. She was yelling. She was screaming.
“I can’t do this anymore, Alex. I’m done.”
“What are you going to do, Lauren? Run to the cops?” Alex scoffed.
I glanced around the side. Lauren was pacing, her arms wrapped around her as if to warm herself or to protect herself.
“You and dad set me up. I wanted to shame Jeremiah, not frame him for murder. It’s gone too far,” she pronounced.
“Your car was in front of James’ place that night, Lauren. If anyone is going down for the crime, it’s you. I made sure of it.”
“Yeah, well, I have an alibi, Alex.” Lauren stopped in front of her brother and stared him directly in the eye. “I was in the hospital giving birth to the twins, and I stayed there for several days. I have proof. I have witnesses. You have nothing.”
Alex raised his hand, and the slapping sound echoed throughout the alley. I jumped, covering my mouth to avoid making a sound. Lauren stood her ground, her hand rubbing her cheek.
“You can’t continue bullying me forever. I used to have nothing to lose, but that’s changed now. I will do whatever I need to in order to protect my children.”
Alex lunged toward her, grabbing her by the shoulders and pressing her into the wall. “You won’t live long enough to talk to the cops.”
My heart stopped. A coughing sound caught my attention, and I turned to the end of the alley to find Abe Hammond, world-renowned doctor and a very respected member of our community standing at the end.
“Is there a problem here?” he asked.
Alex let go of Lauren. “No,” he said, storming off toward the end of the alley. He stopped and turned to Lauren. “But there will be if you talk. Don’t be stupid, Lauren.”
Alex hurried towards my end of the alley, passing by the dumpster close enough that I could have reached out and touched him. I pressed against the back, and Abe’s eyes met mine. He saw me, but I knew my secret was safe with him. He walked down the alley toward Lauren, and I knew she was safe. She was in good hands – a doctor’s hands. I hurried out of there as quickly as I could, making sure to watch for Alex.
I returned to the diner and stopped outside. My head was spinning. I didn’t know what to do. Should I go back inside, pretend that everything was normal and finish my lunch – if it was still there? I looked around, careful to watch for Alex or any of the Holts.
Lauren came out of the alley with Dr. Hammond, and she saw me standing in front of the diner. We shared a look. I didn’t know if she knew I was there, listening in. Mascara stained her pale cheeks. She’d been crying. Her cheek where Alex had slapped her was bright red and would likely bruise. And she had witnesses to all of it.
As the two of them walked down the street toward Lauren’s car, she stopped. “I’ll go to the cops,” she muttered. “I’ll head there now.”
“Thank you. You’re doing the right thing,” I whispered.
She didn’t look at me, she just stared at the ground, but she nodded.
It would soon be over. The Holts would go to jail. Jeremiah was safe. And his girls would have their father. I prayed it would turn out that way.