Page 24 of The Alpha's Pen Pal

“What about the wife?”

The girl sighed. “She left again. I think she goes to the bar down the block every night. When she returns in the morning, she always reeks of alcohol. I don’t know if her kids are so busy with everything else that they just don’t notice or if they’re just ignoring it, but she needs help.”

“Have you sent the chaplain in?”

“I did, and she told him to leave,” she replied. “I mean, I get it. Not everyone finds comfort in religion, but I had to at least try…”

Their voices faded as they left the room, and I swallowed, trying to get rid of the dry feeling in my throat.

I left my hiding spot, set my backpack on the chair, and sat on the bed. My hand shook, but I reached out for Dad anyway, gripping his hand in mine as gently as I could.

“Dad…” I said, my voice breathy and hoarse. “Dad, please, you have to come back.”

A tear slipped down my cheek, and I wiped at it with haste. “Nothing is the same anymore. Everyone is so serious all the time. I never know where I’m going to be at night. And they won’t even let me see you. They think they’re protecting me, but they’re not.”

I took in a shuddering breath, the air rattling in my lungs, my throat tightening.

“And Mom is… Mom is… she’s not good, Dad. She’s a mess. She doesn’t say anything. She stares off into space. I hug her, and her arms just stay limp at her sides.”

The tears I had kept at bay for so long finally burst through the dam and fell freely down my face and onto my chin and my shirt. My voice mixed with sobs as I kept talking to him. “So you gotta wake up, Dad. Please. We need you. I can’t… please. Please wake up. Wake up! Wake up!”

I collapsed forward, burying my face into his chest, where there were no cords or wires blocking my contact with him. My whole body shook and heaved as I held in the sounds of my crying. I didn’t need to alert the entire floor that I was in here with him. But I needed this. I needed to see him, and touch him, and hug him.

I blinked my crusty, swollen eyes open against the brightening room, and turned my head towards the commotion at the door. Scott and Tiffany’s voices were recognizable over the top of all the noise.

I jumped up and grabbed my bag, nausea swirling in my stomach as I rushed towards the door. I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep. I’d meant to sneak back out and go home.

I stopped in my tracks when I saw a cop standing in the room near the door. I swallowed and clutched my bag to my chest, then turned back towards Dad, only to realize I was no longer in his hospital room.

My chest rose and fell as I tried to breathe, and my knees shook as they tried to keep me standing.

“You’re okay,” he murmured in what I assumed was supposed to be a comforting voice.

But all it did was cause more panic. How had they moved me? Why had they moved me? I needed to be with my dad in case he got better. In case he woke up.

“How…?”

“The nurses found you asleep in Jack’s room,” he breathed. “They called us and the social workers.”

I shook my head. “No,” I said.

“It’s all right, sweetie,” he continued. “You’re safe. We’re just waiting on the new family, and then—”

“NO!” I yelled, and I darted forward to the door, my hand grappling with the handle.

They couldn’t take me away. This was my family. I picked them and they picked me. We were happy. They were going to be my parents and my siblings.

They did not need to save me. I was already safe. I had a mom and dad.

I wrenched the door open and met the red-rimmed eyes of Tiffany, Scott, and Mom. I tried to run to them, but firm hands gripped me around my waist and held me back.

“Let me go!” I cried, squirming in the arms of the cop.

My body was hot, and my heart pounded from my chest all the way into my head, the sound filling my ears. I fought against his hold and twisted around to break free, but nothing worked.

The tears running down my face mixed with the snot coming out of my nose, but I was too busy fighting to reach my family to care.

“You don’t understand!” I said hoarsely.

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