It still feels a little unreal to me, but today I noticed that The Private Clinic has officially reached 5000 reads! Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, voting and sharing. It really means so much to me!
As I announced earlier, here you have an additional chapter to TPC. It's set after chapter 23, but before the epilogue. I scrapped it from the story because I couldn't fit it within my timeline, but as a little extra to show my gratitude, I thought why not give you all a little more, to maybe finally conclude this story.
Anyway, back to the story.....
Waiting for Miller takes ages, so my mind wanders to Juliet's funeral we held a week ago. Every so often, the image of her laying in the coffin intrudes my mind. Her skin was yellow and leathery, but the mortician did their best to clean her up and have her looking her nicest.
My eyes water when I think of how much I failed her. How everything for her ended in a dirty cellar underneath a house where she was held captive for months. She slipped through my fingers again, it's not fair. I wasn't even aware of the torture, the isolation, the hurt she went through. The trauma still traced back in het lifeless corpse. All I feel right now, while staring at the ground, is regret.
I glaze my eyes over the park, the children playing in the fountain, a couple having a picknick. It's a perfect spring day. Very different from a week ago, when we buried Juliet. It was as if the heavens were crying with us. There was not a speck of sunlight that would burst through the thick pack of clouds and the rain hadn't stopped until the next day.
Aunt Olivia and Jay had picked out a beautiful bouquet of flowers for the coffin. I was in charge of the invitations, so I made sure I invited people I knew Juliet would approve of.
Actually, Juliet kind of liked everyone in town, so she wouldn't have left people out – but I picked out the suitable people, the people who sticked by me in the search for her. Even Logan was allowed to come.
I reunited with Daniel and Oliver, and we even played a song together. Though we knew Juliet loved our rock songs, we opted for something acoustic, something we wrote ourselves.
Sunset hill
With the gust of wind
Waking me so slow
Every morning filled with determination
I cant just see you go
Call out to me if you're ready
Watch the sun rise with me
Watch the darkness disappear
Miller attended as well, I didn't even invite him, but he snuck in last minute. I hadn't been all too nice to him, I called him a coward and said he failed my sister.
Thinking of him, he's taking so long. I stare at my hands. After passing out the night of Juliet's escape attempt, the police stormed into the house and arrested Clark. That's when I regained consciousness. I chew him out completely, right there on the spot. In my rage saying things I should now regret.
The paramedics weren't able to tend to Juliet, and every time I think of where she died, I get really upset. The paramedics were able to help out Evan though, and he lives. He's locked up, that's for sure – but he lives. After I woke up in the hospital, Miller told me that I hadn't actually shot him, I missed. One of the policemen coming down shot in Clark's knee. He said I had fallen to my knees and raised my hands in the air for a second, but then I collapsed. I can't remember any of that.
Detective Miller comes from behind me, and sits down next to me on the park bench. He hands me a cup of coffee with a messily scribbled 'Wayne' on it. I gladly take it and show a weak smile.
"How are you, kid?"
"I suppose I am fine." I gesture at my body. I had been limping for a week now.
"Well, good. But you know I didn't mean your physical health."
I nod.
"I know."
"So, are you back in school?"
"Yeah, I have a lot to catch up on, but I can still make it if I work hard."
"Good."
"I guess."
"No, really. It's good you're going back to school. Pickin' things up."
"It sucks being there though. Everyone is overly nice to me and they made some sort of stupid shrine for Juliet, it has a picture and everything – same picture you had of here, it's my favorite." I sigh, "but I just hate staring into her happy eyes. . . It feels like I have lost when I do that."
"I don't know, Casper. I wouldn't say you've lost – with doctor Clark locked up, I think we won."
"Yes, but at what cost?"
"I understand." Miller presses his lips together. "Listen, kid, you've got a knack for this sort of stuff. If there's anything you should've realized all these months, it's that you're one heck of an investigator."
I try to contain my laughter, Miller's completely lost it.
"The way you were determined to find your sister is what come officers lack."
"And?" I simply wanted to know what he was getting at.
Miller smiles, he has this broad grin.
"I thin you should go and finish school like you are, and knock on my door when you're done."
"And what – become," I chuckle, "become a cop?"
"I was thinking something more ambitious, like a private investigator."
"A shady guy in a trench coat with a fedora on?"
Miller laughs thickly.
"You watch a lot of movies. Casper, I'm serious."
I nod. "Okay, I guess I'll think about it. All I ever wanted to do was write music – this is not something that naturally entered my plans for the future."
"And I'm sure you'll be great at being a Rockstar and investigating."
"Thanks for having faith."
We silently drink the rest of our coffee. It really was a lovely day, with the sun shining down on the town square and many people outside to enjoy it. It seemed like my fellow townsfolk weren't all too bothered by Juliet's case, because no one really spoke about it anymore. No one offered condolences in the line at the grocery store, or at the diner, or anywhere. I think they believe they already did that when my parents died and convinced me Juliet was dead too. At least the town isn't in the hands of uncertainty anymore, they all must be relieved.
"Kid, I gotta run." Miller stood up.
"Yeah, same here."
"Don't you forget about what I told you." Miller pointed at me.
I smirk. "I won't. Thanks for everything, sorry for being so angry."
Miller shrugs.
"It was understandable. Thank you for helping me find your sister as well. You got a strong gut."
And after I gave Miller a nod, he went. I stretched my body and relaxed it against the bench, I wasn't ready to get up and go back into current time. I'd like to sit here, glancing over the park after a conversation with Miller, as if there is still hope for Juliet - the determination sweet as honey.
Picking up my life after finally allowing myself time to grief is the hardest thing I have to teach myself, I still think of Juliet, lying on her bed bopping her head along to the music playing through her headphones, and I think my thought will be intruded by the image of her face much longer. It's odd when someone isn't there anymore.
I throw the empty cup away and dig my hands in my pockets. My fingertips slide over paper and I frown as I take it out. It's a small folded note, completely crumpled. I carefully folded it open.
Casper, I am so proud of you. – J
My eyes water, she must've shoved it in my pocked before the concert.
She may not be there anymore, but she lives on in my memories - the story of Juliet Hardwin is not finished yet, as long as I remain.
Well, there you have it! The final conslusion to The Private Clinic. Please let me know what you think of this chapter or the story as a whole, now that you've reached the end :)
Thank you all so much for reading, commenting and voting. I'm off to debate whether or not we need a sequal to this story :)
Much love and see you in the future, Dani.