Christmas Secrets Collection. Laura Iding

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ thought you liked Dr. Cranberg?” Jadon asked, keeping his tone casual, nonthreatening. “I thought things were going better with her?”

      “I do like Dr. Liz. She’s nice.” For a moment uncertainty shone in Jack’s eyes. “She doesn’t think I’m crazy.”

      “You’re not crazy, Jack.” Man, he hated that term. “Let’s go see Dr. Liz. I’ll go with you.” Jadon kept his voice calm even as he inched closer, knowing he’d take his brother down by force if he had to. One reason he always told his mother to stay out of the way, calling him instead.

      Jack clutched his hair with both hands, his face twisting into a mask of anguish. “Make them stop, Jadon,” he pleaded in a low, tortured tone. “Make the voices stop.”

      “I will, Jack.” He reached his brother, sighing in relief. He took Jack’s arm, giving his brother a sideways hug, knowing the worst of the confrontation was over. “I will. Come with me.”

      Jack’s shoulders drooped and he followed Jadon down the stairs to the main floor of the house. When Jadon saw the police had arrived, he warned them back with a shake of his head, leading Jack to his own car instead.

      He’d drive Jack to the hospital. The cops could follow if they wanted to. He wanted to discuss Jack’s care with Dr. Cranberg. For now this was the best he could do for his brother.

      For himself.

      How selfish was he, to want a normal life with Alyssa and their daughters when it was clear Jack would never have anything close to that kind of future?

      Bleakly, he watched as Jack muttered to himself, curled in the corner of his passenger seat. Maybe Jack was right. Maybe him leaving to go back to Cedar Bluff wasn’t helping.

      But what could he do? Move to Madison? He’d considered that option before, but not now. Not with having Alyssa and the girls to consider. Gretchen was doing better the last time he’d called in, but they still needed him.

      Yet so did Jack.

      Thankfully, this episode had ended without violence. But they hadn’t all ended this peacefully. Even so, the situation had been stressful, which was exactly why he still hadn’t told Alyssa the truth.

      There was a small, selfish part of him that didn’t want her to meet Jack. To see what his life with his twin brother was really like. She didn’t need any more stress. If he had his way, he’d keep Grace, Gretchen and even Alyssa in a protective cocoon, safe from the harsh realities of life.

      Jack moaned and mumbled something under his breath and Jadon prayed his brother would stay calm until they’d been able to see Dr. Liz.

      At the hospital, the staff quickly admitted Jack for an inpatient psychiatric stay. The police had followed with his parents, doing the necessary paperwork to keep Jack under strict observation for his own safety.

      “The new medication was working,” his mother said in a low voice a while later, once they’d finished and were waiting in the lobby. “For a while he was doing better. I don’t know what happens to him, why he suddenly stops taking his pills.”

      He didn’t know either. Just more proof that his mother and his brother needed him. “Jack needs to stay in the inpatient program where they regulate his medication closely,” he said, drawing in a deep, heavy sigh. “But he has to stay voluntarily, we can’t force him. At least this episode wasn’t as bad as the last one. Has he been staying away from those useless friends he’d been tangled up with?”

      “I don’t know for sure, but I think so,” his mother said. “He seemed to be doing everything that Dr. Liz asked of him.”

      Jadon hoped so. His brother had gotten mixed up with a bad crowd, and under their negative influence Jack had become much worse. In fact, his brother had owed some of them a lot of money, which Jadon had figured out after he’d been jumped and robbed the last time he’d come home.

      He’d suspected at the time they’d thought he was Jack. Just like when they’d been kids, Jack’s troubles had often rubbed off on him. Because people couldn’t tell them apart.

      He’d suffered more than once for Jack’s sins. Yet he couldn’t hold his brother responsible for being sick either.

      “He’ll stay an inpatient now for a while, won’t he?” his mother asked, drawing Jadon out of his reverie.

      “Yes, he’ll be an inpatient for a while.” Probably not long enough. Psychiatric programs were losing money and government funding, making the inpatient programs few and far between. And in most cases the patient had to agree to stay.

      “Will you stay for a few days and talk to his doctor?” his mother asked. She glanced at his father, and he wondered why there were together. Had his father officially divorced his second wife? Were his parents thinking of getting back together again?

      “I can’t. I have to get back to Cedar Bluff.”

      His mother’s eyes widened in surprised dismay. “You can’t! What if something happens?”

      The old familiar guilt made him waver. Should he stay? His mother deserved to have a normal life, too. Heaven knew, she’d given up a lot. Didn’t he owe Jack and his mother at least some of his precious time?

      Yes, but so did Alyssa. He had other responsibilities now and the two were tearing him apart. He’d wanted to keep them separate but maybe he was deluding himself.

      Thinking of Alyssa, Grace and Gretchen waiting for him at the hospital made him shake his head. “I can’t. Mom, there’s something you need to know. You’re a grandmother, grandparents,” he amended, including his father in the announcement. “I have twin daughters, Grace Aubrey and Gretchen Louise. They were born just a few days ago.”

      “Twins?” his mother repeated in stunned surprise. She couldn’t have looked more shocked if he’d announced he’d been kidnapped by wild monkeys. “My goodness, you’re married?”

      “No,” he said grimly. Marriage was not an option. Convincing Alyssa to stay with him on a temporary basis was hard enough. And what more could he ask? Jack’s difficulties weren’t easy to handle. Some families weren’t meant to stay together. “The babies were born prematurely and the smaller one, Gretchen, has had some complications. We haven’t had time to really think about the future.”

      “I see.” His mother fell silent and he knew she was upset and hurt that he hadn’t brought Alyssa over to meet her. Or that he hadn’t invited her to Cedar Bluff to meet Alyssa.

      How could he explain a relationship he wasn’t sure he had?

      “Look, a lot has happened. Alyssa is being discharged today from the hospital. I need to get back. I’m sure you’ll meet Alyssa soon, maybe at Christmas.” His voice lacked conviction, but he couldn’t help it. He didn’t really want Alyssa to be a part of his problems with Jack.

      “All right.” His mother looked a bit forlorn, but he noticed his father stepped closer, adding his support. Seeing his parents together again after so many years made him wonder what would be different the second time around. Did his parents have what it took to stick together this time if things went bad with Jack again? Love couldn’t solve everything.

      “Dad, СКАЧАТЬ