„Ja, Frau Vale?“
„Bewahren Sie alle Kameraaufnahmen der letzten sechs Stunden auf.“
Sarah wurde blass.
Greg blickte scharf auf.
Mein Vater sprach endlich.
„Kameraaufnahmen?“
Marcus nickte.
„Diese Unterkunft verfügt über ein Sicherheitssystem, das alle Gemeinschaftsbereiche für Gäste und alle Außenzugänge abdeckt.“
Mein Vater blickte zum Deck.
Dann in Richtung der Felsen.
Sein Gesichtsausdruck veränderte sich.
Zum ersten Mal schien er zu begreifen, dass dies keine Familiengeschichte werden würde, die sie später umschreiben könnten.
Es gab Beweise.
Ich sah Marcus direkt an.
„Fertigen Sie Kopien an. Verändern Sie nichts. Geben Sie sie auf Anfrage den zuständigen Behörden.“
„Ja, Ma’am.“
Mein Vater trat auf mich zu.
„Elena, warte.“
Ich ging weiter.
„Elena.“
Ich hielt an.
Er sah plötzlich älter aus.
Nicht leid.
Besorgt.
Da gibt es einen Unterschied.
„Was genau gedenkst du ihnen zu sagen?“
Diese Frage beseitigte auch schon den letzten Rest an Zögern, den ich noch hatte.
Nicht „Geht es Mia gut?“
Nicht „Was kann ich tun?“
Nicht einmal ein „Es tut mir leid“.
Er wollte wissen, was ich den Behörden sagen würde.
Ich sah ihn an.
„Die Wahrheit.“
Dann ging ich weg.
Die Inselklinik war mit dem Rettungswagen in weniger als drei Minuten zu erreichen.
Es fühlte sich wie drei Stunden an.
Ich saß die ganze Zeit neben Mia und hielt ihre Hand, während das Ärzteteam sie überwachte.
Sie driftete mal ein, mal aus dem Gleichgewicht.
Jedes Mal, wenn sie die Augen öffnete, suchte sie nach mir.
Ich war jedes Mal dabei.
In der Klinik untersuchte der Arzt sie und bestätigte, was ich bereits befürchtet hatte.
She needed imaging beyond what the island clinic could provide.
The evacuation aircraft was ready.
I went with her.
As we lifted away from the island, I looked through the small window.
From the air, the wedding looked absurdly beautiful.
White flowers covered the main pavilion.
Thousands of candles lined the pathways.
A temporary glass ballroom reflected the afternoon sun.
The beach had been decorated with imported roses.
A string quartet’s empty chairs remained beneath a canopy.
Two million dollars.
I had spent two million dollars trying to give my sister the perfect wedding.
And she had repaid me by pushing my daughter off a deck.
I closed the window shade.
That chapter was over.
At the hospital, doctors ran scans.
I sat in a private waiting room with my hands locked together so tightly my fingers hurt.
Marcus called twice.
I ignored the first call.
I answered the second.
“How is she?” he asked.
“They’re still evaluating her.”
“Understood.”
“What’s happening on the island?”
“Security has separated the relevant parties. Local authorities have been notified. Guests are being moved to the departure area.”
I closed my eyes.
“And my family?”
“Your parents and sister are refusing to leave.”
Of course they were.
“Greg?”
There was a pause.
“He asked to speak with you privately.”
“No.”
“He says it concerns the wedding payment.”
That got my attention.
“What about it?”
“He claims he didn’t know you paid for everything.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“I thought you should know.”
“Put him on.”
A few seconds passed.
Then Greg’s voice came through.
“Elena?”
“What do you want?”
“I didn’t know.”
“About what?”
“The wedding.”
I leaned back.
“What are you talking about?”
“I knew Sarah said someone had covered part of it. She told me your parents had family money.”
I said nothing.
Greg continued quickly.
“She told your parents my family paid. She told my family your family paid. She told me there was a trust from your grandmother.”
I almost admired the simplicity of it.
Sarah had told everyone a different version.
And because each version appealed to what they wanted to believe, nobody had compared notes.
“Why would she do that?”
“I think she wanted everyone to believe she could afford this.”
“You’re her husband. Didn’t you ask?”
“I did.”
“And?”
“She said it was handled.”
I looked through the hospital window.
“And that was enough for you?”
Silence.
That silence told me plenty.
Greg had liked the fantasy too.
Maybe he hadn’t created it, but he had enjoyed living inside it.
“Did you see what Sarah did to Mia?”
“Yes.”
“Did you try to stop her?”
“No.”
“Did you help my daughter afterward?”
Another silence.
“No.”
“Then I don’t care what you knew about the invoice.”
“Elena—”
“You stood there.”
“I froze.”
“So did Mia.”
He had nothing to say to that.
I ended the call.
The doctor came in twenty minutes later.
I stood immediately.
“How is she?”
“She’s awake and stable.”
My knees nearly gave out.
The doctor explained that Mia had suffered a concussion, extensive bruising, and a fracture in her wrist from the fall.
She would need observation.
But there was no catastrophic head injury.
No spinal injury.
No internal bleeding.
I sat down and covered my face.
