Chapter 28 — Epilogue

“AUDREY will receive her treatment and therapy inside the quarantine facility for women,” Edward told Kristine while they were waiting for the doctor’s discharge consent for Audrey. “Kristine—”

“I heard you,” she said, not taking her eyes off her daughter. Audrey had bandages on her neck, indicating that they made it to the hospital before she lost too much blood. “Can you leave us alone?”

Edward didn’t answer, and he didn’t walk out of the room. “I am her father, Kristine. Now that Audrey already knows about our secret, I don’t have the reason now to leave her side, whether you shun me or not.”

Kristine cupped her forehead. As much as she wanted to argue with Edward, she didn’t have more energy. What she only thinks about it now is her daughter’s safety. “Is she coming back to me? My sweet Audrey?” She held her daughter’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “The real Audrey was the sweet and jolly toddler who called me mommy with a big smile on her face…” Her shoulders shook as she cried again. “She wasn’t Althea…”

Edward squeezed her shoulders. “She wasn’t Althea, Kristine. We both know that.” Edward went to her side and looked at Audrey, who was still sleeping. “We decided to give her therapies back then to bring back the sweet child she once was.”

Kristine cried even harder. “I shouldn’t keep the secret from her…” she said, “I should have told her the truth.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Kristine. You only did what’s best for your daughter,” Edward wrapped his arms around her and comforted her. “It’s okay, Kristine. You’re a good mother to her. You raised her into a beautiful, kindhearted, smart girl. I’m thankful because you took care of her, despite our arguments.”

“I will do everything that could bring back my Audrey,” she said in between tears. “I missed her so much…”

“She’ll be back soon,” Edward told her. “We just have to make sure she’ll receive proper medications while inside the facility.”

Audrey was found guilty of two counts of murder, the court sentenced her to a psychiatric ward in prison for an indefinite period. They requested parole and will be given after fifteen years of being under watch inside the jail. Kristine couldn’t still accept what happened to her only daughter. But she’s determined to save her again from the dark.

“I will bring you back, sweetie,” Kristine whispered as she kissed Audrey’s knuckles. “Wait for mommy, okay?”

_____________________________

“I HEARD you’re going to Italy,” Justin told Rose when they met at the school library.

Rose forced a smile on her face. “Yeah, after the school year.” She took a psychology textbook from the shelves and heaved a sigh. “I can’t live here anymore.”

“You still made it for three years,” he said and tapped her shoulders. “I hope you’ll find your peace in Italy.”

“Thanks,” she replied with a smile. “It was still vivid in my memory.”

“You’ll be okay soon, Rose.”

“How about you? Where do you plan to go after this school year?”

Justin shrugged his shoulders. “I’ll stay at home with Tiny.”

“Tiny the Cat,” she said and laughed. “I’ll go now, I still have classes—”

“Wait, Rose,” Justin called her. “Before you leave, don’t you want to visit Audrey?”

Rose’s expression became dull. “Do you think I wanted to see the person that killed my mom?”

“Audrey’s sick, Rose.” Justin sighed. “And she’s back to being Audrey again—”

“I doubt it. Before, she made me believe that she was Audrey when she was really Althea,” she said and turned away from him.

Justin watched Rose walked away. He felt sorry that Rose had to undergo this endless sorrow because of Audrey’s alter persona. He knew that DID was usually caused by a traumatic event in a person’s childhood, but he didn’t expect it to be that tragic for Audrey. He also didn’t expect the reason behind Althea’s vengeance. Her dad committed suicide in front of her, but he told her about her mother’s infidelity before doing that. Audrey doesn’t deserve all this—no one deserves this kind of trauma.

Because of Audrey’s case, Justin became more determined and passionate in pursuing his chosen profession. Suppose he can’t prevent traumatic events like what happened to Audrey during childhood. In that case, he’ll be their future healer and won’t let them suffer again like Audrey.

After his classes, Justin went straight to the psychiatric ward for women, where Audrey was currently detained and being held for treatment before facing her sentence in prison. Justin has been visiting her at the facility for three years now. According to the nurses, Audrey was showing signs of improvement since she was brought there. It was good news for him and Audrey’s family, but they still had to face the pending sentence for Althea’s crime. Audrey was a good person. All of them knew it, even Rose, but every crime should be given justice.

Justin looked up at the towering, electrified metal fence of the psychiatric ward for women. The building looked creepy from the outside, but there’s a different ambiance on the inside. Justin visited the ward in the first year with Audrey’s parents, Dr. Edward and Miss Kristine. They’ll have picnics in the garden and talked about their happy memories. There are times that Audrey was excited and glad to see them, but there are also times that Audrey wasn’t because she was Althea.

After two years of being in a ward, the doctors gave them updates that Audrey hasn’t shown any switches for over three months now. If it continues for the whole year, they can approve her release.

“She’s doing great,” Audrey’s nurse told Justin as she escorted him to Audrey’s room. “She hasn’t switched to Althea for almost four months now. I think her system has learned to accept her meds.”

“She’s been through a lot.” Justin smiled. “I hope she’ll continue to heal,” he said and silently hoped for Althea to disappear permanently.

The nurse smiled. “She’s lucky to have a very supportive boyfriend and family,” she said and opened the door of Audrey’s room. “Audrey, your boyfriend is here.”

Audrey was sitting on her reading chair in front of the window. She stood and slowly turned to face them. She smiled as soon as she saw Justin. “You’re here.”

“Hi,” Justin stepped inside her room. He nodded curtly to the nurse as they left them. “Are you busy?”

Audrey shook her head. “I’m just reading,” she said, and they showed the paperbacks he brought for her. “I have read a dozen books for this week.”

“That’s great.” He took her hands and looked into her eyes. “I love you, Audrey.”

Audrey smiled broadly. “I love you too,” she said and hugged him. “But I am not Audrey.”

Justin pulled free from her. He saw Audrey slip something from the middle of the book she was reading. But it was too late for him to avoid because Audrey swiftly stabbed the table knife into the side of her neck. Justin stepped back and clutched her neck. He looked at Audrey questioningly.

“Audrey—”

“Audrey will never come back,” she said and smiled at him as she stepped closer with a bloody knife in her hand. “This body is mine now!”

***THE END***