protests.
“Calm down babe,’’ Mason soothes, sitting next to me on the edge of the bed.
I nod my head then look over to Harlow, nodding my head for her to continue. “We met him at the fishing pond, the one on Green Day. I wrote a fake statement to keep up appearances, but someone moved in the bush nearby and set off alarm bells. We had both turned our heads in that direction so when I was turning my head back to see if he had caught the movement, a fist connected to my face. He ran off away from where the noise had come from, but he didn’t get far before one of the other officers pinned him down on the ground. Everything is going to be fine. The hearing for Davis is in a few days, and according to the officer earlier, his sentencing will be a well-deserved one.’’
“That’s great news,’’ I tell her, happy that she’s finally getting the justice she deserves, plus for Kayla too. Harlow wasn’t the only person Davis hurt; only he hurt Kayla a lot more.
“Did the doctors say when you can come home?’’ she asks and I turn my head to Mason who shakes his head.
The door to my room opens again and my Nan, dad and brother walk in.
“Hi,’’ I say, feeling more tears falling from my eyes again. Damn waterworks.
“I’m so glad you’re okay,’’ my Nan tells me crying, pushing through everyone to come up to my side, opposite Mason. I smile softly, and then give her a tight hug when she leans down.
“I didn’t think I’d see any of you again,’’ I tell her and the rest of the room when I pull away.
“It’s over now; don’t think like that,’’ Mason growls and I look at him in concern. He’s obviously not left my side, or even left to get himself a drink or even fall asleep. I’ve never seen him this worked up before.
“I know, but down in that basement, I honestly didn’t think I would make it. I wished for so much when I was down there, and...’’
“It’s okay, shush,’’ Mason whispers, putting his arm around my neck and rubbing circles on my shoulder blade as a few more silent tears fall down my cheeks.
“The police need your statement, sis. First, Dad, Nan and I would like to talk to you alone for five minutes. There is something you need to know,’’ he tells me, and then looks over to Mason. “The doctor said she can go once she’s ready. The nurse will be around shortly to take her drip out, and bring the discharge papers.’’
“Okay.’’
Everyone clears the room after giving me a huge hug, a pat on the leg before leaving, telling me they’re going home to get some sleep. Mason refuses to leave the room, but looking at my brother he doesn’t seem that surprised by it. I know whatever they are going to tell me is going to be bad, so I grab Mason’s hand in a tight grip, needing some of his strength.
“I don’t know if I should be the one to tell you,’’ Evan says and my dad nods his head at him before looking down at the floor. “When I turned eighteen I looked into mom, Vivian. I knew the way she treated us wasn’t right. She was always shoving me in your face, making you feel worthless, and I hated it. I also hated the way she would look at me and shit like that. I found out that she isn’t my mother; she wasn’t even my adopted mother. She was only my mother through marriage.’’
“Dad?’’ I speak after a few minutes of trying to absorb the information. When I look at him in the eyes they are filled with shame, and although words are unspoken, I know what Evan has just said is the truth. “How? Why? I don’t understand,’’ then a thought occurs to me. “You never mentioned Evan when we spoke in the cafe. I didn’t even think anything of it. Why? What is happening?’’
“Katie, the woman I loved, the woman your mom took away from me had a secret. When we first met at school we were sixteen, both in love, with our whole lives ahead of us. She went away for a year to an overseas school in France. It was a lie though. I didn’t know that she was actually pregnant and her parents had her keep it quiet, that if I was told they