Page 59 of Make Me Whole

I smiled at him and shuffled his hair before telling him, once again, to call Al. This time, he obeyed.

After two rings, Al picked up.

I told him about my altercation with the principal, my suggestion that Sky go home, and the list of places she suggested. Al informed me that he would ask Molly to go stay with Sky so she wouldn’t be alone, then we divided the places where each of us would look.

It took over an hour for Aiden and me to cover our list. We also checked a few more spots per Aiden’s suggestion, such as Ella’s favorite corn dog vendor and the funny-looking rock at the park where her soccer team practiced. But we didn’t see her nor Eli.

Hoping that my suspicions were right about Eli’s plan, I drove back to the house. I had just entered the street when Al texted saying that he hadn’t found them and was heading back as well.

I parked in my usual spot in the driveway. Sky and Molly sat on the front porch, holding hands in silence. My heart sank at the desolate expression on Sky’s face.

As Aiden and I got out of the car, I heard the roar of an engine. At first I thought it was Al, but then Sky got up and started walking with tears streaming down her face, and I knew it wasn’t him.

24

SKY

Given my history with Eli, it was hard to imagine that seeing his car would ever bring me more relief than seeing Max’s. However, after nearly two hours of not knowing my daughter’s whereabouts, relief was exactly what I felt.

Staring at the flashy SUV, I released Molly’s hand and started walking. Halfway through the front yard, the back door opened and Ella jumped out.

“Mom!” she screamed as she ran toward me, her pink backpack bouncing wildly on her back.

Her voice calling for me was like a funnel that concentrated all my emotion on her. Tears spilled from my eyes as I ran in her direction, arms open to hold my baby. I dropped to my knees as we approached each other, and Ella dropped her backpack to the ground before slamming into me.

My arms wrapped around her slim shoulders as hers curled around my neck. I pressed her against me as tightly as I could with one arm while my other hand palpated as much of her little body as I could to make sure she wasn’t harmed.

“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice hoarse and desperate. “Are you hurt, baby?”

She sighed against my neck, a sound that pierced a hole in my chest. “I’m not hurt. I’m okay, just a little . . .”

She trailed off, and I pulled back to look at her face. Her brown eyes were a little too wide and gleaming with unshed tears. I knew that expression well. I had seen it too many times over the years.

“A little scared?” I asked her, trying to sound calmer than I felt.

Ella stole a peek over her shoulder. My gaze followed hers to the SUV and my asshole ex, who was leaning against the passenger side with his arms crossed and a mocking expression. That was enough of an answer for me. She wasn’t scared. She was terrified.

As best as I could, I exhaled the fiery anger that coursed through me and smiled at her. “You’re safe now, Peanut.”

She looked at me, and with a tear running down her face, hugged me again. Once more, I tightened my arms around her and closed my eyes, sending a silent prayer of gratitude up to heaven. Half a second later, a second little body slammed against us.

“I was so worried, Ella!” Aiden said as he hugged our entangled bodies.

“Aid,” she whispered with relief as she pulled one arm away from me to hug her friencoubling. I followed her cue and also gave the little boy a one-armed hug. Ella continued, “I was so worried you’d be worried that I wasn’t at the pickup line and then you’d think Mom had forgotten about you. But I was with my father.”

A hand touched my shoulder, calling my attention away from Aiden’s reply. I looked up and saw Max staring down at the three of us. His face was tense and worried.

“Is she okay?” he mouthed.

I nodded and released the kids, who continued to hug and talk. Max offered a hand to help me stand up, and I took it, not because I needed help but because I needed him.

He exhaled a deep breath and ran a comforting thumb across my skin. The sweet motion conflicted with the murderous expression on his face. “Take the kids inside. I’ll be right there.”

My eyes bounced from him to Eli—who was still leaning against his car with that amused expression—and a chill ran down my spine. Knowing Max as well as I did, I knew he wasn’t sending me and the kids inside so he could talk to Eli. He wanted us safe so he could return all the pain and grief my ex had inflicted on us today. As much as I adored him for it, this was my fight.

“No,” I told him firmly, eyes still focused on Eli’s disgusting grin. “This is my fight.”

Max tightened his fingers around my hand, and his expression shifted from pure hatred to anger diluted in admiration. A ghost of a smile touched his mouth, and he nodded briefly.

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