Secrets of Redemption Box Set
Page 99
A cold draft seemed to drift down my spine. I tried to lick my lips, but my mouth was so dry, I couldn’t. “What did she write?”
“The evil that was done,” Daphne said. “Over and over and over.”
The sun went behind a cloud, plunging the room into darkness. I tried not to glance around, tried not to see a wild-looking woman huddled in the corner, blood trickling from her fingers while all around her, words dripped down the white walls.
“What did you do?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Mia still hadn’t moved, her face still frozen in that cold expression. What was going on with her?
Daphne lifted her hands helplessly. “What could I do? I was sixteen years old. One of my best friends had just disappeared. My father was dead, and my mother was unresponsive. I didn’t want to be taken away, forced into the system. So, I pretended.”
“Pretended?” I asked.
Daphne nodded. “I pretended she was sick. In my defense, at first, I thought she was sick, and hoped she would snap out of it. I bandaged her up and cleaned the house. I kept waiting for her to wake up, to be herself again, but she never did. So, I started feeding her, giving her water, putting … putting a diaper on her. I would ... “ Daphne paused to take a long, shuddering breath before continuing, “I would tie her to the bed when I left for school. Even though she seemed to remain unresponsive, I didn’t want her to wake up when I was gone and wander off or hurt herself again. But, she never did.”
“Oh Daphne,” I said, my heart breaking, imagining her trying to care for her mother and take care of the house at sixteen years of age.
“How did you live?” Mia asked, her voice flat, her face like stone.
Daphne’s eyes darted toward Mia before swiping roughly at her face. “It wasn’t easy. But the house was paid for and we still had money left over from my father’s life insurance. I was able to forge my mother’s signature, so I could still pay bills and buy groceries. Charlie helped me as well.”
“You told my aunt?” I asked.
“I only told her because I hoped her teas might cure my mother,” Daphne said defensively, eyeing Mia, who, if anything, grew even more cold and still. “Unfortunately, none of them brought her out of her comatose state, but she did respond to me feeding her and giving her water. Once I turned eighteen, Charlie helped me find a hospital to commit my mother. I told everyone else she was visiting her cousin, who was sick.”
“And, that’s when you went to college,” Mia said quietly, almost to herself.
“I went to school to be a healer,” Daphne said. “I really loved working with your aunt, and that’s what I wanted to do. But it didn’t take long for me to realize it wasn’t going to work out. It was expensive taking care of my mother in that hospital; plus, I had school and my own living expenses to worry about. I wasn’t sure if I would make enough to pay for everything. I thought about selling the house, but that didn’t feel right.
“So, then a friend introduced me to computer security. Hacking. I discovered, I had a knack for it even without the classes, and just by working a few hours every night, I was able to make enough to pay for my schooling and the hospital bills.”
“But you came back,” Mia said, her voice suddenly cracking. “You came back from school and told everyone you were taking care of your sick mother. You told ME you were taking care of your sick mother.”
“I know,” Daphne said. “I’m not proud of it. It was becoming too much, school and work, and I needed a break. I realized if I moved back to the house, I wouldn’t have to worry about rent or a mortgage. I could take a year or two off school, and just work and save enough money to not have to work when I returned to school. The only problem was in justifying my move back. I never told anyone my mother was in a psychiatric hospital. How would it look if I came back alone? How would I explain what I had done?
“But, if she was sick and I was taking care of her, then no one would question me. I could just pretend again. And, since I was working at home anyway, no one would be the wiser.”
“All of these years,” Mia said, her voice getting more and more agitated as the reality of what Daphne had done continued to sink in. “All of these years, you pretended? You pretended to be taking care of her when in reality, you were just living here alone?”
“Pretty much.”
“I thought we were friends. Best friends. How could you not tell me?”
“How could I tell you?” Daphne stood up again and resumed her pacing. “How could I finally come clean after what I did? How could I come clean to anyone? So, instead, I lived in this house. I did work I was good at and had a knack for, but didn’t love. My real joy, my real passion, I couldn’t do … how could I possibly balance helping people with their healing with keeping my secret? So, instead, I just grew more and more unhappy.”
“But your stories,” I said. “You had so many stories about your mother.”
Daphne shrugged. “I made them up.”
“Wow,” Mia said. “Just … wow.”
“Why did you decide to tell us now, Daphne?” I quickly interrupted. Mia looked like she was about to explode, and I was hoping I could head off whatever was brewing between them.
Daphne’s pacing slowed. “The tape,” she said simply. “What happened to Jesse. What happened to Jessica. There was a connection. Don’t you see? There was a reason behind my mother’s breakdown. But, more than that, I kept thinking about Louise. About how bitter she was because she didn’t know the truth. And you,” she gestured at me. “And how you were trying to make decisions about your life … about following your dreams or not. And I thought, haven’t I lost enough years? Living in this house, doing work I resent and dread, and living a lie? Isn’t it finally time to come clean? What else am I going to sacrifice because of what Jonathan did? What his family did? A relationship? My health? My happiness? A chance to do what I love?
“No, I’m done living a lie. That’s why I wanted you both here. I wanted to tell you both how sorry I was.”
I stood up quickly and went over to give her a hug. “You have nothing to apologize to me for,” I said, squeezing her. “I wasn’t even here most of that time.”
Daphne hugged me back. “Thanks, Becca.” She let go of me and we both turned to Mia.
She gazed at us both, her face shuttered and unreadable. “I guess ... I have to sit with this,” she finally said. “I just … how could you lie to me? Not just once but again and again? You are one of my best friends. How can I trust you again?”
“The same way I was able to trust you again,” Daphne said simply. “You were so distraught for so long over Jessica. I was an obvious second choice to you for years. At times, I wondered if we ever were friends or if it was just, I don’t know, habit. But, eventually, everything changed.”
“So, it’s my fault you didn’t tell me?”
“No, of course not,” Daphne rushed in quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that. But think about it from my perspective. I couldn’t tell you right away. You were completely caught up in the investigation. Then, later when things calmed down, I didn’t know how to bring it up. I didn’t know how to explain why I didn’t say anything right away. And, the longer it went on, well …” she held up her hands and let them drop helplessly.
Mia didn’t immediately answer, just sat in a long, stony silence. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath. “I need to sit with this,” she said at last. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I was so lost in my own grief, I didn’t treat you the way I should have. But, I was a kid, myself. I had just lost my best friend.”
“I know,” Daphne said quietly. “I was a kid, too. And I didn’t handle it right. And I’m sorry. But I’m trying to change that now.”
“I need some time,” Mia said again, getting up from the chair and heading for the door.
“Of course,” Daphne said, but I could see she the pain beneath
her words.
I gave Daphne a final hug. “She’ll come around,” I whispered in her ear. “Just give her time. She forgave me, and she’ll forgive you.”
Daphne smiled at me, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
God, I hoped I was right.
Chapter 37
I leaned back from the bathroom sink to take a final look at myself.
I was wearing one of my favorite outfits, a sleeveless, short, dark-green vee neck dress. It showed off my legs while highlighting the green in my eyes and the red in my hair, which I left loose and untamed.
I had just started a regimen to “heal” my curls—the very ones I had struggled with for so long because they were the opposite of the sleek, pulled-together hair of the polished, elegant, brittle, icy women in my life.
No, I was done trying to be something I was not.
Instead, I was ready to embrace my wild artist side complete with my curly, reddish-blondish-brownish hair and green, gold, and brown eyes.
I gave myself one more satisfied look. Yes, I was definitely happier with this Becca.
“He’s here,” Mia’s voice floated up from the downstairs.
“Coming,” I called back.
I took a moment to slip on my new sexy gold shoes—a gift to myself to celebrate my new life—and hurried down the stairs.
Mia’s eyes widened when she saw me. “Whoa, Becca. You look hot.”
Daphne poked her head out of the kitchen, her jaw dropping when she saw me. “You really do clean up well.”
“I didn’t even think you owned a dress,” Mia said.
“Well, until it was an official date, I didn’t feel right wearing one,” I said.
“Daniel isn’t going to know what hit him,” Mia said.
I smiled and scooped up my purse. “You two kids stay out of trouble,” I said.
“Yes, mom,” Mia said.
“We’ll try,” Daphne said.
Even though they were both smiling, I could sense the tension simmering underneath. It was the first time they had hung out together since Daphne had dropped that bomb. I know Mia was still struggling with it. She wanted to forgive Daphne, but she also felt very hurt and betrayed.
I crossed my fingers, hoping tonight would be a fresh start for them.
All of us deserved that. Everyone in this town.
It had taken over 30 years for the truth to come out. It was time for all of us to let go and begin again.
I waved one final time to Daphne and Mia before opening the door to greet my own new beginning.
Author’s Note
Hi there!
I hope you enjoyed reading the Secrets of Redemption Series as much as I enjoyed writing it! (And if you did, I’d love it if you’d leave me a review on Amazon.)
I also want to invite you to check out my other books here on my blog: MPWNovels.com. Plus, if you’re a book club lover, you’ll also find book club discussion questions you can easily download and print out to bring to your meetings.
Speaking of my blog …
If you’re a book club lover, you’ll find book club discussion questions there that you can easily download and print to bring along to your meetings.
You can also grab my free novella, The Secret Diary of Helen Blackstone, there. Who is Helen Blackstone, you ask? Why, she’s Mad Martha’s daughter. (Need I say more?)
Finally, there are lots more fun things there to read while you wait for my next book launch. I share my journey as an author, book reviews, and other short pieces of fiction and fun posts. Plus, you’ll get to meet Riley, my fictional alter ego who is also a ghost hunter (think Bridget Jones turned real-life ghost hunter). You can even listen to a Riley podcast ( “The Adventures of Riley Longhill: Ghost Hunter!”).
Remember, it’s all happening at MPWNovels.com.
Happy reading!
Michele
Acknowledgements
It’s a team effort to birth a book, and I’d like to take a moment to thank everyone who helped.
My writer friends, Hilary Dartt and Stacy Gold, for reading early versions and providing me with invaluable feedback. My wonderful editor, Megan Yakovich, who is always so patient with me. My designer, Erin Ferree Stratton, who has helped bring my books to life with her cover designs.
And, of course, a story wouldn’t be a story without research, and I’m so grateful to my friends who have so generously provided me with their expertise over the years: Dr. Mark Moss, Andrea J. Lee, and Steve Eck. Any mistakes are mine and mine alone.
Last but certainly not least, to my husband Paul, for his love and support during this sometimes-painful birthing process.
About Michele
Michele Pariza Wacek (also known as Michele PW) taught herself to read at three years old because she so badly wanted to write fiction. As an adult, she became a professional copywriter (copywriters write promotional materials for businesses, nothing to do with protecting intellectual property or putting a copyright on something) and eventually founded a copywriting and marketing company.
She grew up in Madison, Wisconsin and currently lives with her husband and dogs in the mountains of Arizona. You can reach her at MPWNovels.com.
Table of Contents
Secrets of Redemption Books 1 - 3
Book 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Book 2
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Book 3
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Author’s Note
Acknowledgements
About Michele