Chapter 53

Julian

"Don't drop it," I hiss to myself as I try to balance the catered food and open my car door. I wedge the bags between my body and my SUV, struggling to reach the door handle and get it open. By the time I get into the car, I look like the ringmaster of a three-ring circus, myself and the food still in one piece.

My phone rings.

Can't I get one second?

I glance down and see Dad ' s name. I almost hit the decline button but think better of it.

" Hey, Dad. Happy Thanksgiving?" I greet.

For the next five minutes, he asks me how Poppy is doing and how I'm doing. The truth is, I have no idea how she ' s doing. She ' s talking, finally. That ' s progress, Dr. Peterson says.

The problem is, I don ' t believe half of what she says. I think she ' s just telling us what we want to hear. She realized she couldn ' t push us away. Those weeks when she never spoke, never uttered a word—that was torture. I ' d rather be a POW than endure watching her silently suffer.

Poppy knows no matter how far she retreats into herself, we're all going to stay. So now she ' s trying to say the things she thinks she should. But when she thinks no one is watching, I see it—the darkness, the stain Andrew left when he shot himself in front of her.

How do I protect her mind when I can't seem to get inside and fight off all her demons physically?

" Well, make sure Kent doesn ' t drink too much," Dad jokes. He really wanted us all to be together, but given the circumstances, he understands. Kent flew into town to be with us, but he can ' t stay for long because he ' s covering for me as CEO. I hope he likes the new job because, to be honest, I don ' t want to return. My heart is with Poppy, and right now, my heart is very sick. She needs all my attention and time.

Dad clears his throat. " I, um, hope you all can join us for Christmas." By us, he means him and his girlfriend—the woman he kept secret from us. " I ' d like you all to meet Elsie. She wishes you were here, but she understands."

Elsie. He ' s never told me her name before.

I swallow, " Yeah, Dad. I would like that." And I would. The problem is, I don ' t think it will be this Christmas. I might finally be able to take Poppy home, but I don ' t think she ' s ready for situations like that. I ' ll have to run it by Dr. Peterson.

" I gotta go," I say. " I love you."

" Love you too, son. Give my best to Poppy."

" Will do," I reply, then I hang up.

I don ' t know how I get from the caterers to the hospital. I just make it there in one piece, slightly over the speed limit, I ' m sure. I can ' t stand to be without Poppy. It makes me feel sick like something bad will happen.

Dr.Peterson can see it. She tried to corner me, but I wanted her to focus all her energy on healing Poppy. I can handle myself.

When I got the call…when Henry told Harper and me what Andrew did…

I knew Andrew had won; he cruelly snatched her from me. I understand my Poppy all too well, and I fear she might never fully recover from this traumatic ordeal. It happened at her family's graves, a sacred place that should have offered peace and solace.

Andrew cornered her. Tricked us all. Poppy was helpless as the horror unfolded right before her hazel eyes—eyes that once brimmed with vibrancy and life.

Will those eyes ever regain their former luster, or will they forever be overshadowed by the stain of that dreadful day?

Whether they do or don ' t, I won ' t leave. I promised Poppy through thick and thin. This is the thickest, sickest thing I've witnessed someone do to another soul.

I ' ll be here helping her. I love her regardless of whether her mind is broken. I can live with that. I just need Dr. Peterson to teach her how to do so.

I won ' t let Andrew claim her fully.

Poppy is mine.

It might take years, heck, even decades, but one day, I ' m going to see her head tip back, her eyes bursting with happy tears as she laughs. I ' ll see her smile widen with joy, her face blush with lust.

Fuck, one day, I want to see our child bouncing on her knee as she teaches them the ABCs. I want a family with her. I want everything with Poppy.

I will save her from herself.

That's what love is; it's undying, unchanging through the best of times and the absolute worst. It's always there, and my love for Poppy will never falter, never cease. Andrew might have tried to destroy it, but guess what? It's only grown stronger.