Epilogue

A Year Later

What a difference a year could make. Only twelve months ago, Paige had learned that the man she’d known as her father wasn’t her father, and that her mother had hidden the truth from her for years. She’d also been completely exposed when it came to all the lying, plotting, and manipulating she’d done with her sister. They’d stopped her cold, and while Camille hadn’t mentioned it that day Paige was arrested, Paige had discovered later on that Owen had in fact gotten his revenge. He had called Camille, after all, and told her about that photo he’d seen. Then there was Crystal, Paige’s sweet little niece, who had seen her favorite auntie sneaking out of her mom’s office. Paige, of course, hadn’t counted on that particular scenario, but she hadn’t blamed Crystal for telling. She also no longer blamed Andrea for calling Camille and divulging what she’d overheard either, especially since Paige knew she’d been wrong for offering Derrick a place to bring his women. She hadn’t seen a problem with doing so back when it was happening, but today she was very sorry. She also regretted the way she’d convinced Derrick to help trigger an unnecessary crime investigation, and she was glad he hadn’t had to do any jail time.

Nonetheless, however, the incident that had caught Paige totally off guard was when Leonard had showed up at her sister’s. She’d been stunned like no other time she could remember, and she hadn’t been able to believe Leonard—poor, pitiable, homeless Leonard—had found the nerve to double-cross her. He’d truly gotten the best of her, because when he’d left the motel and gotten into the rental car with her, claiming Pierce had punched him and made him leave, she’d never questioned his honesty. She hadn’t expected a man like Leonard to betray her, and she was shocked to know he hadn’t even done it for more money. What she’d figured was that Pierce had probably paid him double the amount she’d given him, but as it had turned out, Leonard had only done what he thought was right. He was a genuinely good man who’d lost his job, wife, and children a few years back and had ended up on the streets. He was also very well-educated and now employed as an accountant at the same bank Pierce worked at. All he’d needed was a chance, Paige guessed, and interestingly enough, he’d written her a couple of letters, thanking her for picking him up and buying him clothes that day. He’d contacted her maybe a couple of months after she’d been admitted to the sanitarium, and she’d truly appreciated hearing from him.

Today, though, she was finally being released and going home with her best friend. She couldn’t wait to start her new life and would forever be grateful to Karla for the loving way she’d stood by her. It was true that Paige’s mental illness and all the dreadful things she’d done as a result of it had totally blindsided Karla, but Karla still hadn’t turned her back on her—not even when it had taken Paige a full three months to accept and admit she was sick. Karla had never judged Paige, and she’d also done everything she could, trying to make things right between Paige and her family​—​something she was discussing right now with her therapist.

“Well, I must say,” Dr. Lane said, smiling. “You’ve certainly made some amazing progress.”

Paige smiled back at the distinguished-looking sixty-something-year-old man. “Yeah, I guess I have, and of course, I owe a lot of thanks to you.”

“No thanks needed at all. Helping my patients is what I’m here for, and it always gives me great joy when I see success stories.”

“I’m definitely better. That’s for sure. But I still have a few struggles.”

“When it comes to your mom, right?”

“Yes. I just don’t understand why she won’t have anything to do with me. Why she doesn’t love her own child,” Paige said, thinking back to all the therapy sessions she’d wept through due to this very thing.

“For the most part, it’s because she’s still in so much pain herself. And she needs someone to help her work through all of it.”

“Maybe. But if you ask her, she’ll swear she’s fine.”

Dr. Lane leaned back in his chair. “Unfortunately, she’s no different than most people who have emotional problems or mental illnesses. She’s no different than the thousands of folks who will never get the help they need, because in many cases, not even their family members believe they need therapy.”

“Just like I didn’t. And now I know that if a judge hadn’t forced me to come here, I probably never would have.”

“But you did, and that’s what counts.”

“I hope so. And at least my dad has been here for me all year long. He’s been so supportive and kind, and I won’t ever forget that day he told me he loved me the same as if I was his own flesh and blood and that he would never allow Mom to keep him away from me again.”

“Your dad is a good man, Paige, and you’re very blessed to have him in your life.”

“I am, and maybe one day, through some kind of miracle, my mom will eventually love me, too.”

Paige and Dr. Lane chatted for another ten minutes or so, and then Paige went back to her room to finish packing. About an hour later, Camille walked in, and oh had they come a long way. In the beginning, Camille hadn’t wanted to see Paige, but as time had gone on, she’d found it in her heart to come visit her. Camille had proven she was the picture of forgiveness, and the reason Paige praised her so much was because Paige still wasn’t sure she could forgive any woman who’d slept with her husband—something Pierce had admitted to Camille that morning after the motel incident—the same day they’d summoned Paige over to their home to confront her.

“You ready?” Camille said, hugging her.

“Just about. Karla should be here soon. Also, how are my niece and nephew?”

“They’re fine.”

“I’m glad.”

There was a bit of silence, and Paige could tell that Camille knew why.

“And yes, Pierce is doing well also,” Camille added.

Tears filled Paige’s eyes. “I still have a hard time even saying his name to you, and I’m so sorry for what I did. I’m sorry I became so obsessed with him and tried to ruin your marriage. I know I’ve told you this over and over, but I hope you believe me when I say that it wasn’t so much that I was in love with Pierce as it was about my jealous feelings toward you. Not to mention, I was very ill and not dealing with reality very well.”

“Yes, but the past is the past, and interestingly enough, Pierce and I have never been closer. Even more so now than before all this happened. It did take some time for us to work through everything, but we have, and that’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, but Pierce still hates me.”

“Yeah…he sort of does, and unfortunately, I think it’ll be a long while before he feels any different.”

“I did a lot of stuff to both of you, though, so who can blame him?”

“True, but you’ve been hurt, too, Paige, and that’s what I finally had to think about. It’s also the reason I spoke on your behalf at your trial during sentencing. Mom really has treated you badly your entire life, and it wasn’t until you pointed it out to me that I took time to recognize it. I guess I saw what I wanted to see when we were kids because that’s just what kids do. Then when we became adults, I just thought you and Mom were like so many other mothers and daughters I know who don’t get along. But I never once stopped to wonder why, and that’s where I was wrong.”

“But it wasn’t your fault. You never treated me terribly, but somehow in my mind I saw you as the enemy. I got things all twisted, and the next thing I knew, I made you responsible for everything. Sometimes there would even be this voice in my head, demanding that I get revenge on you, and I always felt like everyone was against me. I was paranoid all the time, and I couldn’t help how I felt,” Paige said, wondering why her brain didn’t work the way it was supposed to. She wondered why some people were born with normal thinking while others came into the world with loads of mental issues. It was all so humiliating, but at the same time, she was glad her doctor had finally gotten to the root of her problem, delusional disorder, and found the perfect medication for her. In the beginning, he’d prescribed a few different types, searching for the right one, but it was Abilify that had finally worked. Thankfully, Paige still experienced no major side effects, and she’d been happily taking it for months.

“What are you thinking about?” Camille asked.

“This last year and how grateful I am I was able to get help.”

“I’m grateful, too. Also, Paige, I hope there’s one thing you’ll never forget,” Camille said.

“What’s that?”

“That I really do love you.”

“I love you, too. You’re my rock, Camille, and if I have to spend the rest of my life making things up to you I will.”

“You don’t owe me anything. Your love is more than enough, and that’s all I want from you.”

Tears flowed down Paige’s cheeks, and Camille hugged her again.

Paige held her sister close and thought about how blessed she was. She also thought about all the sins she’d committed, how she’d reaped all of what she had sown, and how she’d basically lost everything—her condo, her car, her PR business. But what made her smile was the fact that none of those things really mattered to her anymore, and that she was finally happy for the right reasons. She was finally living and thinking the way God wanted her to, and life was good.

But more important, she thought about the scripture Camille had told her to trust in, believe in, and the one she should recite daily: Matthew 9:22, which stated, “Daughter, be encouraged! Your faith has made you well.”

God was so amazing and so very true to His Word, and Paige couldn’t help smiling through all her tears. She was overjoyed and would forever be indebted—to Him and also to Camille.

She would always be thankful to both of them for their unconditional love…the one thing she’d always wanted but had never truly felt or been able to accept—until now.