* * *
Four years ago, she emerged from the cave where she’d retreated to heal. She celebrated with a graduation. The diplomas were all handed out, tassels turned, and the band played. It was very nearly the happiest day of Celia West’s life.
Even if Mom and Dad hadn’t come to the ceremony, it would still be the happiest day of her life.
She waited alone by the last row of chairs, thinking they had to see her there, they would come and find her. She had to remind herself that it didn’t matter, before that sinking feeling took hold of her chest.
She’d sent her parents a graduation announcement and instantly regretted it. She didn’t know what she dreaded more: their showing up and her having to face them, or their not showing up and her admitting her disappointment at them for not showing up. She should have left town. She should have changed her name. They wouldn’t want to see her again, not after she’d ignored them for the last four years.
She saw Dr. Mentis first. He wore a trench coat even in the warm spring weather, open to show his tailored suit. He’d finished medical school and set up a psychiatry practice while she was in her cocoon, as she thought of it. He’d called her once, in the middle of her sophomore year, just wanting to see how she was doing, and she’d managed to be polite. That she could be polite to Arthur was how she’d known she was getting better, and that maybe she’d be okay. Halfway through her junior year, she’d called him, to let him know she was doing okay. He’d said he was glad, and didn’t ask her to come home, didn’t put any pressure on her. Just said he was glad.
Now, he caught her gaze and smiled a wry half smile, as much as he ever smiled, which meant he was as happy to be here as he was ever happy about anything. Her own smile broke wide and unbidden.
Beside him walked Robbie Denton, his wind-burned face grinning. And beside him, arm in arm, walked her parents.
Oh God, they were all here. They’d all made it.
She couldn’t help it. As soon as they were within reach, she lunged forward and hugged her mother.
“Thank you, thank you for coming.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it. Oh, Celia, we’re so proud of you.”
Warren pressed his lips into something that tried to look like a smile. Awkwardly, he patted her shoulder. She repressed a wince.
“Yeah,” he said, his voice muted. “You almost didn’t make it this far. I’m glad you did.”
It was as much an admission of approval as she was likely to get from him. He made no move to embrace her.
Suzanne kept her arm around her. “Come on, let’s go get some lunch.”
Robbie tousled her hair like he’d been doing since she was a kid. For a long stretch of time during her teenage years, it had annoyed her into screaming fits, which made Robbie tease her more. But now she laughed.
Arthur Mentis offered his hand. She shook it calmly.
He said, “I always knew you’d turn out all right.”
Which nearly made her cry.
* * *
When she emerged back into the asylum lobby, the orderly was talking on the phone. He glanced at her, his gaze dark and suspicious.
“Never mind, she’s back,” he said, and hung up.
Celia didn’t wait around for explanations, either his or hers. She flashed him a smile and strolled back into the street.
Michael, bless him, was still waiting with the car. She piled into the front seat.
“Now you’re going to say you don’t want me telling your parents you were here,” he said, starting the engine and preparing to pull into traffic.
“That would just worry them, don’t you think?”
“Just tell me you know what you’re doing.”
She hesitated, which made him glare at her.
“Sure,” she said. What the hell? “I know what I’m doing.”