Page 138 of Hawk
Chapter 44
Stella
3 weeks later
For weeks, Devlin andJames had worked to figure out who Carla was, and when they called this morning, asking to come by the house after Matthew and Anna left for school, I assumed they’d figured something out. They’d run her name shortly after we escaped that horrible place, and I’d done everything I could to make her comfortable.
“Do you know what they found out?” Carla asked me as we sat at the dining room table and had our cups of coffee.
She was a teenager, but her soul was old, so I didn’t protest some of her unconventional habits. From drinking coffee to completing crossword puzzles, she enjoyed things that were years beyond her actual age.
“I’m not sure, but whatever it is, we’ll tackle it as a family,” I responded as the sound of the front door opening echoed into the dining room.
Colton walked in from taking the younger kids to school, and as he walked past us, he ruffled Carla’s hair before offering me a sweet kiss on the lips. She huffed as she tried to fix his mess, and I couldn’t help but chuckle at their antics. She was like a little sister to him, and she’d admitted that she hoped to find someone as wonderful as him someday.
For now, she was happy to experience life without abuse, neglect, or uncertainty.
“Can I refill your cups?” Colton asked from the kitchen.
“Yes, please,” I replied, and he carried the pot of coffee and creamer into the dining room.
After topping off our cups, he returned everything to the kitchen and joined us as we waited for Devlin and James to arrive. Since she and I escaped, she’d struggled a little with being around strangers, but most days, she was brave and conquered her fears. I didn’t want to baby her, nor did I want to lay down rules that she might rebel against, so I opted for a more sisterly bond, and so far, we haven’t had any problems.
Last week, James stopped by the house and asked if he could run a DNA test to help determine if she had any other relatives. When asked about her father, she couldn’t answer the question, so he decided that was a good place to start. Her mother had died of a brain aneurism, so there wasn’t any way to ask her.
“I’m nervous,” Carla admitted as her leg bounced under the table.
Gently, I reached across the table and took her hand into mine as I spoke. “I’m not an expert, so it’s just a guess on my part, but maybe it’s the three cups of coffee you’ve had this morning.”
Colton laughed into the room, and she smiled before sticking out her tongue. Whatever I needed to do to lighten the mood, I would do. I tried not to think about how she and I met, but if it meant saving her, I would do it all again. Maybe not the taser and mild concussion, but you take the good with the bad sometimes.
My phone pinged, and I picked it up to see a text from James.
James:We’re pulling onto your street now.
I sent him a thumbs up and placed the phone back onto the table. Exhaling, I turned to her and said, “They’re about to pull up. Are you ready for this?”
“Hell yes,” she replied and blushed slightly before glancing down at her lap sheepishly. “Sorry. Yes, I’m ready.”
Some nights, she struggled to sleep, and between Colton and I, we’ve been able to stave off some of the worry she’d likely experience for years to come. She still hadn’t opened up about everything she’d lived through, but from the haunting look in her eyes sometimes, I knew it must’ve been a lot.
A knock sounded into the house, and I stood before anyone else and smiled at Carla before walking to the front door. There was a peephole in the door now, and a monitor on the side of door, so I checked it first to make sure who was outside. I wouldn’t let anyone run me from my home, but I was much more cautious after Araneta’s bullshit.
Opening the door, I stepped aside as Devlin and James walked in. Hugging them both quickly, I chose not to ask any questions before we were sitting down. It wasn’t my news to know, it was Carla’s, so she deserved to be the first to hear it. They followed me into the dining room, and Carla was twisted in her chair, smiling at both of them as they each took a seat.
“How’s the baby?” I asked, trying to make small talk before the situation grew heavy.
“Already sleeping through the night,” Devlin remarked and smiled. “This morning, I went in to find DJ asleep in the crib with him.”
“He’s already protecting his little brother,” Colton remarked, and my brother nodded with a smile.
Carla looked at the end of the table to James, who had his laptop open, and asked with some reservation, “What did you find out?”
