Chapter 31

Chapter Thirty-One

Noah

We waited in the hospital lobby. I hadn't gone with Ella's mom in the ambulance, but Kayla had. The EMTs wanted to check me out separately. I was shaking, and I knew I was in shock. I'd refused to receive any care until Ella got here.

When she came through the door, I finally felt like my world was right again.

She pulled me into a hug, helping me up from the chair. "Are you okay?"

I held her close. "Yes." As long as I had this, I would always be okay.

She pressed her hand to my forehead, which made me laugh. After ten minutes of checking me out with another doctor, she said, "Let's go find my mom."

I went with her, hand in hand, to the room they'd put her mother in. My parents were standing on either side of her, holding her hands.

Her mother turned and gasped. She held her arms out and started crying. "Ella. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

Ella let go of my hand and rushed into her mother's arms.

The whole thing confused me, but I didn't say anything. Now that everything was settling, I had time to think. I couldn't understand why her mother was back in town, and especially why she'd been alone on the face of a mountain.

Where was her father?

Two minutes later, Canyon walked in, carefully holding a bag. "I thought you might want these with you." His voice was half accusing and half curious. He walked over to the tray table at the end of the bed and placed a familiar set of frames on its surface.

Clearly shocked, Ella picked up the pictures. Then she turned to her mother. "What are you doing with these? I just found them in my house. Like someone had broken in and put them there. Was that you?"

Her mother bowed her head. "Yes."