OCTOBER 31, 1996
TODAY WAS MY NINTH BIRTHDAY AND, AS USUAL, MY HOUSE WAS PACKED WITH friends. The lads were happily plowing their way through my house like a wrecking ball with a game of tip the can, but I didn’t join in. I couldn’t enjoy my party until she arrived.
When Mam came into my room and told me the good news—that Lizzie was finally home from the hospital—I’d lost it. I had no clue what came over me in that moment, but I broke down and bawled before proceeding to rant like a deranged lunatic at my mother for keeping something so important from me.
When I finally calmed down enough to listen, Mam sat me down and gave me a similar speech about my friend—minus the derogatory slurs Caoimhe had injected—before warning me that, under no circumstances, was I to ever breathe a word of Lizzie’s private business to my sister, Gibs, Feely, or a single other living soul.
Mam told me that she knew I was bright, but there were some things a mind as young as mine just couldn’t comprehend, no matter how many books I read.
She also told me that I shouldn’t believe what Caoimhe said about Liz being crazy and dangerous because her mind was also too young to grasp the situation.
When Catherine called this morning to let Mam know that Liz was feeling better and would be coming to my party, it was the best birthday present ever. I didn’t care about the unopened parcels waiting inside for me.
All I wanted was Liz.
I was sitting on the porch steps when her dad’s car finally pulled up in front of my driveway. Excitement thundered to life inside of me when Mike climbed out of the driver’s seat and opened the back passenger door. The moment she stepped out of the car and my eyes landed on her, I felt the strange sensation in my chest return. It felt like my heart had been caught up in a fishing hook and I was being reeled back to her.
Liz was wearing red dungarees and an oversized, cream, knitted cardigan, with frilly white ankle socks and patent black shoes. It was a strange combination, but she made it look so fucking cool. But when she started to walk up the driveway, panic rose up in my chest because she moved like she had cement blocks attached to her feet.
“Liz!” Hurrying down the porch steps, I quickly closed the space between us, not stopping until I had her wrapped up in my arms. “I’ve missed you so much.”
Two months.
It had taken two long months to see my friend again, and now that I had my arms around her, I was afraid to let go.
“Hugh!” Liz didn’t hesitate to wrap her arms around my waist, trembling all over, as she buried her face in my neck. “I promise I’ve missed you more.”
“I wanted to come see you, I promise,” I told her, tightening my arms. “I would have come if they’d let me.”
“I know.” She gripped my shirt tightly. “I believe you.”
My attention momentarily shifted to her father, who was still standing near his car talking to my mother. It looked serious. Mike’s brow was creased, and he was talking in a hushed voice, while Mam nodded repeatedly.
Something about the way they both flicked their eyes to Lizzie as they spoke caused me to pull her to my side and wrap an arm around her protectively.
He was not taking her away again.
Over my dead body.
“Do you want to play tip the can with the lads?” I asked, quickly guiding her into the house before her dad changed his mind and snatched her back. “Or we could go to the treehouse?” I closed the front door behind us and gave her a reassuring smile. “Whatever you want to do is fine with me.”
“It’s okay, Hugh. You should go enjoy your party,” she replied, voice low and quiet. “I’ll just sit down for a bit.”
No, I wasn’t about to plop her on a chair and leave her alone for the entire party, not when I just got her back.
“I don’t give a shit about my party,” I told her, and it was the truth. The only thing I cared about in this moment was her. “Come on.” Taking her hand in mine, I pulled her toward the staircase. “We can hang out in my room.” I kept a firm hold of her while I led her up the staircase. “It’ll be quiet up here.”
“Oooh,” Danny Call teased when we walked into my room. Of course, he was being a nosy bastard, as usual, and going through all my stuff like he always did when he came over. “Biggsie’s girlfriend is here.”
“Get out of my room, Danny,” I ordered, pointing to my door. “Now.”
“Hughie and Lizzie up a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G,” he snickered, while obliging me by moving for the door. “First comes love, second comes marriage, third comes a baby Biggsie in a golden car—”
I closed the door on his face before he could finish. “Do you want to know a secret?” I asked, walking Liz over to my bed. “I can’t stand that guy.”
Climbing onto my bed, she curled up in a ball on her side, facing me. “Then why do you always invite him to your parties?”
“Because he’s still one of the lads, I suppose,” I replied, flopping down on the mattress beside her. “It would be lousy to invite everyone and leave him out.”
“Even though you can’t stand him?”
I rolled onto my side, facing her. “Manners cost nothing.” I smirked. “At least, that’s what my mother constantly tells me.”
A smile ghosted her lips. “You’re like her.”
“My mam?”
Nodding, she reached up and covered my cheek with her small hand. “You’re good on the inside.”
“So are you, Liz.”
“No, Hugh.” She shook her head sadly. “I’m not.”
Frowning, I draped an arm around her and pulled her close. “Why would you say that, Liz?”
Shivering, she rested her forehead against mine and whispered, “Because it’s the truth.”
“Nope.” Shifting closer, I rested my hand on her cheek. “It’s not even close to being the truth.”
“I’m sorry I was late to your party,” she whispered, changing the subject, as another shiver racked through her. “Happy birthday.”
“It’s okay.” I stroked her cheekbone with my thumb. “I’m just glad you’re here.”
“You are?”
I nodded.
“Caoimhe said she told you. About me scratching her. About the hospital.” A tear trickled down her cheek when she whispered, “Do you hate me now?”
“I could never hate you,” I replied, feeling my heart crack. “I love you, remember?”
She clenched her eyes shut. “Everyone thinks I’m crazy.”
“I don’t,” I countered, rubbing my nose against hers. “I know you’re not crazy.”
Sniffling, she peeked an eye open, and then, in a small, hopeful voice, she asked, “You do?”
“Yep.” Tucking her hair behind her ear, I resumed stroking her cheek. “Trust me, I know these things.”
“I do.” Her eyes widened, giving me a small glimpse of the girl I knew. “I do trust you, Hugh.”
“You get sad sometimes, and that’s okay,” I told her, feeling the strongest urge to pull her close and protect her from the world. “And you get angry, but who doesn’t?”
“What about the scary lady?” she whispered, sounding uncertain. “And the monster?” Her eyes filled with tears. “Nobody else can see them, but I swear I see them, Hugh.” A pained sob escaped her lips. “They hurt me.”
“Are they here now?”
“No.” She shook her head. “They never hurt me when you’re around.” Sniffling, she moved so close that her body was pressed tightly to mine. “They’re scared of the brave knight.”
“I’m the brave knight?”
Tearful, she nodded. “Am I still your lady?”
“You’ll always be my lady,” I promised. “Milady.”
