Page 18 of The Kidnapped

“She said she’d meet us in her office,” Aaliyah said. “But can I go to the kitchen and get a snack?”

“We’re going to dinner,” Ripley replied.

“I don’t want dinner, though. I want a snack.”

“I want you to have dinner,” Ripley said.

“It’s a bag of chips, Mom,” Aaliyah argued.

“You won’t eat your food.”

“I promise, I’ll clean my plate.”

“Go find your mother and ask her if you can have chips,” Ripley told her. “Tell her that I’ll be right there, and then we’re leaving because I’m starving.”

“Me too. That’s why I want chips.”

Aaliyah ran off, and Ripley shook her head before she turned back to them.

“Just like her mother,” she said. “She doesn’t give up, either.”

“Is she getting those chips?” Hollis asked.

“Probably. Sometimes, Kenna likes to argue with her just for fun and doesn’t give in. Other times, she does. It’s fun to watch. I should probably get in there before Kenna gives her all the chips in the kitchen and we spend money on chicken tenders and mac and cheese that she doesn’t even touch.”

“Your wife or your daughter?” Hollis laughed.

“That’s all Aaliyah. It was really nice to meet you two. I hope we get a chance to see each other again. Maybe we will, with Hollis working here now.”

“Yeah,” Hollis uttered.

Raleigh didn’t say anything, but when Ripley walked off, Hollis dropped her hand, and Raleigh missed it and its warmth.

“You’re pretty good at it,” Raleigh told her.

“What?”

“You said the other night that you don’t have any practice making friends and that you’re not good at it, but I think you just made one,” Raleigh explained.

“She was just being polite.”

“No, she wasn’t,” Raleigh replied. “I am good at making friends. Well, I was before all this. I’ve lost a few since Eden. I lost a few before that, too, when they chose my ex over me. You know how that goes. And she’s polite, yes, but she’d hang out with you.”

“Well, we’ll see,” Hollis said, turning to her. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay. Hanging in there, I think. It’s hard to see moms with their daughters, you know? Aaliyah is so excited by what her mom does. Sometimes, I’d see girls with their moms at the store or something, and I’d hear them argue just like they did. They want cookies or ice cream, and the mom is telling them why they can’t have it. It just makes me wonder what Eden would be asking for in the store now. She liked chocolate ice cream with sprinkles. Does she still? That kind of a thing.”

“Hey, I’m pretty much done here, and my mom will be napping until I get home,” Hollis told her. “Do you want to grab that real coffee, like we talked about, since the good places are open now?”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to keep you from her.”

“I’m sure. I just have to close my computer for the night, and we can go, if you want.”

“That would be great. I’m buying, though,” Raleigh said.

“Can I get chips?” Hollis laughed.

“They’ll ruin your dinner,” Raleigh joked back.

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