Page 143 of Surprisingly Us

“Lettie, baby, I’m here.”

I scoop her up into my arms and pull her into my lap. She throws her arms around my neck and buries her face there. Her only response is to cry harder.

“Can you talk to me, Princess?” I stroke her hair. “I’m worried. Did someone hurt you? Did someone—”

I can’t get the words out. The thought of anyone touching Lettie, hurting her, clogs my throat with emotion. I’m preparing myself for her response, and the fact that I’ll be going to jail after I’m finished with said person.

“N-no.” She breathes in shakily between sobs. “It’s n-nothing like that.”

My body sags with relief.

“I—I can’t—” She tries to get the words out but a fresh sob wracks her body.

I don’t know what happened, but as long as she’s not physically hurt, I’ll hold her until she’s able to talk.

“Shh, it’s okay. I’ve got you.”

We stay like that for a long time. It’s nearly an hour until Lettie’s sobs subside and her breathing evens out. With her still clinging to me, I stand up and carry her into her bedroom. Carefully I help her into her pajamas, an oversized shirt and cotton sleep shorts, doing my best to ignore the glorious sight of her half naked, then carry her into the bathroom.

I set her on the closed toilet lid, then prepare her toothbrush. Water, then toothpaste. Just how she likes it.

“You remembered.” She hiccups before taking the toothbrush from me.

“You were very passionate about it, so yeah, it’s locked in my brain forever now.”

As she brushes, she motions toward the cabinet. “There’s an extra toothbrush under the sink if you want to use it.”

I hesitate. I want to be here for Lettie, but I don’t know if spending the night is a good idea. My eyes drift back to her.

She’s got her knees pulled into her chest; one arm wrapped around her legs while the other hand holds her toothbrush. Her toes, those beautifully bent and battered toes of hers, are curled over the side of the toilet seat. She’s staring at a spot on the floor, her eyes completely glazed over.

She catches me staring. Her eyes drop to the packaged toothbrush that’s still in my hands.

“Please,” she says, her mouthful of toothpaste spraying when she talks.

I nod, knowing there’s no way I can say no to her right now. Even if I wait for her to fall asleep, then move to the couch, I’ll hold her as long as she needs me to.

She rinses her mouth, then goes to lie down in her bed. I brush my teeth and take off my dress shirt, then hang it onthe back of the bathroom door. My hands reach for the button on my pants, but decide that sleeping in my pants is the better option. The safer option. Not that Lettie is in any condition for something physical to happen between us tonight, but we’ve never slept in a bed together and I’m trying to determine what’s the best protocol.

I climb into bed and Lettie immediately scoots closer. Her hands find my bare chest, and my arms wrap around her back, cradling her to me.

“Can you tell me what happened? My mind is going crazy right now.”

Her fingers tickle my collarbone. “My parents are getting a divorce.”

It’s sad news, but part of me is relieved that it’s not something worse.

Illness. Injury.Death. My mind had been going wild trying to think of what could have put Lettie in such a broken state.

But while the news of Lettie’s parents’ divorce may come as a relief to me, compared to all the terrible things that could have happened, I know it’s breaking her heart. She’s always been close with her parents. The end of her parents’ relationship and a change in their family dynamic is devastating. And that, in turn, is crushing mine.

“I’m so sorry.” I press a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“It’s always been the three of us. I can’t imagine my life without them together. Without us as a family. What will holidays be like now?” she whispers. “Will we still celebrate together or separate? What happens when either of them meets someone new?

“And they’re selling the lake house. I thought we’d have it forever. I thought I’d spend summers there with my kids, creating memories in the house I loved so much as a child. It’sstrange. I hadn’t even known that dream was in my head until I realized it wouldn’t be happening.”

I cup her cheek, my thumb brushing away a freshly fallen tear. Imagining Lettie visiting Lake George with her kids, a family of her own, does something to me. Now, the idea that she won’t have that, I hate it.

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