End of Eternity 3 Read online

  “I know,” Helen says, squeezing my arm. “I know, Carm.”

  “Besides,” I tell her quietly. “I learned some interesting things lately. I know who was really responsible for all of this. It’s going to sound insane, but you’ll understand in a minute.”

  Helen looks at me in confusion.

  I swallow before continuing. “Brad and Grayson grew up together in Detroit. They were both really poor, and they struggled to survive—Brad ended up selling drugs, since he had family crime connections. But Grayson was really smart and athletic, so Brad unknowingly drugged him so he could perform even better in high school sports and get—”

  “A football scholarship,” Helen says with wonder. “I remember.”

  “Yes. But you don’t know the whole story. Grayson had a girlfriend when he was sixteen, and he loved her to pieces. He got her pregnant, and she was going to have the baby, but his asshole friend Brad didn’t like that plan. So he drugged her to make her lose her baby, and the girl ended up dead.”

  “What? That’s… despicable.”

  “Her name was Helen. She even looked a little bit like you.”

  “Oh my god,” Helen whispers. “That’s why—with the angel talk and everything? Oh my god. And he kept saying that he loved me. That he loved me so uncontrollably and violently…”

  “Yeah. That’s why he was obsessed with you. The long-term side effects of the drugs gave Grayson schizophrenia. I guess, combined with his grief over the loss of his first love, he developed this fixation. I’m sure Brad whispering evil bullshit into his mind for years didn’t help.”

  “He thought I was her?” Helen asks. “Or the closest thing to her?”

  “I think so.”

  Helen exhales slowly. “Wow. That actually makes me feel a lot better. I always thought that it was about me—that I had done something wrong to deserve that. Carm… Oh my god. I ran away. I ran away from you and dad and lost years of my life over that.”

  “It’s okay,” I tell her, running my hand over her hair gently, the same way she did to me earlier. “You’re home now, with us. No one’s ever going to hurt you again, little sis.” My voice breaks as I speak. “It’s over now. Or at least it will be, after I punish Brad for what he’s done.”

  “What he did to Grayson?” Helen asks in confusion.

  “No. Well, yes. But mainly for what he did to my daughter. I am pretty sure he drugged me to make me lose my baby, too. And now my body is so damaged that I can never have children.”

  “Oh my god,” Helen whispers.

  “He stole my future, so I want to steal his. Owen got me some drugs from the hospital where he works, and I’ve been trying to drug Brad. But it’s either not working, or not working quickly enough, because obviously he was able to…”

  “Stay away from him,” Helen begs me, grasping one of my hands tightly in both of hers. “Please, Carm. I saw what he did to you, and now I remember what that feels like. I don’t want you to be around someone like that, not even for a minute. Not for any reason. Come away with me, to my little cabin in the woods. Let’s get away from this terrible house and all these terrible memories. Let’s be sisters again. Let’s be safe. Please.”

  My heart aches at her words, and I know that I can’t deny her. I do really want to feel safe and happy, at least for a few minutes, before throwing myself back into the fire. Like Owen said, I need to regroup. The next time I try to take Brad down, it will be all or nothing. I’m just not capable of doing so right now. And even if I was—it would still be nice to spend some time with my sister before it all goes down. I might not get out of this one alive.

  “Carm?” Helen says softly, through her tears. “I know you said you can’t be a mother, but what about a godmother?”

  “What?” I ask her in surprise.

  “This is a really bad time to tell you this, and I’m not even really sure. It could be a false alarm. But I need to tell you now, because I want you to be there for me when it happens, even though I wasn’t there for you. You’re just a better person than I am, a better sister…”

  “Shut up,” I tell her softly. “Are you telling me that you’re pregnant?”

  “Maybe. I think so. It could be just my injuries from the car accident messing with my body or something. I haven’t taken a test. But I found a note on my phone that said the date of my last period was about three weeks before the accident, and it’s been a month since.”

  “Shit, Helen! Why don’t you ask Dr. Howard to check you out? She’s having dinner here!”

  “Because I’m too embarrassed! Liam doesn’t know, and he just proposed. If I tell him this now, or tell anyone else, it will seem like we’re only getting married because of the baby.”

  “Like I did?” I ask her dryly.

  “Crap, I’m sorry, Carm.”

  “No, no, it’s okay. It’s true.” On an impulse, I reach out and squeeze one of her breasts. “Does that hurt?”

  She winces and pushes me away. “Jesus, Carm! Yes, it does fucking hurt.”

  “Oh my god! My little sister is having a baaay-by.”

  “Shhhh,” she says nervously. “I don’t want anyone to know yet. Not until I’m sure. I’ve missed periods before in the past, so it’s not a definite thing. It’s not like I was ever really regular. But I’m happy about this, Carm. It wasn’t like, ‘Oh shit, I’m not ready for this, what am I going to do.’ I haven’t been freaking out or anything. I really trust and love Liam, and I think any time is the perfect time. And if I’m not pregnant—maybe I will ask him if he wants to start trying.”

  “That’s beautiful,” I tell her honestly, and tears touch the sides of my eyes. I’m happy for my sister, but my insides twist with jealousy and pain. It’s a harsh reminder of what was taken from me.

  “So will you come with me?” she asks again. “Come to stay in the pretty forest, somewhere peaceful, away from all of this. We can head out first thing in the morning.”

  I hesitate slightly. I know that I definitely don’t want Helen to be anywhere near Brad. I think about my plans, and how I’m going to keep working on a strategy from far away. “I need to get a new phone first,” I tell her, remembering my shattered phone with regret.

  “Sure. You can get one right before we leave.”

  “I’d like to bring Owen with me, if he will come,” I say shyly. “I don’t know if he can manage it with his work and all.”

  “Oh, he should be able to,” Helen says with a wave of her hand. “The boys had a really successful lecture today, and they’re not going to have any difficulties finding work anytime in the near future. It helps that they had a really excellent eye-model,” she says, pointing at her eyes proudly.

  “So if your peepers are working, why keep them closed?” I ask her.

  “Sometimes it’s too painful and confusing to see, Carm. I’d rather just feel and think.”

  “Do you think your baby will be born with your disease?”

  “LCA? I doubt it. But if she is, I’m sure that Liam will have her eyes fixed up before she can even eat solid foods. The procedure works far better on infants, because their bodies are growing so rapidly that they have time to adjust.”

  “I want to go with you, Hellie,” I tell her softly. “But what about Dad? I can’t just leave him here all alone.”

  “Then it’s a good thing you set him up with Leslie,” Helen says with a laugh. “Let’s just get them both really drunk on the good stuff, light some candles, and shove them into a room together. We’ll have a new mom by sunrise.”

  We both erupt in girlish giggles at this silly scheme.

  “Simple but effective,” I say with a smile. “Maybe with both of us out of the house, Dad can focus on his own happiness for a change.”

  “I really hope so,” Helen says. “I’ve always really liked Leslie. Why did I never think of her and Dad together? You’re a genius, Carm.”

  “I try,” I say with false modesty and a devious smirk.

  The screen doo
r opens behind us and we both turn toward the sound.

  “Hey, sexy ladies!” Owen shouts so loudly that I’m pretty sure the neighbors can hear. “We’re about to pop open this fine looking bottle of champagne, and if you’re not inside in the next ten seconds, we’re starting without you!”

  “Hell, no!” Helen says, rising to her feet. “You better not start celebrating my engagement without me.”

  “I never did get to try any of that honey-glazed salmon,” I say as I follow her toward the house.

  “Well, hold on to your hats and purses and other valuables!” Owen says as he ushers us into the dining area. “Liam made his famous blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream for dessert.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Woohoo! Road trip,” Owen shouts as he throws my luggage into the back of Liam’s car. “This is going to be fun.”

  I wince and press my palm against my forehead. “Guys, I’m really hung over. Can you all speak a little quieter for the duration of the trip?”

  “I think we should split up and take different cars,” Helen says. “I’m not sure that I can tolerate being in the same car with Owen today. Now that I remember what that’s like…”

  “Hey,” Owen says sadly. “That’s really mean. I thought that once you got your memories back, we’d be friends again, Helen.”

  “Well, I must not have gotten all of them back, because I don’t have a single memory of being in a car with you where you weren’t talking non-stop about porn or making out with your girlfriend really loudly in the back seat. Now that your girlfriend is my sister, I think that I might be sick.”

  “That was only because I barely had anything in common with my ex-girlfriend,” Owen complains. “We were just making out because we had nothing to talk about. I wouldn’t make out with Carmen in the back seat for two hours while we drive to our destination! I actually like her for more than just her fantabulous body.”

  “See, that’s not helping the situation,” Helen complains.

  “Actually, bro,” Liam says lightly, coming around to our side of the vehicle, “I think that’s a great idea. If we’re stuck there in Pennsylvania and one of us needs to get back to the city for work or something, at least we’ll have another car out there in the mountains for the rest of us to get groceries or whatever. I think it’s only reasonable to take two cars.”

  Owen stares at Liam with horror. “Oh my god, man. You didn’t enjoy my porn conversations either? All these years? Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “You were just so passionate about them, Owen. I never had the heart to tell you to grow the hell up. But I love you man. I think I just want to ride in the car alone with my fiancée and enjoy our peaceful drive together, you know?”

  “Fine,” Owen grumbles, grabbing my luggage out of Liam’s car and walking over to my vehicle. “I’ll drive Carmen’s car over there. Keys, please?”

  I dig into my purse and find them so that I can toss him my car keys. “But don’t forget, we have to stop at the mall so that I can get my new phone first. I need to be connected.”

  “Of course, Carmen,” Liam says with a nod. “Just lead the way.”

  “It looks like Leslie stayed overnight,” Helen says as she smirks at the stylish Porsche in our driveway. “I guess she and dad are sleeping in?”

  “It will be so romantic when they wake up and find us gone, and the lovely breakfast we prepared waiting for them,” I say with a laugh. “Brunch is the best meal of the day!”

  “You girls are terrible. And you complain about my porn? At least that’s fictional. You are actually trying to get your poor old father laid, and that’s acceptable conversation? I wish I was a girl! Then I could do anything, say anything, and wear anything, and it would still be cute.”

  “Owen,” I tell him gently. “You do say anything, and you do wear anything.”

  “I guess that’s true,” he says thoughtfully, opening up the front seat of my car. “Anyway, kiddoes! Let’s get this show on the road. I want to be roasting s’mores on a fire for lunch!”

  I head around to the passenger side and climb into my car. I pull on my seatbelt as Owen is turning the key in the ignition.

  “You wouldn’t have spent the full two hours making out with me?” I say in disappointment.

  “Nah,” he responds as he drives onto the street. “I totally would have. I was just lying to them to convince them that I was more mature than I really am.”

  “Poor Owen,” I say teasingly. “You’ll never be able to convince anyone of that.”

  As we turn out onto the main road, a sleek black Audi passes our vehicle slowly. I gasp slightly when I see that it is Brad’s car, and he turns to make eye contact with me just before we have safely driven past him.

  “Shit,” Owen curses. “That wanker was going to your house! We barely just escaped him.”

  I find that my heart is beating rapidly again, and I can hear it in my ears. “Owen. Should we turn back? Is my dad safe?”

  “I’m pretty sure he’s going to be fine,” Owen says with a frown, speeding up. “Brad only wants you. Let’s just hightail it out of here and make sure that we lose him. Reach into my pocket and grab my phone. Call Liam and explain the situation.”

  I nod rapidly and follow his instructions, glancing into the side mirror furtively as Owen races away. I have never been happier to follow my sister’s advice and get out of town to safety. It looks like we escaped just in time.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Wow! I guess we’re here,” Owen says as we pull into a long driveway, flanked by trees on either side. “Check it out! This is really rustic and charming.”

  “I can see why my sister likes it out here so much,” I say with a smile. “I’m already feeling more relaxed.” I’ve been enjoying the conversation with Owen so much that I completely forgot about my new phone which I had put aside to charge. When I reach out to remove it from where it’s plugged into the car, I check the screen as Owen pulls the vehicle to a stop.

  I am a little startled when I read that I have 23 missed calls from Brad, and dozens of text messages.

  “Oh my god,” I whisper, turning the phone toward Owen so he can see the numbers. “This is not good.”

  “He’s probably just apologizing like crazy for yesterday,” Owen explains, reaching out to grasp my hand. “Look, Carm, we came out into the mountains to relax! Don’t even bother reading those messages. Put them out of your head.”

  I begin reading them anyway, and Owen swipes the phone from my hand. “Hey!” I say with frustration. “Owen, this is important. I need to know what he’s saying. I’m not giving up on my plan to screw him over completely. I’m just taking a little break.”

  “But you have to actually take a break, Carm. You need to let go and clear your mind, and stop thinking about it for a few days. Please? Can you promise me that you’ll try to relax? This is our first vacation together. I want to enjoy every moment with you. I don’t want to see Brad’s shadow every time I look in your eyes. I want pure, unadulterated Carmeny goodness. What do you say?”

  Smiling, I find myself nodding. “Okay. You’re right. No Breaking Brad for now.” I open up the car door and step out onto the unpaved, gravel road. My feet, clad in high heels, are immediately surprised by the uneven surface, and I need to employ the muscles in my legs to keep balance. I take in a deep breath, and the fresh air of the trees fills my lungs with cool and calming oxygen.

  I feel a small arm slip around mine, and I turn to see my sister smiling at me.

  “What do you think?” she asks softly.

  “It’s so majestic,” I breathe as I look at the ancient trees towering above us. I don’t know why, but the landscape is making me emotional. “It’s surreal.”

  “I knew you’d like it here,” Helen says, giving me a quick squeeze of a happy hug. “Getting away into the forest always fixes everything that’s wrong with me. I’m sure you’ll be feeling better in no time, Carm.”

  Looking up at th
e trees reminds me of our old journals which are tucked away in my luggage. I have been meaning to show them to her since she got home, but I haven’t had a chance. I am sure we’ll have time once we’re settled in.

  “I know this place!” Owen declares loudly as he walks up to the little cabin. “I’ve seen this one before, guys. We’re all going to be dead soon,” he declares solemnly.

  “What?” Liam says in surprise. “Don’t joke around like that, man.”

  “You’re going to be the first to die,” Owen says, pointing at his friend. “Because you’re stubborn and you refuse to believe in ghosts and demons and creepy things.”

  Liam rolls his eyes as he walks past his friend. “Whatever, man.”

  “Come on!” Owen says. “You know what I’m talking about. Four innocent young kids go out to a cabin in the woods to escape the pressures of their hectic lives in the city…”

  “Someone’s been watching too many horror movies,” Helen teases.

  Owen scowls at her. “This is seriously dangerous stuff! Here are the rules: If anyone finds any strange books in Latin, don’t read them! Always make sure that your cell phone is fully charged, and always carry a weapon of some sort! Even if that means a butter knife. We must always stay together and can never be separated.”

  “I think I’m going to have to object to that one,” Liam says, glancing at Helen with a smile. “I might need some time alone with my fiancée.”

  “Fine! Don’t blame me if you get picked off one by one when you’re off skinny dipping in a clear blue lake somewhere. The couples are always targeted, because ghosts are jealous that you can have sex while they can’t. Safety in numbers guys, safety in numbers! Also—this is the most important rule—at no time, for any reason, can anyone ever go down into the basement.”

  “I don’t think there is a basement?” Helen says in confusion.

  “And if you see a dead body, dead animals, or any random severed body parts, we’re getting the hell out of here!”

  I can’t help smiling at Owen’s childlike enthusiasm. Listening to his ridiculous lecture has made me forget about Brad for a few seconds. I wonder if he delivered his lecture with such gusto at the medical conference. “This is actually giving me a big craving to watch horror movies,” I tell him. “We should have a marathon! I’ve got some on my laptop.”