Chapter 12
Amanda’s mind was unpredictable, shifting between lucidity and confusion, and in all the years she’d been in the hospital, there had been little
real improvement.
“I’ll come by tomorrow.”
On the other end of the line, Amanda finally sounded happy before she hung up.
Sylvia sat on the edge of her bed for a long moment. Today she’d gone along with Ronan’s charade in front of his family. By all rights, he owed her the same courtesy in return.
But he’d rarely come to the hospital even when they were on good terms. There had always been an excuse: work, obligations, no time.
And now that everything was unraveling, she doubted he would bother at all.
She tipped herself backward and landed flat against the mattress, her hair fanning out across the pillows. Fine. She’d think about it in the morning.
The next day, Sylvia stopped by a shop and bought a few things she knew Amanda liked before heading to the hospital.
In the end, she hadn’t called Ronan.
Maybe this would be a chance to tell Amanda the truth, spare them both more pain later.
In the hospital’s large lounge, Amanda sat at a table with a group of patients, her hair twisted up in a loose knot secured by a wooden hairpin, playing cards and laughing softly.
Sylvia stood in the doorway, watching her in profile.
In her memories, Amanda had always seemed so gentle and refined, like a woman out of a novel, born to a scholarly family.
She could barely remember ever seeing her raise her voice. Even anger had seemed beyond her.
So when her father had brought another woman into their lives and moved his mistress and her daughter into the same neighborhood, Amanda hadn’t suspected a thing.
Amanda had believed for years that Lacey and her mother, Savanna, were simply the widow and child of one of her father’s colleagues. She’d
tried to be kind to them.
Until the day her father died and they arrived at the door, faces full of triumph, to tell them the truth.
That was the day Amanda finally broke. Debt hadn’t crushed her. Shame hadn’t crushed her. But betrayal had.
Sylvia would never forget the way she’d laughed and sobbed at once, clawing at her father’s headstone until her palms bled, then clutching Sylvia’s hand so hard that her nails left a long, ragged gash in her wrist.
After that, Amanda had never been the same.
She’d become reckless, unpredictable, sometimes warm, sometimes almost manic.
In the end, Sylvia had no choice but to have her committed.
Sylvia hadn’t understood it back then. Her father had left them with nothing but chaos and creditors, and they’d survived that. So why couldn’t
Amanda survive the rest?
But now, after everything she’d lived through, she finally understood. What destroyed a person was never just hardship. It was the betrayal.
A nurse noticed her hovering in the doorway and walked over to touch Amanda’s shoulder.
The woman turned, and when she saw Sylvia, she immediately dropped her cards and hurried over.
Seeing she was alone, Amanda frowned slightly. “Where’s Ronan? Didn’t he come with you?”
Sylvia swallowed.”He had a flight today. He couldn’t get away.”
Ronan was Gordon Airlines’ most sought-after pilot. Of course, he was busy. Amanda didn’t question it.
She took Sylvia’s arm with a bright smile and led her back into the small room.
“I bought a few things for Ronan and something for his grandfather. You can take them over when you have time.”
She started unpacking a mountain of bags onto the bed, her movements brisk and cheerful.
10.00
15.8%%
< Chapter 12
If not for the Gordons, they would probably have been hounded to death by debt collectors.
So now Amanda could only feel gratitude toward them.
Menu
Sylvia looked at the neat stacks of gift boxes and let out a sigh.”Mom, you should have kept the money for yourself. You don’t have to buy them anything.”
She’d given Amanda a debit card so she’d never lack for anything she needed.
And now, judging by how many bags she’d brought back, that account was probably nearly empty.
Amanda waved a dismissive hand.”It’s nothing. You’ve been married to Ronan for years, and I’ve never really given him anything. I don’t want them thinking I’m ungracious.”
She pulled out a set of neatly folded shirts and held them up for inspection.”Do you think he’ll like these?”
Sylvia opened her mouth to answer, but before she could, the door swung open.
Ronan stepped in, the hot air clinging to his uniform. He was still in his pilot’s jacket, the badge glinting on his shoulder.
When he spoke, his voice was softer than usual.”You couldn’t wait for me? You had to come see Mom on your own?”
Sylvia’s heart gave a sharp, startled twist. Why was he here?
And how did he know she was at the hospital today?
Amanda beamed, her entire face lighting up.
“Ronan, you’re here! I was just telling Syl how you must be so busy with work. She said
you couldn’t come.”
“Work has been a little hectic,” he said evenly, moving closer to Sylvia and taking her hand in his warm, steady grip. His thumb traced slow circles over the delicate bones of her wrist.
“But didn’t we agree I’d come with you as soon as I finished my flight? Why didn’t you wait for me?”
She forced a small, stiff smile.”I just didn’t want to disrupt your work.”
His broad palm came to rest on the crown of her head, warm and familiar, gently ruffling her hair.”Anything that concerns you is my business too. How could it ever be called a disruption?”
Look at him now, she thought. Smooth-tongued. He always knew exactly how to say the pretty words.
