Page 49 of Left Behind

“I know people,” Sonny said.

“And so do we,” Aaron added.

“Where’s her suitcase?” Wiley asked.

“Her things are in my car. You can get them when I leave. I’ll be glad to be done with her,” Corina said, and glared at the little girl all but hidden behind Wiley Pope’s legs.

Suddenly, Ava stepped out from behind Wiley’s legs and stared Corina straight in the face. “Somebody wants me.”

Corina blinked.

Wiley knew the courage it took for Ava to even speak, and reached down and picked her up.

“A whole bunch of somebodies want you,” he said.

Ava was startled at being touched, and then it dawned on her how high off the floor she was, and she gasped.

“We’re high up,” she whispered.

“Too high?” he asked.

Her eyes were huge. “Maybe.”

“Then we’ll sit,” Wiley said, and carried her to the back of the room to the sofa and sat down with her in his lap.

At first, she was stiff, almost uncertain how to relax, but for the first time in days, her tummy was full, and her Bubba’s arms were so strong that she knew he wouldn’t drop her. Finally, she leaned her head against his chest and watched the grown-ups across the room and, as always, made herself as small as she could be. And closed her eyes.

She was asleep when Corina signed her declaration and still asleep as the notary notarized it.

“Am I free to go?” Corina asked.

“Yes,” Sonny said.

“I’ll follow you out to get Ava’s suitcase,” Aaron said.

She headed for the door without even looking at the child asleep in Wiley Pope’s arms.

“Don’t you want to tell her goodbye?” Wiley asked.

Corina felt the dig for what it was, lifted her chin, and kept walking.

It was just as Wiley expected. Ava had no bond with that woman. In time the bruises she’d given her would fade, but it remained to be seen what had been done to the little girl’s fragile ego.

Wiley looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms, marking the tilt of her nose, her white-blond hair and the reddish cast to her brows and lashes. She was malnourished and emotionally frozen. What was it going to take to find the child hidden within?

Aaron came back with a disgusted look on his face and carrying a black garbage bag. “These are her worldly belongings.”

Wiley sighed. One hurdle down. A million more to go. He glanced at Sonny. “Chief, I’m gonna need a few days off.”

Sonny was still flushed with rage. “The way I feel, so do I. I have never encountered anyone like her. Take the time you need to get situated, find yourself a good babysitter, and get her enrolled in school, and without asking, I’m telling you now you are officially on the day shift and weekends off unless there are dire emergencies.”

“This is definitely not what I expected when I woke up this morning, and I don’t know how to thank you, but it is much appreciated,” Wiley said.

Aaron was still reeling from the initial accusation and in shock at Wiley’s reaction. He’d never seen this side of Wiley, and he was a little bit in awe.

“You’re not in this alone, little brother. We have to tell Mom and—”

“I already told Mom I was going to fight for her, and she told me to go for it.”

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