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Peg walked the doctor to the front door. She felt more and more grateful with each step that he had agreed to do a house call. After everything Edward had been through lately, the last thing he needed was to be poked, prodded, and studied within an environment he wasn’t comfortable in. Even though he was hurt from his run-in with Jim, a hospital was the last thing he needed right now.
“Thank you so much, Doctor Larson. We really appreciate it,” Peg said in her usual sweet tone, though the underlying exhaustion was clear in her voice.
“No problem at all. I’m glad I could help. And I’m happy you were willing to trust me with a situation so…” Doctor Larson trailed off, unsure of how to finish the sentiment. He busied himself with removing his black felt hat from the coat tree. “Anyway, call me if anything changes or you have any questions.”
“Thank you so much,” Peg said again with a small smile.
Doctor Larson returned the smile and gave a nod as he pressed the hat onto his head and walked out the door.
Peg shut the door behind him. She pressed her hand flat against the wood and closed her eyes. She took a steadying breath.
So much had happened over the past few days and she was tired. Though, it was almost a pleasant tired. Something she didn’t dare complain about because it was a welcome feeling compared to the high-strung worry she’d been experiencing as of late.
“Peg?”
She turned to see Bill standing there, looking at her with concern.
He was normally so aloof and, honestly, a little clueless. But events as of late had affected all of them in different ways.
“What is it? Is it Edward? Is he alright? Do I need to stop Doctor Larson before he leaves? He just walked out, I can still catch him-“
“No, Pegs. No. Eddie’s fine. He’s asleep,” Bill quickly reassured her.
“Oh,” Peg breathed out. “Good. He needs the rest.”
Bill provided a small smile, “Speaking of…maybe we should take this opportunity to rest ourselves.”
Peg shook her head, “You and the kids go ahead. I’m going to stay up in case Edward needs anything.”
“The kids are already asleep. They’re in there with him. He’s being looked after, Peg. You worry too much.”
Says the man who worries too little.
Peg kept that biting thought to herself as she walked past him to the basement door, “Maybe you’re right but I still want to check in just to be sure.”
Bill sighed, but accepted defeat on the matter and didn’t try to stop her.
When Peg got downstairs, she saw that, sure enough, Kim and Kevin were sound asleep.
Kevin was at the foot of the pull-out couch bed, lying horizontal at Kim and Edward’s feet. Kim was next to Edward, face turned inward toward his back. The bruise on her cheek had darkened and spread around the edge of her eye.
The sight of it was enough to make Peg clench her fists in rage and think vengeful thoughts…which was saying something because she was far from a violent person.
Even someone as gentle and sweet as Peg Boggs could reach their breaking point, though. Especially within such a community that seemed to spit and step on her left and right unless it needed something.
It took someone like Edward to help her realize that she didn’t owe this community anything. What had it ever given her besides disrespect and grief?
Like a hive mind, they could turn against someone. Shun them. Make them an outcast in the worst way. Even someone as sweet and innocent as Edward could be turned against...and all because of a false narrative that spread through the neighborhood’s top gossipers like wildfire.
Peg had always known she was bottom of the popularity pool where the neighborhood ladies were concerned, and she had been relatively okay with it. Taking it in stride and not letting it bring her down too much. After all, the community had never really done them any real harm.
Until they did.
Now her children lay before her, two of them beaten, all three of them completely exhausted. And for the first time, Peg wanted retribution.
Sure, Joyce had gotten arrested when the truth came out about what she’d done to Edward. Sexually assaulting him in the back room of an empty hair salon when all he’d been expecting was a tour. He’d put his trust in her only to be betrayed in one of the worst ways imaginable. Peg was just relieved that there had been a leftover security camera. Joyce had been too stupidly eager to pounce on poor Edward to notice it plugged in at the perfect angle to catch her repulsive actions.
So while justice had been served, Peg desired more. She wanted the community to feel guilt. To have it gnaw on them night and day. To keep them up as they lay in their beds at night.
These feelings were alien to her.
Who was this new Peg Boggs?
Not only was she asking herself this question, but she knew the community was asking it too.
Who was this new Peg Boggs?
When did she become so brutally defensive?
Will she ever go back to the sweet, naïve woman she was before?
The answer was...probably not. And she wasn’t sure whether that was a good thing or not. She wasn’t sure whether she should feel sad or empowered.
Peg smiled as Kevin murmured something in his sleep. She bent down and kissed his forehead before walking over to Kim and doing the same to her. Then she went over to Edward and kissed his forehead as well, careful to avoid the new cut that was there. It was undoubtedly from his altercation with Jim rather than his own hands because it was more of a scrape rather than a clean slice.
Edward startled awake.
“Sorry, dear. Didn’t mean to wake you,” Peg whispered.
Edward stared at her for a few seconds, as though trying to figure out exactly what she was doing and why she was hovering so close to his face.
“Everyone...okay?” he asked in quiet hesitation.
Peg smiled despite the lump that was forming in her throat.
Again, she wondered how anyone could have treated him so poorly.
“Everyone is just fine,” she replied, brushing her hand over his unruly hair. “What about you? Are you feeling okay? Do you need any more pillows?”
Edward shook his head.
Whereas before he would lay on his back, stiff as a board with his hands up and wrists limp as though he were a body on display...now he was on his side. He found it comfortable to have his hands hang over the edge of the mattress. There was a pillow between his knees and underneath his waist to help support his back as the contusions healed.
His pale skin was a stark contrast against the cozy red robe he was dressed in. She was happy that they were able to remove the leather suit he had worn like a second skin. She really wanted to throw it away. It seemed like it served as a symbol of the lonely life he’d led up on that hill. But she didn’t want to upset Edward by disposing of it.
“Go back to sleep now,” Peg said. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to ask.”
He nodded against the pillow under his head, “Thank you.”
Peg smiled sweetly at him and bent down to kiss his forehead again. He stiffened a little in surprise and confusion.
“Goodnight, Edward. I love you.”
There were those words again.
The same words Kim had said to him up in the castle on the hill.
Edward knew what they meant. He just never thought such a sentiment could be said to someone like him. Even his own father, though friendly and trustworthy, had never spoke those words to him.
It made him feel warm and giddy. It made his heart feel jumpy.
It made him feel happy.
“I love you too,” he replied quietly.
Peg’s smile grew, so Edward knew he must have done right. He knew it was something he could say. Something he was allowed to say.
He wondered if maybe...just maybe...he could be the one to say it first sometime. Maybe he would try it out.
He remembered when Peg had showed him the framed pictures of herself, Bill, Kevin, and Kim. How she’d said, “That’s my family.”
Peg said “I love you” to them often. So did that mean he was family too?
“Family?” he questioned aloud.
Peg nodded and moved her hand from his hair to his scarred cheek, “Yes, dear. Family.”
Edward smiled.
When Peg went back upstairs, Edward just lay there, feeling so unbelievably warm and content. And happy.
Family. He had a family.
Kim let out a sigh in her sleep and stretched a bit. Edward jumped as her hand lightly touched his back.
It stayed there, and after a few seconds he felt comfort from the gentle, unconscious touch.
“Family,” Edward repeated quietly to himself.
He smiled contentedly and closed his eyes.
Edward drifted off to sleep, relishing in the solace and warmth his family provided.
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