“No, but you were just assaulted by a man who was very, very angry,” Theo told her. “And he hurt you very badly. Just now, you were reminded of that. You’ve been traumatized.”

“When he picked me up, I suddenly couldn’t breathe …”

“Try to relax, Ash.” Theo reached over. She wanted to take her hand, but the one closest to her was in a cast. She touched her knee instead. “You’re safe. I’m going to reach over and grab your seatbelt, okay? I’ll be careful.” She pulled the belt out and over. It clicked into place.

Theo had faith that Mason Wright would be made to pay for his crimes, but there was nothing anyone could do to erase what he’d done. He’d destroyed Ashley’s world. Theo knew with a lot of patience and time, Ashley would be able to heal and rebuild, but nothing would be the same for her ever again.

20. THE GIFT

Indigo climbed slowly onto the bed, careful not to jostle Ashley and her many injuries. It had taken a bit to get her settled. When they’d gotten to the barn, Jordan opened the garage door and walked out to the truck. He greeted Ashley with a warm smile, and when Theo explained to him what had happened with Wyatt, he’d nodded his dark head.

“I would be more than happy to help you in the house, Ash,” he told her. “I would never want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable. We can give it a try, and if you don’t think you can do it, we’ll work together to find another way.”

Ashley consented, and Jordan lifted her out of the truck, talking to her the whole time. Theo hurried to get the wheelchair and had it ready just inside the door. When Jordan settled Ashley into it, Theo heard her breathe a sigh of relief.

“I’m okay,” she said. “I’m good. Thank you, Jordan. Thank you so much.”

“This is a safe place, Ash,” Jordan told her. “The only danger you’re going to find here is some weight gain.”

Ashley couldn’t help but smile when he said this.

“Delaney says food is my love language,” Theo said with a shrug.

“Which is true,” Jordan agreed. “And as you know from experience, all of it will be delicious.”

That afternoon, Theo helped Ashley use the shower chair she’d gotten for herself when she’d broken her own leg, and she’d shampooed and conditioned Ashley’s hair before weaving it into a thick French braid that trailed halfway down Ashley’s back.

In the two days that followed, Theo had brought in a portable toilet that sat by Ashley’s bedside. She’d only used it once, but it had saved her from having another accident, which she’d been grateful for.

Now, Ashley rested against a stack of pillows that had been placed behind her back. She smiled when Indigo climbed up beside her, happy for the company.

“People stay here at the barn when they need to feel better,” the little girl told her, reaching over to softly pat the cast that covered Ashley’s arm.

Ashley glanced over at Theo who sat in Glory’s lavender upholstered chair that rested in the corner of the room. Her eyes moved back to Indigo. “Have a lot of people come here?”

Indigo looked thoughtful for a moment. “Yep.”

“Tell me who.”

“Well,” Indigo said, tilting her head. “Laney. Her house was in the basement and the rain came in. Jordan and Antee helped her, and she came to live here with us.”

Delaney had, in fact, come to live with Theo, but she’d moved in shortly before Indigo had made the barn her home. This was the first time Theo had heard Indie mention anything about the storm that had swept through Whisper Creek during Memorial Day weekend. Indigo had been kidnapped during that storm, and the flash flood that had occurred days later had done a lot of damage to the Stanley’s property, including the basement that Delaney had been renting for nearly a decade.

“She lived in the Stanley’s basement,” Theo explained.

Indigo had never been afraid of weather before that unfortunate weekend. She wouldn’t talk about it, but when the clouds rolled in and the skies opened up and dumped rain on the earth below, Indigo found an adult she trusted and attached herself to them like a tenacious burr.

Theo looked up when she heard the soft clicking of Jupiter’s nails on the hardwoods. The black and white dog pranced through the doorway, his golden eyes landing on Theo. She saw the canine’s expression soften before he turned his head to see Indigo.

“Be gentle,” Theo, told the dog, knowing that Ashley wouldn’t deny him a spot next to her on the bed.

Jupiter dipped his chin, making Theo wonder if he was acknowledging what she’d just told him. He walked slowly to the bed and waited for Ashley to pat the space beside her before he carefully hopped up and settled immediately at the young woman’s side.

“Good boy,” Theo said quietly.

“Jitterbug came to live here, too.”

“Where did she live before?”

“At Fireweed Farm. There are lots of cats that live there.”

“Odette has a dedicated barn for her cats,” Theo provided. “It’s heated and filled with food and all sorts of comfortable places for them to sleep. She keeps track of them all, has collars for them and takes every single one of them to the vet. She’s big on spaying and neutering, but somehow Jitterbug slipped through her very organized system.”

“Her collar came off,” Indie offered.

“It’s all color coded,” Theo said, expanding on Indigo’s explanation. “We’d have to have Odie explain it all, but long story short, Jitterbug wasn’t meant to get pregnant.”

“Antee let her come live here so she and her kittens would be safe,” Indigo said, giving Theo a smile.

“And I just thought she liked cats,” Ashley laughed tiredly.

“She does,” Indigo confirmed.

“I do,” Theo nodded. “Dogs, too.”

“Chuff.”

Ashley put her hand on Jupiter’s back.

“Trix was very, very sad,” Indigo said after a moment. “She needed to feel better, so she came to the barn. She still cried a lot, but it didn’t take very long before she started smiling again.”

Theo watched her niece. “You and Trix became good friends, didn’t you?”

Indigo nodded. “She’s funny.”

Ashley laughed. “I was so intimidated by her when we first met.”

“If they’re smart,” Theo said, “most people are. Trix is the most brilliant person I’ve ever known. Smart, beautiful, capable. We’re lucky to have her in our corner.”

“Amen to that,” Ashley agreed.

“I’m glad you’re here now,” Indigo told Ashley. “Not because I want you to be sad,” she clarified. “Because I know Antee will help you feel better.”

“Wow,” Ashley shook her head. “You sure do believe in your aunt.”

Indigo and Theo watched each other for a moment.