She Said She Said

8

Paul’s POV:

I shot around as I heard my dad’s voice. Shit, what now? I thought. “Hey dad,” I said, trying not to sound suspicious.

“I’ll repeat myself, what are you doing here James?”

He only called me James when he was mad or serious. “Nothing, just taking a walk to clear my mind.”

“And you just happened to stop here?”

“Yeah, why?”

“This is the exact same spot we found you and Annette all those years ago.”

Shit, I’m caught. “Dad, listen…” I began. There was no use trying to lie my way out of this, my dad would be able to tell.

“You have to take her back to Bedlome.”

“No, dad, I can’t. She was so unhappy there, they weren’t helping her at all! I’d have to admit myself if I admitted her, because I would be crazy to do so.”

“I can’t allow you to hide her away while the police and the Asylum are looking for her. Turn her in Paul, it’s what’s best for her.”

“How would you know what’s best for her?” I said sternly. As he began to open his mouth, I cut him off. “The thing is, you don’t. You barely even know what she looks like anymore. She’s changed dad, and it’s their fault. You can’t make me take her back.”

He sighed. “Then you won’t, I will. I’ll wait here for as long as it takes, but the moment she comes back to this side of the wall, I’m taking her back by force.”

Annette’s POV:

I heard every word. I knew I’d have to go sometime, that was the only place where I could get back. What am I supposed to do? I wondered. I wouldn’t go back, they made me worse. Paul’s dad wouldn’t listen to sense.

Suddenly, I had a plan.

If I could just sit on the top of the wall and talk to him, maybe he would see sense. I climbed up and looked down. “Hey, Mr. McCartney! Up here!” I called.

“Annette, what are you doing?” Paul asked worriedly.

“Trust me,” I told him. “Mr. McCartney, every word Paul has told you is true. They tried making me feel better there, but really what I needed was to be back here. The therapists didn’t truly care, they tried making me feel better but they failed. My family dumped me there after I wouldn’t,” I paused. I didn’t want to think about it, I tried repressing the memory. “After I wouldn’t do what I asked. They took me to the point of no return, but here I feel so much better.”

Paul’s dad just stared at me. “Why should I believe that?” he asked.

“Why do I have reason to lie?”

“So I won’t take you back.”

“Listen, please, I want to stay here. Not even that – I need to stay here. I’ll end up dying if I go back there, they can’t do anything. Please Mr. McCartney, have a heart.”

He was silent for a while, then he sighed. “I guess, but they still want to find you.”

“I have that figured out,” I said, getting down. “All they need is for someone to sign me out, for someone to believe I’m better. They have to be reasonably older than me, which you are.”

Paul’s dad sighed. “No better time to do this than now, let’s not waste more police time to look for you.” I smiled brightly and hugged Paul.

“It’s going to be okay,” Paul said. “It’s getting better.”

We got into Pau’s dad’s car, and I set the bag at my feet. It was actually looking up for me, for once in my life.

“Bedlome is a long ways away from here,” Paul’s dad said. “Ready for a road trip?”

“Absolutely,” I said. For once, I was glad to be going to Bedlome. Paul took my hand in his and I smiled at him. Things were looking perfect already.