Page 54 of Save Us
Before I leave completely, I hear Jonah turn to Carl and speak words that make me smile even wider than I already was.
“Mr Steele, these men would like to talk to you about the murder of Mr Chad Marsdon, and your son, Roman Moore.”
It’s not until I reach the steps outside of the police station that I finally feel the weight of everything lifting away from me. The warm sun shines on my skin and it prompts me to smile, then to laugh, so hard, I must look like a complete loon. But I don’t care what I look like. In fact, I forget about the people all around me and begin twirling and jumping around on the spot, realizing for the first time in six years, I’m truly free. My life is mine again, and I never have to look at Oliver Lawrence, Carl Steele, or any other Mayfield man, ever again. I never have to stare into that suffocating wallpaper, hide my phone, think about what I say or do in front of anyone. The feeling is so intense, I almost feel sick from it, but in such a good, sweet, and delicious way.
“Miss Beth Taylor?” a deep, familiar voice calls over to me from the other side of the road.
I practically explode with happiness when I see Leo leaning up against an old truck, one I’ve never seen before. He’s smiling at me, and looking so relaxed and carefree, for no one is here to stop us. I skip down the stone steps of the police station and run straight over to him, where I throw my arms around his broad shoulders and revel in the fact that I can finally do this without any fear. As if thinking the exact same thing, he holds onto me just as tightly, while I laugh excitedly, nervously, but oh so happily, against his large chest.
“That’s me!” I cry against him. “I’m Beth Taylor!”
Leo effortlessly picks me up from the ground and twirls me around. I laugh so hard, happy tears spill from my eyes and my stomach hurts.
“I told you! One day!” He grins when he finally places me back onto the sidewalk. “How does it feel?”
“It’s…it’s…God, Leo, it’s everything!” I then look at him seriously for a second to make sure he understands just how much I mean the next few words. “Thank you, Leo, thank you so much for everything. You kept me going even when I thought I was ready to end it all. I love you, papa bear.”
“Oh, shucks, Beth,” he blushes, “I kind of love you too, sweetheart!” We hug one more time before he pulls back and asks me, “Are you ready to go home? To your real home?”
I nod frantically while wiping away some tears before he places me into his truck so fast, I don’t even have a chance to say anything else. As we drive away, I see Jonah waving me off from the entrance of the police station, complete with an actual genuine smile on his face. It makes me giggle, but then I wave back and nod my thanks to him one more time.
Beth
Driving back into the town where this all began feels surreal. Everything looks so normal, like none of it ever happened at all. For everyone else, life simply went on as before. Since we left the police station, I haven’t spoken much because my mind is in such a daze, trying to comprehend all that has happened in the last few hours. Leo can sense my growing trepidation. To be honest, I have no idea how Xander is going to react when he sees me again. It’s going to be huge for him to see someone who he has believed to be dead for all these years. He might be so mad, he never wants to see me again, and then what?
“Do you want to head straight for his place? Jonah told me where he lives. Got the address right here,” he says as he pulls out a scrap of paper he’s been looking after for what looks like a long time. I stare at the loaded information for a while, considering my options for what to do for the best.
“No,” I reply, and Leo frowns. “There’s a little girl there who doesn’t know who the hell I am, Leo. This is going to freak Xander out, so showing up unannounced with her in the vicinity isn’t exactly fair, is it?”
“I guess not,” he answers, though he still doesn’t seem too convinced by my decision.
“Take me to Bodhi’s place and drop me off there,” I tell him. “I might scare the shit out of him, but I need to get out of these clothes. Bloodied garments hardly give the right impression, do they?” He continues watching the road but nods in agreement with me. “While I’m there, I need you to ask Xander to come and meet Angela at the beach. If he’s unable to, then arrange another time, but I’m guessing Rosie…” Saying her name forces me to stop and pause for an anxious breath or two. “God, that sounds weird.”
I breathe slowly in and out for a moment or two to try and stop a full-on panic attack from erupting out of me. Only after Leo rubs at my back do I manage to continue with my wayward plan.
“I’m hoping she’ll be at school. What do you think? Sound like a plan?” I ask him, genuinely seeking his opinion. After everything that has happened, I don’t even know if I’m capable of thinking straight.
“Sure thing, sweetheart,” Leo says in such a way, he obviously agrees with my idea. I nod, mostly to myself, then continue to try and breathe away the anxious sickness that appears to be taking over my entire body.
After I’ve waved Leo off, a pang of nerves hit me. I’m probably going to see Xander soon, and now that Leo’s gone, there’s no going back. There’s no rethinking how to do this without giving him the biggest shock of his life. Holy shit, Leo is about to bring back the love of my life! I quickly shake the alarming feeling away and busy myself by walking slowly over to the huts that still sit along the beach. The remains of one of Bodhi’s epic bonfires sits a few meters away, just before the sight of the ocean hits me with full force. The water is calm and so inviting, I could almost walk straight over to it, but I don’t know how much time I have. I don’t want to see Xander with Oliver’s blood all over me.
Standing at the door to their hut, I realize he and Annie could well still be in bed. The surf is too calm for Bodhi to get out of bed early, and I know they often stay up late. Or, at least, they used to. As I take a moment to think about how much could have changed in five years, my hand hovers in a sort of paralysis in front of the wooden door, caught with indecision over whether to knock. Suddenly, a crash of logs to the floor sends me spinning around with an audible gasp. I can only surmise that after last night’s events, I’m still incredibly jumpy and ready to run at any moment.
Finally looking up to see what caused the logs to fall, it takes a few seconds for me to register that the man in front of me is one of my best friends, my ex legal guardian, Bodhi. He’s looking at the ground where he just threw the wood, then sheepishly brings his eyes up to mine where he offers me an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
He stops mid-sentence at the same time as his features frown in confusion, and with his eyes focusing on me intensely. While he silently assesses what is right in front of him, I remain standing rigidly, unable to change anything about how I’m reacting, for I’m too stunned. Eventually, and slowly, he walks forward and really studies me, as if still trying to make sense of the ghost who is standing before him.
“Bodhi…” I whisper with tears already filling up my eyes.
At the sound of my voice, he throws a hand over his mouth and lets out a strange guttural noise, one that has Annie rushing out through the door to come and see what’s happened. Her interruption has me spinning around on the spot to face her, causing her to pretty much react in the exact same way as Bodhi just did.
“Beth?” Bodhi sobs. “Fuck me! Beth?!”
I nod, I think, before he pulls me into his heaving chest and begins crying over my shoulder. After my shock finally dissipates, I begin crying with him, and let myself melt against his huge, warm body.
“Where have you been, Beth? Christ, I-”