Page 104 of Inside Silence
He doesn’t finish his sentence and looks decidedly uncomfortable.
I’m simply too shocked to speak.
“I should get going too. Again, so sorry.”
He heads over to his patrol car, wipes the windshield clear of snow with his sleeve, and hops behind the wheel.
I’m still standing in the same spot, as KC drives off in the direction of Silence.
Is it possible?
Nate
* * *
“What’s wrong with Savvy?”
I glance over at my daughter as I drive her to her youth group rehearsal, which KC ended up moving from the church hall to the high school auditorium. Understandable, given what happened to him, as well as to Carson and my daughter, in the basement of the church.
“She hasn’t been feeling too well and she’s tired. Work was crazy this past week.”
All true, but I was wondering myself when she passed on what has become our weekly tradition of Sunday morning breakfast at the Bread & Butter Diner earlier and opted to stay in bed. I intend to find out when I get home after dropping Tate off.
“Savvy?” I call out, walking in the door.
She’s not on the main level, and I don’t find her in bed. The door to the bathroom is closed and I softly knock on the door.
“Babe, are you in here?”
“It’s not locked.”
She’s sitting on the floor, her back against the shower door and her bare legs stretched out in front of her and her hands in her lap. She’s still wearing the sleep shorts and shirt she had on earlier. Her hair is a tangled mess and her face is blotchy and red.
“Are you still feeling sick?” I sink down on the floor beside her and drape my arm around her, pulling her close to my side.
“Don’t,” she says, resisting a little. “I reek of vomit.”
“I don’t care about that. I care about you.” I press a kiss to her head. “I’m worried. Maybe you should see a doctor? Whatever this bug is, it doesn’t look like it’s letting up.”
She scoffs a laugh.
“I’m pretty sure it’s not going to let up for a while,” she shares.
“What do you mean?”
By way of a response, she hands me a white and blue plastic stick she’d been holding in her lap. It takes me no more than a second to recognize it for what it is, and there is no doubt in my mind what that dark blue plus sign in the small display window means.
She promptly bursts out crying.
“I’m sorry. I swear I haven’t missed taking my pills. I don’t know what happened.”
“I do,” I tell her with a chuckle. “I remember exactly what happened. I haven’t forgotten a single moment I’ve spent making love with you.”
“But I wasn’t supposed to get pregnant. We haven’t even talked about?—”
“Hush,” I cut her off, easing her chin up with my index finger so I can look in her eyes. “We, of all people, should know by now to grab on to those unexpected blessings and treasure them.”
I give her a little shake.
