Page 14 of Keep This Promise
“Am I going to see you again soon?”
His eyes meet mine for a second, but that one look is a whole conversation without a word spoken. He already cares for Eden. He may not have a plan, but it is clear he’ll take care of us.
That look breaks me.
“Yes, I think we’re going to see a lot of each other,” Holden answers.
And I let out a sob as the overwhelming emotions crush me.
ChapterFive
HOLDEN
Uhhh.
Now what?
She’s crying these deep, long sobs that are wracking her whole body. Eden is standing beside her, looking confused and a little scared, and I am . . . lost. I have a kid.
A kid, and . . . she’s staring at me.
So, I do the only thing I know to do in this situation and call for reinforcement.
“Brielle! Blakely! Help please.”
I pull Sophie into my arms, holding her close as she continues to cry, and give Eden an awkward smile, which is probably more creepy than reassuring, but I’m doing my best here.
A few seconds later, the girls burst through the door.
“What did you do?” Brielle asks incredulously.
“I have no clue, but could you maybe take Eden out and let me talk to Sophie?” I ask with the same forced smile.
Blakely glares at me, which I return with an eye roll and then tilt my head, indicating they should go.
Sophie’s hands grip my shirt, holding on for dear life. As soon as they take Eden out of the room, I pull back a little to make eye contact. “Sophie, why are you crying?” I sort of feel like an idiot asking since, why wouldn’t she be crying?
Her husband died. She left her home and is exhausted after traveling for four days, which I’ll unpack later because, why did it take four days?
She looks up at me, her tears falling. “I’m scared. I’m scared because you don’t have any directions, and I came here because I had to run. He told me to let him die alone because we could be harmed.”
“Harmed by who?”
“I don’t know!” She chokes out the words, and I can hear the agony in them.
I pull her tight against me, offering her whatever protection my arms can give. I feel awful, and the mother of my child shouldn’t have to feel scared and alone. “Sophie, you’re safe.”
She shakes her head. “I’m not.”
“Why do you think you’re in danger here?”
“Because you didn’t even know I was coming or why I am here.”
I am not following. “You’re also sick. Is that why he sent you to me?”
She wipes her face with the back of her hand and blinks a few times. “Who is sick?”
“You.”
