by Jo Cassidy
The happiness I'd been feeling faded away. I hadn't thought about the fact that I'd probably never see Brendon and Jenna again.
Troy patted my hand. "Of course. You can Skype, email, Facebook, whatever you want."
I scrunched my nose and heat flared in my cheeks. "We can what?"
Brendon held in a laugh. His shoulders shook a little, so I slapped his chest.
"She has a lot to learn about technology," Brendon said to Troy. "And the world."
"Oh." Troy’s eyes saddened. "Gary didn't allow you those things, did he?"
I thumbed the pages of the journal. "No. I've never been hiking or skiing, or any of those things."
"Well," Troy said. "Hopefully we'll find an outdoor activity you enjoy. There are many options." He sweetly smiled. "But we'll take it easy. We won't do anything you're not ready to do. Renee was a high school teacher before she decided to stay home with the kids for now. She can teach you at home if you'd like. Or you can go to public school. Private school."
When I just stared, his smile grew.
"One thing at a time," Troy said.
Mr. Mendoza suddenly stood before us, his hands on his hips, his blazer pulled back so his gun could be seen. "Well, as exciting as this all was, I'm going to call it a night."
Troy stood and shook his hand. "Thank you, Ford, for everything." He glanced at me. "For finding my Nora."
Mr. Mendoza stroked his goatee. "I'm glad we finally found her. This is my favorite part of the job."
Standing, I brushed off my pants and then hugged him. "Thank you, Mr. Mendoza. For giving me back my life."
"Just doing my job." He awkwardly patted my shoulder and then released me. "Take care of yourself." With a nod, he left us by the smoldering pile of journals.
Firefighters had put out the fire and were trying to salvage what they could. Which wasn't much. I'd be surprised if they found anything.
A detective in a suit cautiously approached us, his eyes on the journal in my arms. "Ms. Kennedy, do you mind if we take that for evidence?"
Kennedy. That was Troy's last name. But Mr. Mendoza had said a different last name earlier. Stewart. Too many names. Who was I?
I clutched the journal tightly.
"Will she get it back?" Troy asked.
The detective nodded, his eyebrows set in a stern line. "Once the case is closed, I'll see to it she gets it back."
I looked at Brendon, who stood right next to me. He placed his hand on the small of my back and nodded. "It's okay, Nora."
With a deep breath, I handed the detective my journal. The last piece of my former life. He gave me a simple smile and then walked away.
"Stewart was your mom's last name," Troy said. He'd probably seen my confused expression. "Kennedy is mine. Your birth certificate says Stewart."
"I thought I didn't have a birth certificate."
Troy sighed. "I'm sure there's a lot of things Gary lied to you about." He patted my hand. "You can keep Stewart, or we can get it changed to Kennedy. Whatever you want."
"I think Kennedy would be nice," I said.
"Nora Kennedy," Brendon said. He raised his eyebrows and gave his head a little shake. "I'm going to have to get used to that."
Troy glanced over his shoulder at all the police buzzing around. "I'm going to see if we can leave now. It's late, and I'm sure you're tired."
Before he could walk away, Brendon held up his hand. "Please don't take this the wrong way, Mr. Kennedy, but do you have the actual proof that you're Nora's real father? The last man to claim he was her dad turned out to be delusional."
Troy released the smallest laugh. "Nora's lucky to have a friend who's so concerned about her. I have all the paperwork, the DNA test, and birth certificate, with me. I'll make sure the authorities approve everything before I try to take her anywhere with me."
Brendon released a loud breath. "Good."
“Um, Troy?” I had no idea what to call him.
“Yes?” he asked.
I licked my lips. “There’s a bag in the back of the van that says Cora on it. There are four plastic bags in the bottom and a stuffed elephant. Can you get them for me? There’s nothing in there the police would need. They’re just the only possessions that were all mine.”
Troy gave me a soft smile. “Of course. I’ll sneak them away if I have to.” He left us to talk to one of the detectives.
Brendon hugged me close, and I sank into him, soaking up the warmth. I loved how perfectly I fit in his arms and how he held me with an overwhelming concern. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'll miss you, too," I said, rubbing his shirt between my fingers. I hated that we were going to be separated when we finally had a chance at a real relationship.
He kissed the top of my head, and suddenly all the worry inside me left. From him, it was a loving gesture, not a controlling one. "Call me anytime. I don't care if it's the middle of the night. If you need someone to talk to, or you've had a nightmare, or you don't know how to log onto Snapchat, I'll be here for you."
I slapped his chest. "Why do you say things I don't understand?"
"You have to learn sometime.” He rubbed my arms. “I'll have Troy show you how to Skype and then we can use that for me to show you everything else."
"Skype?" Too many things I still didn't understand about life.
"We can talk to each other through a screen. It's like a phone call, but we'll be able to see each other." He squeezed me. "It sucks that I won’t be able to see you in person, but I like the prospect of still seeing you blush."
I pushed away from him. "I have a feeling you'll be doing that daily."
He wiggled his eyebrows. "You know it."
I tugged on his Wonder Woman shirt. It was covered in dirt, blood, and a few holes. It was ruined. "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"For accusing you of all those bad things. And ruining your favorite shirt.”
Brendon shrugged his shoulders like it was no big deal. "Don't worry about it. Gary confused you. He made you question everything and everyone. You couldn't trust me." He looked down at the destroyed W. “And I can buy a new shirt. No big deal.”
Brendon was undoubtedly the most forgiving person I'd ever met. I'd said horrible, terrible things, and he was still being nice to me.
I hugged him close, his arms embracing me in a gentle hold. "I do trust you. The only time I've ever felt truly safe has been in your arms." His smell reminded me of the ocean, taking me back to simpler times.
"Maybe I'll be able to come visit you every now and then," Brendon said, his fingers running down my braid.
"I'd like that," I whispered. I pulled off my hair band, tucked it in my pocket, and then undid my braid so my hair hung loosely around me.
I couldn't believe how drastically my life was about to change. A chance at a normal life. I would miss Brendon and Jenna so much, but we could keep in touch. It would have to be enough, though I desperately wanted more. Maybe they could visit. Or I could visit them, if Troy didn’t have the same attachment issues Gary had.
I’d finally be able to go to school without any worries. Have friends without watching over my back. Hang out with them on the weekend, have a boyfriend, join a club at school, have a family and do things with them. Go on vacations.
A smile spread on my face. I never thought I could ever be that lucky.
Chapter 42
I shoved everything the detective sent back into the envelope. I flipped it over in my hands a few times, wondering what to do with it. After a couple minutes, I threw it in the trashcan. Since I had the answers, I never needed to see them again.
The detective over my case sent me all the information he had on the real Gary Snow. His actual name was William Horn, Jr. His mother abandoned them when he was a baby and his dad, Billy Sr., never got over it. He abused William and his little sister every day, physically and emotionally. He'd used it as a tactic to control them. From what the detective could find, William loved and feared his father all t
he same. His sister finally had enough and ended her life. William blamed their father. Blinded with hatred, William killed his father, changed his name and fled town. On the way out, he found me sleeping on the lawn. From the picture the detective sent, I had a striking resemblance to his sister. She wore a shirt buttoned to the top and had a braid resting over her right shoulder.
The detective had come through on his promise to send me back my journal. I stuffed it under my mattress. I hoped I never had to look at it again, but there was a small comfort knowing I had the option.
My computer dinged, so I skipped over and sat in front of it, getting comfortable in my chair. I went to fix my hair, making sure it was smooth. I wore my hair down or in a ponytail every day. That was it.
Brendon's face appeared on the screen, making a smile spread across my face.
"How are you doing today?" Brendon asked. A question he'd asked every single day since I'd moved to Utah.
I held up a journal. "I started writing again." I showed him some pages. "Blue ink."
"No pink?" he asked. He bit down on a piece of licorice.
"No pink." I grabbed all my pens and waved them in front of the camera. "Blue and black."
He rolled his eyes. "You're taking it too far."
"I never want to wear pink," I said, "have it in my room, or anywhere in my life. It reminds me of him."
He leaned back, and I finally got a decent view of his shirt. It had an outline of a guitar pick with the initials NK inside.
“What superhero is that?” I moved the pendant on the necklace he’d given me back and forth on the chain. I often found myself doing it in class at school. It replaced my braid tugging.
Brendon grinned. “My new favorite. She’s hot, strong, brave, and a really good kisser.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, the pendant paused in the air.
His smile grew. “Nora Kennedy: the greatest superhero ever.”
With a smile of my own, I released the pendant, letting it fall against my chest.
Dad – Troy – it didn’t take me long to call him Dad – paused in the hallway and then came into my room. He leaned over my shoulder and waved. "Hey, Brendon!"
"Hey, Mr. Kennedy!" Brendon waved back with a few pieces of licorice that were in his hand.
"That looks good." Dad patted my shoulder. "Renee brought some home from the store. I'm going to go see if I can find the stash." He walked to the doorway and then looked back at me. "I always dreaded having my daughter date. But I must say, this is working out just fine for me. I never have to worry about you two being alone."
I threw a pen at him. "We're just friends."
"Even better." Dad left with a smile.
"He seems like a great dad," Brendon said in the middle of chewing.
I twirled a pen around my finger. "He is. Renee has been an amazing mom, too. They've been so nice and patient with me."
"Back to the journal," Brendon said, pointing at it. "What are you writing about?"
"Happy things," I said. "School, Dad, Renee, Ella, and Liam."
Brendon smiled. "How's the little guy doing?"
Liam had been born two months after I moved to Utah. It helped me settle in. They weren't focused on my every move or hovering. All of us were focused on the new baby in the house and getting his room ready. It brought us all together. A common ground.
"Sleeping through the night now, thank goodness," I said. He'd cried for the first few months, waking up everyone in the house. Ella would sometimes sneak into my room and climb into bed with me when Liam was real loud. My room was the farthest from his, dulling the sound somewhat. I'd loved how trusting and open Ella was from the moment we met. She never questioned the fact that I was her big sister. In fact, she told everyone she met, including strangers.
"Dad and Renee are going on a date Friday." I tapped my pen against the desk.
Brendon raised his eyebrows. "Did they get the three of you a babysitter?"
I stuck my tongue out at him. "They're leaving me in charge."
"That's good, right? It means they trust you."
I nodded. "It's really good." I stole a glance at the open door to make sure there were no eavesdroppers. Dad had said he liked Brendon being in a different state, but that didn't stop him and Renee from constantly walking by my room when we were video chatting. They also told me I had to keep the door open at all times.
Since Gary had always kept me locked in, I was happy to leave it open. In fact, the only time I closed the door was to dress.
"I'm nervous, though," I whispered. "What if something bad happens?"
"Nothing bad will happen," Brendon said. "You're a great big sister. Ella adores you. And I've seen you hold Liam. You're careful and protective."
"Dad said I could call if I need help. But I'm going to avoid that if possible. They deserve a date night."
He straightened out his hair, making me smile. He constantly did that when we were chatting. "Any nightmares?"
I shook my head. "It's been a month since my last one."
"Good," he said. "Have you made a fool of yourself at school?"
I sat up tall. "I didn't say one stupid thing today. And I made a basket during P.E."
Brendon held up his palm. "Way to go!"
I air high-fived him. "I even answered a question in class, and it was correct."
"You're always correct. That's never been your problem. The social thing has been your downfall." He twisted his lips in thought. "Let's see. Stolen anything recently?"
It was a habit that had been harder to break than I thought. A lot of the times I had just done it without thinking. The few times Troy or Renee caught me, they made me return it. I held my chin high. "It's been almost two weeks since my last crime, thank you very much."
"That's not that long, Nora," Brendon said with raised eyebrows.
I frowned. "You sound like my therapist."
"How's that going?" His eyes held his genuine curiosity and care that I loved.
"Really good, actually."
When Troy had suggested it, I refused. But after a few late-night chats with Renee, I finally realized it would help me out, which it had. I was still adjusting to so much out in the real world. There were so many things I didn't understand and needed help with. I also needed to get over the verbal and physical abuse from Gary. That was something that would take a lot of time and dedication, but I was willing to put forth the effort. I wanted to overcome it the best I could.
"Good," Brendon said with a smile. “Is your shop still doing well?”
Renee had helped me set-up a business online where I could sell my cell phone bands. It was a nice distraction and helped me earn money for college.
“Yeah. I can barely keep up with orders. Oh!" I sat forward, leaning my chin on my hand. "I made a new friend today in art. His name is Aiden, and he's incredibly talented and said he'd take me to a local art museum and . . .”
Brendon flexed. "A guy? Competition?"
I wiggled my eyebrows. "Maybe."
He lowered his arms and frowned. "I knew this wouldn't last and you'd move on. You're way too pretty."
"Calm down. I was just kidding."
"So, there is no Aiden?" Brendon let out a sigh of relief.
Heat crept onto my face. "I meant about him being competition. He has a girlfriend. Plus, I'm so not dating any time soon. I'm not ready."
"That's right," he said, pointing a bandaged finger at me. "You're not ready. I'll let you know when you are."
I tilted my head to the side. "How very kind of you."
"I try," he said with a shrug.
I picked up a pen and twirled it. "What about you? Dating anyone?"
He waved his hand. "No way. My last girlfriend was way too much drama. I need a break."
"You're lucky I can't smack you."
He clasped his hands behind his head and leaned back in his chair. "That's a perk to this whole living in a different state and video chatting thing. You can't hurt me."
"You enjoyed it. Don't deny it."
I'd really enjoyed it. I'd probably enjoy it more since I'd had some distance from Gary. I could be worry free and just live in the moment.
I shrugged. "I've had better."
The screen flashed.
"Jenna's calling me. Talk to you tomorrow?"
"Same time," Brendon said. "I miss you."
I put my hand on the screen. "I miss you, too."
Brendon put his hand on the screen where mine was. I wished I could feel the heat from his hand, but it would have to do.
"Later, Nora Kennedy."
"Bye." I blew him a kiss and then switched over to Jenna.
Jenna's big, brown eyes stared back at me, pure excitement pouring out. She was covered in purple. I’d noticed she hadn’t worn much pink since I’d moved. "Nora!" She had her hand covering her mouth. “Look!” She lowered her hand and smiled.
Her braces were gone, showing off her shiny white teeth.
“You look beautiful,” I said. “Well, you did before, but now you have straight teeth as well.”
Jenna clapped her hands. "I have the biggest news! Aside from the braces being gone."
I rested my chin on my hand. "Spill it."
"I have a boyfriend!" She squealed. "A real boyfriend!"
"Was your last one fake?"
She glared at me. "Ha. Ha." She cleared her throat. "You have to guess who it is. I'll give you three guesses."
"Dalton." I opened my journal and wrote down Jenna's big news.
She pouted. "That's not fair!"
I pointed my pen at her. "He's the only guy you've been talking about for the last few months."
"That's true, I guess." Her smile came back. "Fine. I have another surprise!"
"You kissed?" I wrote that news down as well.
Jenna threw up her hands. "Come on! How do you do that?"
I brushed my shoulder. "I'm pretty much amazing."
Someone came into Jenna's room and, by the smile on her face, it was Dalton.
Dalton plopped down next to Jenna on the edge of the bed and waved at me. "Hey, Nora!" He rubbed his forehead. "It's still weird calling you that."