Page 194 of Chalk Outline
“I owe you a collision of our worlds,” he whispers. I furrow my brows, trying to decipher his cryptic words again. Our worlds have collided more than once, several times, andoh…
He wants to turn me into a mama.
I squeeze his hand in response and press my head against his chest.
Our pilot, Phoenix, lands the helicopter on the second helipad at the edge of an island. Palm trees and lush greenery encircle a stunning coastal cottage with pale blue and white siding, giving it a dreamlike appearance.
A gentle breeze sways the hammock in the front yard, while a pool sparkles in the backyard.
I hope out, walk along the paved trail, and whistle for Titan to follow while Grandma makes a few phone calls. Grass is sprawled on either side. Mitch helps Reeve get out of the helicopter and walk the short distance. We climb up the two-way staircase leading to a porch. The medical team runs to us and quickly takes me and Reeve inside.
They gently lower us onto a powder blue couch, check our vital signs, run a few tests, and insert a port into my arm for a blood transfusion. The living room smells like vanilla and freedom as I lean back and relax. Reeve crams everything he can find into his mouth, sending Mitch back and forth a few times.
I laugh at that.
A tall woman in a white coat brings a chair next to me to examine my hand and decides I need stitches.
An hour and a half of intense care ticks away, and then everything slows down.
“Reeve fell asleep in the guest room with Titan,” Grandma tells me, settling beside me on the couch with a steaming mug of tea. “Did the painkillers start to work?”
All the adrenaline in my system masked the pain, but once it wore off, it hit me like a tsunami.
I hum in approval, putting aside the book I tried to drown my thoughts in. I take the mug from her outstretched hand with both hands, still hooked to the IV stand.
I contemplate my following words. There are so many things I want to ask her, but I don’t know which one to ask first.
“Just say it,” she blurts as if she resides in my head.
“Do you know where my biological parents are?”
She shakes her head from side to side. “I tried to find them for years. I went to hospitals in Europe, checked police records for missing kids, and even hired a private detective. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” My gaze travels to the light-gray, hard floor. “You saved me. We don’t know where I would have ended up without you.”
She brushes my hair.
“I wonder whether I have siblings or if my parents are still alive.”
“I will never stop looking, and if I ever find a lead, you’ll be the first to hear about it.”
I nod at her and sip my tea.
“Did you eat something? Did Reeve eat?” she asks, concern contorting her features.
I chuckle softly. “He kind of crashed after he ate a donut, two burgers, and a basket of strawberries.”
Her soft laughter fills the air, and it almost sounds unreal. “I made sure my team brought you plenty of food options.”
“Thank you.” I flick my eyes back to her. “He really needs a break. A long break until his soul is fully rested.”
“Agreed.” She purses her lips into a thin line. “His contract is over. He can do whatever he wants to do. I won’t take him away ever again.”
“You better not,” I say with a sly grin, arching my brow, yet I mean every word.
A wide grin spreads across her face. “You can still go on missions if you want to. You have a great team. But I won’t force any of you.”
“We will consider it months from now.”
