Vindicated Read Online Free PDF Page B

deal with that when we get there.”
    It took surprisingly little time to move all of my things into the master bedroom considering that I had lived in this house for over two years now.   It felt so strange to see all my things in the large bedroom, my personal things spread about the master bathroom.   I felt so grown up all the sudden.   Like I had a real life.
     
    The next two days passed in a blur.   Alex and I booked tickets to Costa Rica and a little house right on the beach for a full week.   Alex decided he wanted to brave the wedding cake on his own.   I couldn’t complain, no one would do a better job.  
    I told Austin the news, and to my surprise he didn’t get worked up about it.   He had been happy for me.   It was nice to see that he was losing interest in me.
    Sal continued to get little sleep and I could only hope that she would not decline while I was gone to visit my parents.   I let Emily know what to expect while she was taking care of her.
    No sign of Caroline was found and I felt both angry and sorry as we packed to leave for Ucon.   It was so unfair of her to leave Alex again, after everything he had done for her.   She was just going to keep sinking deeper and deeper until she was gone.   Until she stood before Cole.
    With not a cloud in the sky, the four of us threw our bags into the back of Alex’s truck and loaded in.   Considering the fact that Alex no longer required sleep, he and I had decided to make the trip overnight.   With no major airports close to Ucon it was easiest to drive.
    I still wasn’t looking forward to the thirteen hour drive.   It only prolonged my dread.
    “Have you talked to mom or dad since I told him we were coming?” I asked Amber as Alex pulled out of the driveway.
    “No,” she said with a sigh.   “I think he’s still pretty mad I didn’t tell him sooner about the engagement.”
    “Sorry, babe,” Rod said.   “Guess I should have thought about it for two seconds and asked permission first or something.”
    “It’s not too late,” I said as I glanced over at Alex and raised my eyebrows at him.
    He chuckled.   “Okay, I got the hint.   We’ll do it together, Rod.   He won’t be able to shoot the both of us.   I’m pretty sure I’m faster than you so you can be my shield when he pulls out the gun.”
    “Thanks, man.   You’re a great friend.”   The cab broke out into laughter.   It felt good to finally laugh.
    The sun started to set behind the trees as we drove south on I-5, casting the sky in a summer orange.
    “I was thinking we could go dress shopping with Mom, maybe,” Amber said quietly.   “What do you think, Jess?”
    “You’re serious?” I asked, turning in my seat to look at her.   I saw from her face that she was.
    “Moving on, remember?” Alex said so quietly only my ears could pick up on his words.
    I didn’t say anything for a moment, looking at Amber’s face blankly.   “We’ll see how things go.”
    “I’m thinking a big ball gown,” Amber start to rattle on.   I gave a few nods and uh-huh’s to let her know I was half-listening as she continued to ramble.   She was talking but I wasn’t hearing her.   All I could think about was the tone of my mother’s voice as she told me over and over that the nightmares weren’t real, that I needed to get over this phase.  
    My insides felt hollow.
    As we neared one in the morning, Amber laid her head in Rod’s lap, who had crashed not long after she started talking about wedding stuff, and fell asleep herself.   I sighed as the truck became quiet, scooting to sit closer to Alex, and leaned my head on his shoulder.
    “How you doing?” he asked quietly, placing his hand on my knee and giving it a squeeze.  
    “I’m kind of freaking out, but okay, I guess,” I said.  
    “I’m really proud of you for doing this, you know.   I know this isn’t easy for you.”
    “It’s not.   She said some really terrible things to me.   I wanted