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His whole soul comes to life at the mention of Georgia.
Anger flares through my nerves.
“She doesn’t deserve pretty things from you, Ian,” I snap, earning myself another wince from him.
Gabe’s eyes narrow as he looks down at me. He squeezes Ian’s shoulders again. “Ready to go, kid?”
“Where are you taking him?” I ask, tossing the bouquet onto the butcher block countertop. A few of the petals detach themselves and fall softly to the tiled floor.
“I’m taking him to work for the day. Caroline has this grand idea for a picnic with Georgia. Link decided he wanted to join in, so he’s leaving me in charge for the day. I asked if my boy could tag along, and he had no qualms with it. Ian just wanted to get you some flowers first,” Gabe answers, his eyes still narrowed and angry at me for snapping at Ian.
“I suppose I need to get over to Crane and help Care with this picnic,” I say, avoiding Gabe’s accusing glare.
Gabe says nothing as he and Ian leave, heading back out the front door and leaving me in my own silent misery for company.
I walk to the window, watching them leave while safely hidden in the shadows of the semi-sheer green curtains. As soon as they get out of the house, Ian lights up again. He grabs Gabe’s outstretched hand with a content smile.
In the short distance past them, I see Caroline. Her white dress billows behind her in the breeze. Georgia appears from behind the willow fronds, her own yellow dress swaying at her ankles as she runs into the safe embrace of Caroline’s arms. Caroline hugs her tightly, ruffling her hair before bending down and plucking a hydrangea from the garden bed next to them. She hands it to Georgia, and I watch with jealousy-infused oxygen filling mylungs as Georgia brings the flower to her face, inhaling it with no abandon.
Caroline doesn’t deserve a daughter. She doesn’t deserve to live in such bliss while I’m losing myself more and more each day to my own misery and grief.
I know it’s their fault.
It’s time to remind Caroline what real grief looks like so she can know what she’s done to me over the last three years.
She is the reason my baby girl is gone.
She is the reason my son is terrified to be in the same room as me.
She is the reason why my husband can’t stand to look at me.
I grab the bouquet from the countertop before heading to Crane.
Maybe I’ll make Georgia her own special glass of lemonade.
30
Georgia
Now
“You?” I choke out as I stare at Mrs. Foster, my gaze flitting back and forth between her and my daughter. Auden looks too still in her arms.
“Is she—” I choke on my words.
Lydia shakes her head. “No, she’s not dead. Not yet, anyway. But if you try anything, I’ll drop her into the lake. Fitting end, isn’t it? After what you and your mother did to my own little girl.”
My entire body is alight with fear. A soul-consuming fear that I’ve never felt before.
“Auden, baby girl. Mommy is right here.” Tears sting my eyes as I stare at her limp, nearly lifeless form.
Mrs. Foster laughs, a hideously cold laugh. “She can’t hear you. I gave her a snack before bed while you were—indisposed. Just a few melatonin gummies. I won’t let her suffer the way you let my Irene. This is much more humane. She’ll just slip into the water and eventually gasp for her last breath before she joins my own sweet girl.”
Realization and panic flood my veins as I continue to stare at Mrs. Foster.
“It was you. You were the one who tried to poison me,” I say, my voice quiet with shock. “It wasn’t my mother.”
My father was right. My mother wasn’t responsible for her own demise. This person—this fucking monster took her from me.
