The River Speaks

Chapter Thirty: Intervention

Chapter Thirty: Intervention

After dark I make my way out of the woods and I just...

I feel dead.

Useless. Hopeless.

I feel nothing. Numb.

I wish I could cry but I can't.

When I back out of this driveway, I'm not coming back.

I lock the gate to Ruby's pin and slowly make my way to the house.

I walk in the back door and instead of seeing disappointed parents, I see...

Everyone.

My sisters. My brother. My cousins. My aunts and uncles. My grandparents from both sides. Maddy. Her parents. Both her brothers. May's boyfriend Mason.

They have half the state of Kentucky.

"Sit down." Daddy says.

"I don't-"

"Now."

It hurts to raise my voice above a whisper. I feel like I physically can't.

So I sit.

"Lilliana Autumn, welcome to your intervention." Mama says.

I could argue it. I could leave.

But I don't want to get up.

Ever.

I want them to change my mind.

"Look around you." Mama says.

I look around the room.

"This room is full of people who love you. This room is full of happily married couples with nothing but happy stories to tell. You had one bad relationship. That doesn't mean they're all going to be like that."

I don't say anything because I can't.

"My sweet, sweet girl." Mama takes my hands. "I raised a strong, independent, driven woman." She has tears in her eyes. "But sometimes too much strength, too much independence, too much drive, is a weakness. Everyone deserves to have somebody to come home to. Everyone deserves to have one person they can tell everyone to, and we are your family, give or take. But we're not that person for you. Aiden is."

"Mama," I whisper.

"That boy almost got shot to protect you. He's in love with you, and you know what sweetie? You love him, too."

I don't say anything.

"I know you do, and everyone in this room knows you do."

Aiden's jacket sits heavy on my shoulders.

"You have been through hell and back getting away from Elliot, and now you're terrified if you get into another mess like that, it's only going to end badly for you. But you know that Aiden would never do what Elliot did. Ever. Admit it. You trust him. I know you do. You know you do."

"I don't." I whisper weakly.

"For fucks sake-" April starts, but Mama puts her hand up at her oldest daughter and looks back at me.

"Let's rewind three weeks, shall we?" She asks. "Let's all pretend that it's three weeks ago. You're at work. Your car wouldn't start in the morning, so you got a cab."

I nod.

"When the cab drops you off at home, Elliot is peeking into the window of your car."

Just the thought of Elliot makes every hair on my body stand on edge.