Page 75 of #Lovestrong

"Lena," Mr. Harrison says in a tone that's clearly a warning.

"What," she says as she stands and takes her plate to the sink. "I didn't see anyone standing up when this entire town blamed me for what Peter did. Not when it happened, not when the newspapers railed against me, nothing. Clearly, things have changed in the last few years when it comes to what this town does for each other."

"People needed someone to blame, Lena. They didn't know what else to do. And the police never should’ve gone public with what was in those journals."

"No shit," she says angrily.

"Watch your mouth, child. I don't care if you're eighteen or not. You won't talk like that in this house."

I stand up quickly and walk around the table, grabbing Lena in a hug and rubbing her back. "Hey. Your dad has always stood up for you."

She huffs and finally wraps her arms around me. "I know."

"So have Jaz and her mother. And I bet they're not the only ones. You just weren't in any fit state to notice."

She tilts her head up and looks in my eyes. Nodding her head, she tries to smile. "Sorry, Pop."

He shoos at her with his hand. "Eh, it's okay. I'd rather you yell at me than what happened a year ago."

He gets up and starts clearing the table, and no one pushes the conversation further. I've been to enough counseling sessions with Lena to know that a year ago, she was less than one step from eating the end of a gun just to stop how she felt.

I'm just praying this trip doesn't end with this town making her feel that way again.