Chapter 6: Storms, Confessions, and Rescue

But that night, it rained. Thunder. Lightning. The kind of storm that shakes the windows.

I was afraid of nights like this.

That car accident happened in a storm just like this.

I forced myself to wait for Shawna, trembling.

I even worried that, when she showed up, all the defenses I’d built would crumble. I’d end up crying in her arms, just like always.

But she didn’t come.

She called me.

When I picked up, it was noisy on her end.

"Redemption? What a joke!"

"He drove me nuts for years! If my mom hadn’t forced me, I wouldn’t have bothered with him!"

"Marriage? You know why we got married so early?"

"It’s ‘cause he wouldn’t even sleep with me!"

"I was just curious—he gets aphasia when he’s emotional, can’t do anything, so what about in bed? Is he even capable? Ha."

Boom—

It felt like something was being torn apart all over again, on this stormy night.

I wanted to hide.

I didn’t want anyone to see me like this.

But where could I go?

Rain everywhere. Thunder everywhere. Ridicule everywhere.

That’s when Sarah called.

"Jack?"

Her voice was always so calm. Like nothing could shake her.

It made all the noise seem to vanish in an instant.

"Are you crying?"

I wanted to say no.

But I couldn’t get a sound out.

My tears, as if in response to her words, broke loose.

"Wait for me."

She was still so calm. "I’ll come get you."