Page 45 of A Brambleberry Summer

“Are you certain? I don’t mind going to get tea.”

He shook his head. “No. You have done more than enough. I’m sorry I kept you so late.”

“What time is it?”

“Nearly two. I thought I would be back long before now but the case was...more complicated than I expected.”

“I do not mind. I was glad to help.”

“I’m deeply grateful to you for staying with Logan. Let’s get you back home so you can at least spend a few hours in your own bed.”

She rose, again fighting the urge to go to him, wrap her arms around his waist and let him lean on her for a moment.

“Did everything go okay with Logan?” he asked. “No nightmares?”

She’d had one but hadn’t heard a peep out of the boy. “Yes. Just fine. I checked on him when I first arrived and he was sleeping soundly. He doesn’t keep the blanket on, though, does he?”

“Not usually. Sometimes I go in three or four times a night to fix it. He rolls around like he’s doing gymnastics in his sleep. Once when we went camping, I actually woke up with bruises on my rib cage from him kicking me in his sleep.”

He was a good father who adored his child. She could picture him checking on the boy and making sure he was warm in the night. It touched her heart.

“I cannot think you enough for coming down at the last minute and helping out. None of our usual babysitters were available. With Carrie and Joe out of town, I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I really did not mind. I was honored that you would ask. Please do not hesitate to ask me again.”

“If I do, I’ll try not to keep you up until the early hours of the morning.”

She shrugged and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I slept more soundly here than I probably would have at home. Please do not worry.”

He smiled a little at that, but she could tell his eyes were still hollowed. What had happened?

“Do you have everything? Can I carry something?”

She wanted to roll her eyes when she realized he really did intend to walk her upstairs. “I have told you before, it is only two flights of stairs. I think I will be fine by myself. Get some rest.”

“I need to move a little bit after tonight.”

She nodded, understanding that sentiment. After that terrible time, she had needed to take long walks with Lauren, finding peace and comfort and a sort of meditation in the rhythm and the movement.

“Do you...want to talk about what happened tonight?” she finally asked.

“You don’t want to hear. It was ugly.”

She couldn’t help it. She rested a hand on his arm. “I am sorry, whatever it was,” she said quietly. “I can tell you are upset. If you were not, if you did not care and did not let the ugly touch you, then you would not be the good man you are.”

He gazed down at her hand, his features tortured. After a moment, he made a sound of distress, then he folded her into his arms and held on tight.

“Why are people so horrible to each other?” he said, his voice sounding raw and strained.

She had no answer. What could she say? It was the question that had haunted her for fifteen years. One she was quite certain she would never be able to answer.

She only held him tightly, as she had seen Lauren do for Daniel, and tried to give him a little of her strength. She wanted to whisper that she would not let him go, no matter what, but, of course, she could not say that. How foolish to think that she, Rosa Vallejo Galvez, could protect anyone from the storm.

“Sometimes they are horrible,” she agreed finally. “I do not know why. I wish I did. But more often people are good. They try to help where they can. I try to focus on the helpers instead.”

They stood in the front room of his apartment, holding each other as emotions seemed to pour out of him. He didn’t make a sound, but every once in a while, she could feel his shoulders shake as if it was taking everything inside him to keep from breaking down.

“Most of the time, I’m fine,” he finally said, his voice still strained. “I like to think I can handle just about anything. But this one was hard. So hard.”

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