Page 15 of I Survived and will rise again

"I know I need to, but..." I rasp, my voice hoarse with emotion.

My wife's eyes hold so much tenderness, and I gaze at her with deep affection. I could have lost her, too, and the mere thought of it makes me shudder. But I couldn’t leave Sadie behind, not now, not ever. My wife understands since she has come to love and cherish her as much as I do.

She senses my unease and cups my face with her hands, "You're afraid." She says it as a statement, not a question. "What are you afraid of?" she asks, her tone gentle yet probing.

I draw a deep breath, trying to steady my voice. "That it's my fault he was taken from right under my watch. I’m afraid he’ll hate me for it.”

"It's not your fault, mi amor," she says, her voice soft and soothing. "You did everything you could to protect them. They don't expect anything more from you, just your love. Be there forthem and show them you’re not going anywhere. And besides, you need them just as much as they need you."

I close my eyes, letting her words wash over me and offer me solace.

"You have finally found the family you’ve been searching for. This new addition to your life means you have an even larger family to love. Nothing is more precious than the love and protection that comes with it."

I feel a sense of peace as I take in her words and embrace her, grateful for her love and support.

"Go to him." Her voice is laced with urgency.

"I'm not leaving you girls," I say, my voice firm with determination as I speak against her hair.

She pulls away and rests her hand on my chest near my heart as she speaks, and warmth emanates from her touch. "You're not leaving us. You're just going to check in on yourbrother. It would help if you talked things out with him."

Her words make sense but leaving my girls behind is unbearable.

Suddenly, there's a light knock at the door, and the nurse from earlier peeks her head in and smiles. The door opens wide, and she walks in. "Someone's getting hungry," the nurse says as she picks up my baby girl and hands her to her mother. Gabby gracefully snaps off the front of her nursing bra and pulls down one side. Gabby brings our daughter closer to her chest until she latches on to her nipple.

As the nurse leaves, she assures us she'll be back to check on us. We're left alone in the room with our little angel, and I can't resist standing up and leaning over my wife to kiss our little girl's head. "I love you, baby girl," I whisper and give her another kiss.

Turning to my wife, I smile and say, “I just need a day or two before I see him.” I lean in and kiss her lips softly.

“Okay, baby,” she says against my lips. "When was the last time you ate?" she asks, concern evident in her tired eyes.

I glanced at my watch, realizing it had been hours since I had eaten. "I honestly can't remember," I admitted sheepishly. This made me realize how hypocritical I was about Sadie for not caring for herself.

She squeezed my hand. "You need to take care of yourself too, Javi. Why don't you grab something to eat and maybe shower?"

I knew she was right.

I press another kiss against the soft skin of each of my girls' foreheads. Reluctantly, I turn to leave, but not before stealing a final glance at their sweet faces, feeling a pang of longing to stay by their sides for just a little bit longer.

Gabby catches my eye and silently mouths, "Go." A gentle smile tugs at her lips.

I offer a nod, my heart swelling with love and gratitude for the blessings of my precious family as I leave the room.

CHAPTER 5

Donovan

TWO DAYS LATER

Ikidnapped my girlfriend.

Ever since Jo came back, it has been getting increasingly difficult to spend time alone with my girl. She fears Jo might disappear again, and it leaves her feeling anxious whenever she’s not with him.

As I prepare to leave for college, my mind is filled with a barrage of emotions, ranging from excitement to sadness. The thought of leaving Shorty behind is messing with my head. I lost her eight years ago, and I've only had her back in my life for less than a year. I'd dreamt of the day we'd be reunited and end up in the same place at the same time, and now we’re about to be separatedagain.

Despite my best efforts to hide my true feelings, it's hard to ignore the sharp pangs of pain that well up inside me whenever I think of leaving her behind. The road ahead will be long and difficult, and it will take time for me to adjust to my new reality without Shorty by my side.

I will never forget the warmth of her body next to mine, the way her skin feels against my lips, and the tenderness of her belly. Even if we're underneath the same blue sky, it won't be the same, and it won't fill the hole burning through my chestwhenever she isn’t with me. So, with some help from her mom and grandma, I finally managed to keep her for myself for the day.

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