Page 21 of Mountain Refuge
“I know I was sick yesterday and that scared you. I’m sorry I left you the responsibility of taking care of your brother. But I’m better now. I want you to relax and let me take care of you again.”
Her face scrunched up. “What if you get sick again?”
That was a good question, but hopefully not one she would ever have to worry about. “Uncle Corbin is going to bring us to his home. We’re not going to be here very long. If somethingever does happen to me, Uncle Corbin will keep you and your brother safe.”
“You mean if the bad man finds us?” Her voice was so low that I barely heard it. If I hadn’t been paying attention to her face, I may not have heard her with Henry’s splashing.
“Yes, Angel. If the bad man finds us, I will do everything I can to protect you. If I can’t or if I’m taken away, Uncle Corbin will keep you safe. I promise.”
“What about Brooke?”
I was surprised by the question. “Brooke won’t be with us much longer. She’s sweet enough to let us stay with her while we wait out the storm, but she won’t be with us when we go to Uncle Corbin’s.” Her little face scrunched up. “What are you thinking, Angel?”
“I want Brooke to be my friend.”
Ah, and she’d already had to leave friends behind. “Maybe we can visit with her after we leave.” I knew I shouldn’t have said it, I didn’t even know if Brooke wanted contact with us once we were gone. She might be glad to wipe her hands of us.
Lydia nodded her little blonde head. “I will ask her.”
I gave her an indulgent smile. “Of course, Angel. It can’t hurt to ask.”
She looked over at Henry. “Daddy?”
“Yes, Angel?”
“Would it keep Henry safe if I went back?”
My heart sank into my stomach. For a moment, I was back in that horrible room on that horrible day. Bile rose at her words. I couldn’t imagine it. I couldn’t fathom it.
I needed to keep a hand on Henry in the water, but I used my other to turn Lydia fully towards me. “Angel, you listen to me very carefully.Never, and I meannever, say that again. It won’t save me and it won’t save Henry.”
Tears welled in her eyes. “But it’s me he wants.”
I sealed my lips closed, trying to keep the rising bile down. She wasn’t a stupid girl. Of course, she’d figured that out. I needed to calm myself so I didn’t scare her. Or maybe scaring her was the right course so she never even contemplated sacrificing herself again.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was looking down at her hands in her lap. “Angel, look at me please. I’m not mad.” She looked up, tears falling from her beautiful blue eyes. “Lydia, my angel, my wonderful and special girl, I love you more than anything. Henry and you are my everything. So trust me when I tell you that you cannot stop fighting, you cannot stop running. If he finds us, you take Henry and you run. Uncle Corbin or I will find you. Never,ever, let yourself be caught.”
She was shaking by the time I finished my plea. I hated to see her scared but she also needed to understand. Sacrificing herself would not save me or Henry. Reality was, Henry was probably the safest one out of all of us.
Lydia threw her arms around my neck, soaking me with her hug. I couldn’t have cared less. I wrapped my arm around her little back and held her to me as tight as possible. Henry started to tip over, but I caught him by his arm.
My little family. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep them safe.
Chapter Nine
Brooke
The kids were finally asleep. I’d barely lasted the day. I had no idea how exhausting parenting was, and I wasn’t even the parent who was with them or bathed them or took them to the bathroom. Geez, how did Adam do it? No wonder he’d passed out from exhaustion when he’d arrived. I was ready to collapse after half a day.
Tonight was their third night staying with me, Adam’s second while conscious. The snowfall last night had been heavier than I’d anticipated. Due to ice, Corbin had been unable to bring down the baby supplies safely on a snowmobile and he lived too far away to have made it on foot. When we spoke with him on the radio, we agreed we could survive a bit longer with what we had. Therefore, it was decided to wait an extra day for the snow to settle before Corbin would try to come down. Current plan was that he should arrive by early afternoon tomorrow.
After a whispered argument so the kids didn’t pick up on it, Adam had conceded to my insistence that he and the kids take my bedroom during their stay. They needed the space, and I was perfectly comfortable falling asleep by the fire in my loungechair. Adam felt like he was kicking me out of my room and it had taken the better part of last night’s dinner to convince him otherwise.
Last night, Adam had gone to bed when the kids had. He’d still been tired and he wanted to be close to his kids after their near-death experience. To him, it must have seemed like it had only just happened. I understood it, but I was also disappointed he hadn’t come out to spend time with me once the kids were asleep.
He either felt his own disappointment about that or he’d picked up on mine, because he’d apologized for falling asleep so early when he’d gotten up this morning. I’d brushed it off, claiming it was no big deal, but I was touched by the sentiment.
Tonight, before he’d taken the kids to bed, he specifically stated that he’d be back out once they were down. My heart—my stupid, stupid heart—had leapt in anticipation. When Adam came out of the bedroom, I was sitting on the couch with my legs curled up under me. I had a book open on my lap, but I honestly wasn’t reading it. I had been too distracted listening to Adam’s voice from the bedroom as he told Lydia and Henry a story about a rabbit that was looking for his lost carrot. I didn’t know if he’d made it up or if it was from memory of one of their children’s books. Either way, it had kept my attention despite the genre.
