See It End (Dr. Gretchen White) by Brianna Labuskes

Author:Brianna Labuskes [Labuskes, Brianna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2023-04-17T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

MARTHA

Before

The pregnancy stuck this time. Martha hadn’t even bothered praying.

Julia Christine Hayes was born at 3:14 in the morning in the nursery, the second bedroom to the right on the top floor of the farmhouse. Martha’s sister, Hannah, helped deliver the baby, her own petulant son sulking in the corner, impressed only by the sight of the bloodstained sheets.

When Hannah announced that it was a girl, Martha had to swipe at her wet cheeks and pretend it was the hormones.

Martha pressed tear-soaked lips to Julia’s forehead, whispering over and over again, “Thank God.”

Owen showed a passing interest in the baby, enough to soothe the wrinkle line in Hannah’s brow. But he handed her off quickly and disappeared downstairs. He didn’t find the sight of Martha breastfeeding intriguing, but rather something to look away from. Something almost embarrassing despite the fact that it was his wife, his daughter.

“You’ll be okay?” Hannah asked the night before she left, her son on the cot, sleeping already, Julia in her arms.

“We’ll be okay,” Martha said, the lie tasting rotten on her tongue. But she must have delivered it convincingly because Hannah smiled, rubbed a thumb along Julia’s cheek, and then handed her back over.

When Julia was six weeks old, Owen let them come into town with him. He dropped her at a park, told her to stay there, and then drove off.

Martha waited until his truck rounded the next corner before placing a hand on the back of Julia’s head so she wouldn’t jostle the baby while she walked.

Her feet knew the way too well.

Martha didn’t go into the diner, didn’t dare.

But she stood on the corner and watched as others did.

She saw him moving inside, a shape more than anything, and thought of the headlines from two years back.

Local Boy, 9, Missing; Police Suspect Foul Play.

Julia’s heart beat against Martha’s own.

It was only when Garrett glanced up sharply as if sensing he was being watched that Martha moved.

Back into the shadows that had become so familiar and dear.

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