Chapter 293
Brooks, even though he didn’t have kids of his own, totally got where Evelyn was coming from as a mom. Sometimes, when things get tough, you just have to try anything that might help, right? If it meant giving Evelyn a bit of peace of mind, he was all in for it.
“Alright,” he said without missing a beat, promising Evelyn he’d be there with her first thing in the morning. Evelyn accepted his offer without any fuss.
But then, just as they were about to call it a night, Brooks got a call from the Robinson estate. Wyatt wasn’t feeling well, and Brooks was needed back home. His first thought was to take Evelyn with him, but she was in no state to deal with the Robinson family drama. Bringing her along would only stress her out more. So, he decided to head back by himself.
Before he left, Brooks reassured Evelyn, “I’ll be back to go with you.”
“Okay,” Evelyn agreed with a nod.
Later that night, before hitting the hay, Evelyn shot Brooks a text, checking in on Wyatt. Brooks quickly replied, saying it wasn’t anything major and told her to relax and get some sleep. She took her meds and tried to sleep, but her mind wouldn’t let her. She lay there, wide awake, staring at the ceiling until morning.
When the sun came up, Brooks still hadn’t returned. Evelyn was on edge, thinking about Charlie. Minutes felt like hours. She was itching to get to the church, light a candle for Charlie, and seek the priest’s blessing for some peace.
She sent another text to Brooks. Nothing. She waited a bit longer, but still no word from him. Finally, she decided she couldn’t wait any longer, got dressed, and drove off by herself.
In the nearby town, Evelyn found a spot to park at the church’s base. She walked up to the entrance, her steps filled with reverence, kneeling three times as she made her way to the altar. She lit a candle for Charlie and asked the priest for a blessing.
After the blessing, she cautiously asked, “Is my daughter alright?”
The priest, with a gentle nod, reassured her, “Ms. Evelyn, rest assured, your daughter will find peace. In her next life, she’ll grow up healthy and live a joyful, carefree life.”
“Thank you!” Evelyn said, her gratitude genuine. To some, this might seem like superstition, but she chose to believe it all now.
After saying her goodbyes to the priest, Evelyn left the church. Back in her car, she realized she’d been so focused on the church visit that she forgot to charge her phone. She tossed it aside, buckled up, and started her drive back.
Everything was going smoothly until she hit the bridge connecting the two towns. Out of nowhere, a car swerved into her lane. Evelyn’s first instinct was to hit the brakes and let the other car pass, but the brakes didn’t work. Panic gripped her as she instinctively turned the wheel to avoid a crash, only to find herself facing a school bus filled with kids, all about Charlie’s age.
In that split second, Evelyn had one thought: she couldn’t let anything happen to those kids. Just before she would have hit the bus, she turned the wheel again. Her car smashed through the guardrail and plunged into the river.