Page 19 of Claws and Feathers

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Maya said, her tone laced with sympathy. “Do you have a lot of friends?”

“Not exactly. I’m staying with my best friend until I find a place of my own. I just moved here.”

“That’s a big financial commitment,” Maya noted. “Are you currently working?”

“Money’s not really an issue.”

She nodded her head, taking in Abby’s responses. “Tell me a little about what happened to you.”

Abby closed her eyes.

Darkness. Ropes. Cigarette smoke.

Little Bird.

She inhaled a jagged breath. She could almost feel his anger absorbing into her. She could smell the tequila on his breath. Abby clutched her hands together in her lap and lowered her head. “I keep finding myself back in that van. Every time I close my eyes.”

Maya studied her carefully, as if weaving Abby’s words into something she could make tangible. “That must have been horrific for you.” She tapped the end of her pen against her notepad. “I want you to switch gears for a moment. Tell me how it felt when you realized you survived.”

Abby’s eyes remained closed as she tried to shift focus.

Sunshine. Fresh air. Hope.

Cooper.

She swallowed, new sensations washing over her. The tension in her body began to dissipate. “It felt liberating. I was relieved,” she said softly. “I felt… strong. Scared, but strong.”

“You are strong, Abigail. You’re a fighter.”

Abby nodded. “The officer…” She paused, wondering what she even planned to say. She tried to center her thoughts as she took another deep breath. “The officer who rescued me has been really kind. It’s nice to know someone has my back.”

Maya shifted in her chair, her head cocking to the side. “Officer McAllister?”

“Yes.” Abby glanced up, surprised. “You know him?”

“I live in Crow’s Peak. I know everyone in that town.”

Abby’s gaze traveled to her unpainted toenails peeking out of her sandals. She thought about the donut crumbs that had landed on them and smiled.

Maya was silent for a moment as she scribbled down more notes. “You seem fond of him,” she observed.

“Oh, um…” Abby’s head shot up, and she pushed her hair behind her ear. “I’m just grateful that he’s been so dedicated.”

Maybe it was more than that. Maybe there was… fondness.

It was a ridiculous notion to even think, let alone speak. She hardly knew the man.

But he was her hero.

“Well, Abigail,” Maya began, sitting up straight and uncrossing her legs. She ran a hand through her ponytail, her perfectly manicured fingernails gliding through the glossy strands. “I’d like to caution you there. You’re still in a very fragile mindset. It’s natural to be attracted to the man who rescued you, but it’s not entirely wise.”

“Attracted? No, no… that’s not what I meant.”

Maya gave her a tight-lipped smile. “Of course.”

Abby leaned back against the sofa cushions, newly rattled.

Attracted.No, that’s not what she’d meant at all. Abby hadn’t felt attraction towards any man since Jordan. And in those final years with him, even that feeling had subsided. Their relationship had gone stale. Abby’s baggage and tortured past had worn them down to nothing. Jordan had strayed, and Abby had left.

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