Chapter 34- Moving
Sam sat in the corner of the hospital room, her gaze drifting toward the window, where the sunlight poured through like a warm embrace. Her parents hovered nearby, their low voices breaking through her thoughts like the soft rustle of a breeze.
"Sam, we need to talk about what happens next," her father said, his brow furrowed with concern.
"I'm not going back there." Sam's voice trembled, the memory of Scarlett's laughter gnawing at her insides.
"Samantha," her mother interjected gently, "we don't know what will happen with the trial. You can't expect to live in fear forever."
"Fear? I was terrified!" Sam snapped, then flinched at her tone.
Her father stepped closer, hands tucked into his pockets. "It's okay to be scared—"
"No. No more okay." Sam's fingers clenched around the blanket draped over her lap. "I didn't ask for this."
Her parents exchanged glances, the unspoken tension thickening the air.
"Then let's make an actual plan," her father suggested, leaning forward as if drawing her in. "We can decide together where to go from here. We'll make sure you're safe."
"I don't want to move back to the town, Dad." Sam looked up, her voice steadying. "I want to start fresh. Someplace where she can't find me. Please. I can't stay here."
Her mother knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What if we moved to Washington? You could go to college there. It could be your new start."
"A new start." Sam echoed, but her voice was a mix of hope and disbelief. "What if she finds me?"
"Then she'll face consequences," her father gritted out, tone shifting to something fierce. "If not for what she did to you, for the lives she's destroyed."
"She's not going to stop," Sam whispered, her heart racing. "She doesn't know how."
"Sam, you're stronger than this." Her mother's grip tightened reassuringly. "You can't let her dictate your life."
"I can't just forget," Sam replied, biting her lip to suppress the swell of emotions.
"Neither can we," her father murmured. "But somehow, we have to figure out how to move forward, even if it hurts."
Silence settled between them, filled with unspoken fears and dreams. Sam's eyes darted around the room, landing on the tiny stuffed bear her mother had brought her. It seemed so out of place in the starkness of hospital walls.
"What if I don't want to be Sam St.Onge anymore?" she scoffed suddenly. "What if I just want to disappear?"
"That's not an option," her father said sharply.
"Matters of family do not unmake who you are." Her mother added softly, "You're more resilient than you think."
"You say that now," Sam said, her voice bitter, "but I can't shake her off like a bad cold. She's stuck in my head. She—she's everywhere."
Her father turned, eyes hardening into resolve. "We will not allow her to control you anymore, Samantha. You deserve to choose your own path."
"Then let's go," Sam said suddenly. "Let's go to Washington. I need to breathe differently."
A silence filled the air, charged with Natalie's gaze, unwavering and supportive.
"Okay," her mother said, her voice laced with a hint of disbelief. "If that's what you want, we'll make it happen."
"Good," Sam replied. "I need to leave the wreckage behind."
Her father shifted, hesitant but determined. "College, new friends, a fresh start. You'll build a life."
"Nothing can change the past," she mumbled, a tear slipping down her cheek. "But I can carve my way from here."
With a sigh, her father raked his fingers through his hair, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "You need to promise us one thing."
"What? What do you want from me?" Sam's eyes narrowed, apprehensive.
"Take care of yourself and don't shut us out. We're on your side," he said, tone quiet but firm.
"I won't shut you out, okay?" Sam whispered, voice stronger. "But I can't forget... not yet."
Her mother's eyes softened as she wrapped her arms around Sam in a comforting embrace again. "One step at a time, sweetheart. Just take it slowly."
The warmth of her mother's hug enveloped her, and for the first time, Sam allowed herself a sliver of hope. "Okay," she whispered, leaning into her mother.
Her father's expression lightened, a glimmer of relief in his eyes. "Then let's take this step together."
"You both need to get me pizza," Sam interjected suddenly, a hint of mischief lighting her features, "You know, for strength."
"Pizza it is!" Her mother chuckled, wiping away Sam's tears with her thumb.
"Extra cheese," Sam smirked.
"Wouldn't dream of anything less," her father agreed, laughter spilling into the room.
Laughter echoed, blending with a strange hope that filled the space, transforming the hospital room into something unrecognizable and warm. In that moment, nestled between her determined parents, Sam felt the first flutter of change stir inside her.
And somehow, despite everything, she saw a way forward.
