Page 71 of Drive Me Crazy

"Are we counting from birth, teens or adulthood? Because you're still round with child and a week late, although I called next Thursday." She bobs her head, snapping her fingers.

Mack stares at me. "Years away and nothing has changed."

"Looks like it, but I'm still trying to figure out why y'all are here? Or did he send you over to kick me out?" I trot my leg as I wait for the hammer to fall.

Mack and Maisyn exchanges glances before turning to gape at me. Mack speaks first. "Hang on, did you two not have a disagreement?"

"No, it was more like he decided on everything before I could get a word in." I run my hand through my hair, leaning back on the chair. "He went for a run while I showered. I had let myself in the night before, it was inconsiderate of me."

Scout takes my hand, squeezing it. "I told Landon we needed to ask you where you wanted to go."

"I wanted to be here. I want to be here, but with Ridge." I close my eyes, willing the tears to stay at bay. "Once the hospital released me, I thought he'd be waiting on me. When he wasn't, I had to be close to him."

"So, you called him once you got over here." Scout nods with understanding, only she's got it wrong.

"No, I never called Ridge. I didn't want him to be with me if he wasn't comfortable with it but that didn't stop me from being as close to him as I could be."

Mackenzie shakes her head. "He didn't tell you anything, did he?"

"No, I don't suppose he did." I bite my bottom lip, fearing what I'm about to hear.

Maisyn gives Mackenzie a knowing smile. "Go ahead, he's not here to do it and someone should tell her."

"When you let yourself in, the alarm went off and sent him a text. He logged in on his laptop, saw you here and came over." Mackenzie rubs her belly in a circle. "He said he slept on the couch."

"He did." I glance around the room, finding astonished faces. "What? He did! I found him down here as I was about to leave."

"You two didn't... ya know?" Scout waggles her brows.

I bite my lip, wishing we had. "Nope!"

"The hell you say!" Maisyn cackles. "That boy is a train wreck; I swear we're never gonna get him raised."

"It's not as if I'm here for that," I run my hands through my hair. "I mean, I am but not yet. We still have so much to say to each other."

Mack's shoulders slump. "I can't imagine what you've been through, we definitely aren't implying you should just jump into bed with Ridge."

"Gosh, I know." I pick at my nail, averting my eyes. "The thing is, I had planned for a while to leave. Weston was getting more aggressive, and I was missing work to the point my job was in jeopardy. Kinda hard to face people when you've beaten up."

Maisyn sits forward, waiting for me to look up. "You're incredibly brave to have left when you did, it doesn't matter how long it took for you to go, just that you did."

"I packed this old bag I had from when I was a teen, and on one day I was home, I put it in some Christmas decorations in the garage. He never helped with things like that around the house, so I knew he'd never find it." I shrug.

Scout scoots closer to me. "Not that it matters, but what happened the day you decided to leave?"

"Oh, gosh." I lay back in the seat with a heavy sigh. "Besides the fact he beat the shit outta me the day before, something deep inside of me said it was time.

"I don't think I even thought about it the night before, after he beat me the way he did. The funny thing is, I never thought about when or how I'd leave him. But once I had my mind made up, I knew it was a matter of time. People like Weston make you dependent on them, they convince you without them, you can't make it." I chew on my nail to keep myself from falling apart.

"You never think you'll be that person. The one who allows someone to do you the way he did, but I also don't remember giving him permission. To be so beaten down, that you believe they’re your only hope. I turned around one day and couldn't find my way out. There were times I thought I deserved it.

"I never loved him, staying became a normal for me. It’s a brainwashing of sorts, being told day after day, this is all you deserve. You finally begin to believe it. He started slowly, working so much I couldn't come home to visit. Telling me rumors on any friends I'd make and then pushing me to stay away from them. I used to be the most beautiful woman in the world to him, until I wasn't." I rub my cheek against my shoulder to dry it.

Scout lays her head against mine. "I'm so sorry, Harper. We knew it was bad but didn't know what to do to help."

"If there's one thing I can tell people about my experience, it's that until someone is ready to leave, they won't. No matter how much you try, we're brainwashed into staying and nothing will get us to leave.

"I'm not saying loved ones shouldn't try or to not let someone know you're there for them, but you should be prepared for the fact they'll probably not leave. It won't happen." I pat her knee as she sniffles.