Chapter 17 - The Drive to Cumberland
Two hours later, Mara sat in the passenger seat of Julian’s SUV as they wound through the steep, tree-lined mountain roads leading toward Cumberland, Maryland. The autumn foliage blazed in brilliant shades of red and gold along the highway, completely indifferent to the storm brewing inside Mara’s mind.
When the warden had called, Mara hadn't hesitated to tell Julian. There were no secrets between them anymore; trust was the bedrock of their marriage. Julian had immediately offered to drive her, understanding the complex web of trauma, closure, and unresolved history that pulled her toward a dying man she had spent years trying to erase.
"You don't have to go in, Mara," Julian said softly, keeping his eyes on the winding asphalt ahead while one hand rested gently over hers on the center console. "If you just want to drop off a message or confirm his status from the waiting room, I'm right here with you."
"I know," Mara murmured, staring out the window at the passing mountains. "I don't feel pity for him, Julian. And I certainly don't feel love. But... twenty years ago, before the money and the ego corrupted every part of who he was, there was a man I believed in. I need to see for myself that it's really over. I need to close this final door so it can never haunt us again."
Julian nodded, squeezing her fingers reassuringly. "Whatever you need to do, I've got your back."
When they arrived at the regional medical center in Cumberland, the atmosphere was starkly different from the gleaming, high-tech corridors of Whitmore Heart Center where Grant had once reigned supreme. This hospital smelled of antiseptic and institutional fatigue. Two armed federal guards stood outside a heavy double door at the end of the second-floor hallway, their faces expressionless as Mara and Julian approached.
"Identification?" the senior guard demanded, stepping forward.
Mara handed over her driver's license and the official notification slip from the warden. The guard checked the documents against a clipboard, eyed Julian warily, and then looked back at Mara.
May you like
"Only you, ma'am. Ten minutes maximum. No recording devices," the guard instructed, unlatching the heavy door.
Mara took a deep, steadying breath, pushed open the door, and stepped inside the sterile, dim room.
