Page 114 of Dear John

I stepped up to the microphone and cleared my throat. “Thank you for coming here on such short notice. I understand you will have a lot of questions, but please hold them until the end.” I glanced down at my notes, trying to find my place on the first page. I didn’t need them to tell my story, but there was no way in hell I’d screw this up by not having an intelligent and thoughtful account of what happened. That would give the senator a way out, and he’d already been far too much of an escape artist for my liking.

“I came here today to withdraw my support for Senator Kavanaugh’s campaign for the presidency.” Gasps filled the small room, but I continued. “It was never my intention to support him, but I did so out of necessity. But I came here today to tell you the truth about a man who has lied and deceived to further his own career. I came here to tell you about the man who ruined a young woman’s life—a woman who felt there was no way out and eventually ended her life and left her parents grieving.” I took a deep breath and looked at all of them. “I camehere to tell you about a man I used to call my father. Now, he’s nothing more than a stranger to me.”

I continued on, telling the reporters every detail about my brother’s accident, how the senator covered it up, and how I came to join the military. The reporters held their questions, scribbling down notes and quotes from my statement. For once, the lights no longer bothered me. There was truth up here right now, and that set me free from the chains I felt constantly pulling me down. There was no more hiding, no more secrets.

My brother could finally be at peace, and hopefully, Leanne Brown would find peace as well. I looked up at the reporters as I said my final words, then folded the papers and shoved them in my pocket.

“I’ll take questions now.”

There was silence for just a moment, and then the room erupted into chaos.

39

ISLA

The warmthof the room was the first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes. Then it was the IV attached to my arm and the fact that there was light. I was no longer in the dark, and since I could still feel aches and pains in my body, I could only assume that I was still alive.

But how could that be?

I rolled my head to the side and a nurse smiled down at me. “It’s good to see you awake. How are you feeling?”

My chapped lips cracked as I tried to speak. The nurse was already filling a cup of water for me and moving to hold it to my lips. “There,” she said, giving me small sips of water. “Better?”

I nodded, laying back against the pillow. Something was wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. IKE. He wasn’t here with me. I gasped, sitting upright in the bed despite my exhaustion.

“Where is he?” I croaked out, my voice so hoarse and quiet.

“Just calm down,” the nurse said in a soothing tone. “It’ll be alright.”

“No,” I fought back, pushing her arms away. “Where is he? I need to see him!”

“The man you were brought in with?”

I tore my arm from her grip, heaving from the exertion. “Yes, I need to see him.”

“Okay, just calm down. I’ll take you to see him.”

“He’s alive?” I said, my breath catching in my throat.

A soft smile filled her face. “Yes, he’s alive. A little banged up, but he’ll be okay.”

Relief flooded me and I laid back and let her continue to check me over. How was I here? I didn’t understand it. The last I remembered, IKE was lying next to me and the lights were going out. I really thought when I drifted off to sleep that that would be the end.

Tears filled my eyes as I realized I was going to live. I didn’t know how or why, but I was here and my heart was still beating.

When she was done, she said she’d be right back. I wanted to believe her, but I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was alive. When she reappeared, she grinned at the wheelchair. “Your chariot awaits.”

“I would argue that I don’t need that, but I don’t feel like I could take more than two steps.”

“Yes, it would be a liability to the hospital. If it makes you feel better, we’ll go with that excuse.”

“It does,” I sighed as she helped me stand. As expected, my legs wobbled the moment my feet hit the floor. If it weren’t for the fact that she was holding onto me, I might have face-planted. Once I was sitting down, I noted the shaking in my legs and the breathlessness I felt in my chest.

“It’ll take some time to rebuild your strength.”

“How long was I in there?” I asked, not even sure if she knew where I was.

“The police said almost four days. You’re very lucky.”