The Boy Who Has No Redemption by Victoria Quinn

Author:Victoria Quinn
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hartwick Publishing

We visited for an hour, and Cleo’s infectious personality made it easy to forget her appearance, to forget that her skin was paler than it used to be, that her clothes didn’t fit her the way they did before, that she was fighting for her life…because she smiled like it was the perfect day.

Lizzie left the couch to use the restroom and walked past Derek.

Derek turned to her. “Liz?” He kept his voice low, hoping we wouldn’t hear in the midst of our conversation.

She turned to him and gave him a look I’d only seen a handful of times, a look that said she was seriously pissed. “I’m here for your mom, not you. I told you I don’t like you—and I still don’t.” She continued on her path, ignorant to the scathing words she’d just unleashed.

Derek turned away, trying to hide the pained expression on his face.

“Excuse me.” I went after Lizzie, because I didn’t want her to think that kind of behavior was okay, even if he deserved it. When I moved past Derek’s chair, his hand reached out to mine to steady me.

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “She has every right to be angry.” His hand immediately softened once it held mine, like it was the most natural action in the world. When he realized his touch lingered too long, he pulled it away.

“But she doesn’t have the right to be cruel.” I continued to walk and moved down the hallway to reach Lizzie before she entered the bathroom. “Lizzie.”

She halted and turned around, wearing an annoyed expression like she knew what was coming.

“Come on, you can’t talk to him like that.”

“Why?” She crossed her arms over her chest, displaying her full attitude.

“Are you oblivious to what’s going on in that living room?”

“So? He hurt you, Mom—”

“I appreciate your protectiveness. But I’m okay. I want us to be there for Derek. He’s going through a hard time right now, and he’s been punished enough. He broke my heart, but he’s still a good person, and so is his family. We need to be kind. Alright?”

She shook her head. “He hurt me too.”

“I know.” My eyes fell in sadness. “I know, baby.”

“He ruined our Christmas and ruined our lives for months, and now that his mom is sick, we just forget that happened?” she asked incredulously. “Mom, it’s been hell. You haven’t been the same. It’s like he took you away.”

“I know, but I’m feeling better—”

“Whatever. He came in and gave us promises and then just—”

“Liz.” Derek’s voice came from behind me, right next to me.

Lizzie’s eyes shifted to him behind me, her eyebrows furrowing.

He stood with both of us, the first time the three of us had been in the same room in months. He slid his hands into his pockets and looked at Lizzie with a pained expression on his face. “You have every right to be upset, okay? I didn’t keep my promises. You shouldn’t trust someone who doesn’t keep their promises. But you’ll never understand how sorry I am.

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