Angelina was sitting in the chair beside her bed looking at a magazine. She had stayed all night. Even after I'd said what I had. Either she was crazy or she really did like my mom.
"Hey, Mom," I said as I closed the door behind me.
"Hello," she replied. "Angelina said you stayed all night. You didn't have to do that."
I walked over and bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yeah I did," I replied.
"Did you send the girl home?" The distaste in her voice wasn't missed.
"She went to get coffee," I replied. I wasn't going to fight with her over Della. "You need to eat more, Mom."
She sighed. "I know, but I just don't have an appetite anymore. I miss him."
He was an ass. He tried to control me and he lied to me. He also hurt Della and she knew about it. Forgiving those things was hard. The fact he'd hurt Della made it almost impossible. I couldn't say anything. I had nothing to say.
"I need to get to work. When they discharge you, call me and I'll come get you." Getting out of there was best. She was my mother and I loved her, but there was so much between us that needed to be forgiven. I couldn't stay there.
"I'll take her home. You go work. You're going to be exhausted since you didn't sleep all night." Angelina sounded so sincere. I didn't trust that.
"Okay, well, call if you need me," I said to my mother, and then turned and left the room.
Della stood outside the door holding two coffees. The concern in her eyes was the most sincere thing I'd seen that morning.
"Is she okay?" Della asked as she handed me a cup of bad hospital coffee.
"Yeah. She's fine. Let's go," I replied.
"Why don't I leave and you stay here? She's your mom." Della started to say more but I shook my head and stopped her.
"She's fine. She needs to eat more. I want to leave with you."
Della let out a weary sigh, then nodded her head. "Okay. If that's what you want."
Della
The bonfire lit up the dark beach. I stood watching everyone drink, dance, and laugh. Woods had left to deal with an issue with the staff. He was looking for someone to take over his old job but he hadn't found anyone yet. Right now he was doing everything himself and I could see he was growing weary.
I glanced over at the group of Woods's friends and I knew I was welcome. Bethy was laughing loudly and I was pretty sure she was drunk. But I needed time to think. I wasn't in the mood to pretend like my heart wasn't heavy. Woods had been on the phone with Angelina today when I'd walked into his office. They'd been talking about his mom and it had been friendly. She was taking a lot off him and I wanted to like her. To be thankful to her. I just couldn't.
Turning, I walked up to the parking lot. No one was up there partying and I could wait for Woods to get back. I needed to get in a better mood before he came back. The fact that I was a hindrance to him weighed heavily on me. It was getting worse every day.
If I could just get better . . . If I could just stop having bad dreams . . . If I could forget my past and move forward . . . If the fear that I might go crazy wasn't haunting me every day . . . then I might be able to help him. I might be a support for him.
"Della." Angelina's voice surprised me. I turned to see her standing behind the building where the restrooms were located. The small amount of light the moon was supplying shone down on her.
"Yes," I replied, not sure if I should be worried about being alone with her or if I was just being silly.
"Where's Woods?" she asked.
"He had an issue with some of the staff. He's dealing with it."
Angelina looked disgusted. "He has so much on his shoulders and you make it so much worse. So helpless and f**ked up. How long do you think he'll want you? What happens when that crazy in your genes takes over? He won't be able to keep you then. You'll be locked up. And I know he doesn't want kids with you. He would be worried about them being crazy, too. That would kill him."
Hearing my own fears spill from her cruel lips took my breath away. She was right. Everything she said was right. Woods and I pretended like the future was possible. But it wasn't. I would never be his future. I wasn't getting better.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"I want you to leave him alone. He deserves so much more," she spat.