Page 27 of I Promise You
It’s dark, the night freezing, and I can see my breath as I breathe heavily into the icy crisp air. My birthday is tomorrow, followed by Paul’s death anniversary soon.
I’m wearing a jacket and thin sports leggings that hug my legs. Perfect to run around in and kick a soccer ball.
My feet crunch over frozen sparkling ice that has taken over my entire lawn. That happens in the winter in North Carolina sometimes.
I feel relief knowing I can do things like this again. When Shane was alive, I feared for my life every day. I was on edge every second and now I’m starting to feel free again, but he took something from me. Something I’ve dreamed about since I was a little girl. To become a mother.
Danny and I haven’t talked about it too much. It’s too painful for me, but I do want children again, even though I’m not ready to have sex just yet. Maybe I’ll revisit the possibility of getting pregnant later.
The thought of losing my baby sends my anger boiling hard, ready to burst through.
“He’s not capable of love.”Nora’s voice echoes in my head, loud and clear. Her vicious words are a reminder of the man I’m in love with. Flashes of her broken soul like a slideshow, take over me.
My nostrils flare, and I scrunch my nose when the memories of Shane and Nora stabbing me return. A thick blade appears, waving back and forth in front of my face, inside my body…
Hot air runs through my nose, and I kick my soccer ball so hard that I miss the net, hitting the tree’s thick bark instead. It spirals out of control, striking right back so fast I move out of the way just in time and it flies behind me.
It lands in a tall man’s hands. Hands that aren’t Danny’s but are familiar.
It’s Kane.
I squint at him, ensuring he’s actually there, and sure enough, it’s him. He stands tall in a dark gray beanie and a black leather jacket, with a playful expression. He looks good…I shake myself out of that thought.
What the hell is he doing here?
I pull out my earphones and look around, worried. Is he here with Danny? Is he back home?
“Hey there, what’d the soccer ball ever do to you?” he says with a welcoming, heartwarming smile.
“Kane… I-I, uh, what are you doing here?”
He walks toward me, and I’m still shocked, even a little scared, so I take a step back. I’m extra cautious nowadays.
I’m thrown off by the sudden visitation.
How does he know where I live?
I don’t take surprises like this too well since I experienced a horrific stalker like Shane.
With every stride he takes, getting closer to me, I swallow. I swear I feel a spark in my chest and internally refrain from feeling anything more.
He towers over me, handing me back the ball. I grab it from him, but it does something when our hands touch. I didn’t mean for our fingers to collide. I try to pry the ball back from his hands, but he gives my hand a tiny squeeze before he lets go of it.
He clears his throat, looking down at me.
“I couldn’t sleep. I haven’t seen you since…” he trails off.
“Since I almost died?” I finish for him.
He swallows nervously, and I watch his Adam’s apple bob up and down.
“Well, not almost. Youdiddie.”
I let out a heavy breath. I don’t want to revisit this.
“So you thought you could stalk me instead because you couldn’t sleep? How do you even know where I live?”
He lets out a sigh.
