She turns her head, resting her cheek on her knees. “Jenny?”
“Real.”
“The other blondes?”
“Real.”
“The recent one?”
“Only you.”
She nods—I note a sliver of satisfaction in her eyes at my admission.
“Your father?” she asks, continuing her questioning.
There’s no need for lies anymore.
“Also true.”
She hums in the back of her throat.
“Why hide? Why pretend?”
I can’t bring myself to look in her eyes as I speak. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
I think she can tell that there’s more to it, but she doesn’t push me.
“Will you really let me leave after this week?”
Anger burns under my skin, but I stuff it down. She doesn’t understand.
I’ll never let her go.
“I’ll let you go back to work, yes.”
She studies me. “But you want me to come back here?”
I roll my eyes. “You’ll be in love with me. Of course you’ll come back.”
She laughs, a sound so sweet and melodic, but then it fades, softening into something more fragile. “You’re so sure of yourself.”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
21
Healing Isn’t Textbook
Emily's Search History: Why do I feel safer with a murderer than my own mother?
Emily
“Whattimeisit?”I ask Eli after I finally pull myself together.
He pulls out his phone. “Five-thirty.”
“I have a therapy session tonight.”
Eli shakes his head, frowning at me. “No, I cancelled all your clients.”