Page 58 of Make Me Whole

Red like a chili and blinking like an idiot, Principal Lightfoot pivoted and walked away. Having her gone made me feel so much better.

I exhaled a few times to calm myself before I turned to look back at Sky and Aiden. Both of them had raised brows and shocked expressions.

“That was badass, Dad!”

“Don’t say ass, Aiden,” I admonished him, even though it was hypocritical of me. I ran a hand through my hair. “I’m angry and was making a point to that arrogant principal about protecting the guilty because of rank or personal interest. But she’s right about using bad words. We shouldn’t do it lightly, andyoushouldn’t do it at all.”

I knew I’d have to revisit the subject with him, but for now I had more important things to focus on. I tossed him my keys and told him to go wait in the truck so I could focus on Sky.

Once we were alone—or as alone as one could get in front of a school—I looked at her and rubbed my hands up and down her arms. I was about to ask her how she was doing, a stupid question that luckily got interrupted by her.

“Thank you for coming.”

I tugged my brows together. “You never have to thank me for showing up for you and Ella. I’ll always be wherever you need. That’s a given.”

She gave me the saddest smile and brought her shaky hands to her belly. I rubbed her arms again, trying to calm her a bit. Her face continued its mask of panic, but her muscles relaxed under my touch.

I liked the effect I had on her, how I could calm her when nothing else did. I also liked the effect she had on me, making me feel stronger and needed in ways I hadn’t felt since Marge. More than the sex itself, that’s what I had missed over the past few weeks.

I wanted to tell her how much I wanted to go back to Halloween and live there permanently, that I also didn’t want just the fantasy. I wanted it all too.

But now wasn’t the time for that. Now, I had to focus on finding Ella.

“I called your dad on my way here. He was in Whiskey River, but he’s on his way. We’ll drive around looking for her, but you should go home and wait for Ella there.”

Hesitation filled her eyes. It was as if the idea of sitting idly at home made her feel powerless, a feeling I knew she despised. Holding her gaze, I reassured her. “We both know that Eli doesn’t want to keep Ella. He wants to learn where you live and show you he’s in control of the situation. I’m sure he’ll entertain her for a while so you’ll worry, and then he’ll take her home. She’ll be scared when she gets there, and she’ll need you.”

My logic seemed to resonate with her. She nodded and gave me a list of places to look. I paid attention and assured her we’d look in all those places, then walked her to her car.

I opened the door for her, but before going in, she asked, “She’ll be fine, right?”

“Yes.” I wasn’t sure if I was assuring her or myself. “If not, I’ll kill him.”

The ghost of a smile curled on her lips. “This time, I won’t ask you not to.”

I desperately wanted to press my lips to hers, to find our grounding connection and give her assurance, but Aiden was looking. Instead of her lips, I kissed her forehead, and she went inside her car.

I watched her drive away as I walked to my truck and sat down on the driver’s seat. Aiden had parked himself in the front passenger seat next to me instead of on his booster in the back. I knew I should tell him to go sit where he belonged, but he was so nervous that I let him stay out front where the view was better.

“If you’re staying in that seat, at least buckle up. And call Al on the speaker.”

He obeyed the seat belt order but just held my phone instead of calling Al. “Ella will be okay, right, Dad? We’ll get her back.”

I didn’t know why people kept asking me that. How would I know? I sure hoped so, but deep down, I was as worried and scared as all of them. But I had to be strong for my son, just like I had to be strong for my Sky.

“Yeah, Son. We’ll get her back.”

I looked at my phone in his hands, telling him to make the call. Once again, my son ignored me. “Why did Ella’s dad take her away from us?”

I made a conscious effort to measure my reply so I wouldn’t have another cussing accident. “Because he’s a bad man who is using what Sky has of most value to control her.”

He sighed and looked down at the phone. “Why did Aunther Sky have Ella with a bad man? Why couldn’t her dad be someone nice like you? Or you!” I stole a peek at him. His eyes were wide with excitement as if that had been his most brilliant idea to date—which perhaps, it was. “Mom was already dead when Ella was born. You could have married Sky, and then she would have been my mom and you’d be Ella’s dad.”

What could I reply to that? That I wanted it too. That though I couldn’t change the past, I could have changed our future if only I had my shit together enough to be as open as Sky had been on Halloween. No, that would only mess him up even more.

I asked, “Would you really have liked that?”

“Absolutely,” he said with a nod. “And so would Ella. She told me so on our sleepover. She’s afraid of her real dad. She said he used to make Aunther Sky cry a lot. Also, he doesn’t snuggle like you do.”

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