Chapter Fifteen
Damon had experienced massive pain while trapped in the building and had gotten used to the sharpness of agony flooding his body until he’d lose consciousness.
Hell, that’s when he’d had many of his out-of-body experiences, shadowing his people.
And while he’d watched over them, he’d learned so much about himself, things he was ashamed of.
But one moment stood out more than any other.
One shamed him more than he thought possible.
After listening to Lily’s confessions over the last few days while they were stuck together, he knew what he had to do.
If he didn’t want his own daughter to live with unnatural beliefs and the same kind of self-image problems Lily had been cursed with, he had to make things right.
Unfortunately, instead of his body suffering a normal loss of awareness like it had in the disaster, the hospital folks pushed drugs into his system until he’d black out.
Those made a huge difference. They shut down his mind as well as his body.
Having no choice, it had stopped his ability to spirit travel.
Now, when it was most imperative for him to urge Rachel to hurry, he couldn’t go anywhere.
Thankfully, the medications were beginning to wear off and his ability to think had returned. On the one hand, having that soft foggy den of darkness to hide in felt so good, but it also made him sad. He needed to stay aware. Needed to fight. Stay alive until he could see his Rosie and tell her…
Oh, no. They’re here again, feeding him more drugs. He tried to stop them, but his guttural sounds made no sense. Couldn’t they understand? He had to be ready for when Rachel brought Rosie to see him. Stop! No more drugs. Please.
“He’s restless. I’ll up the dose for now. He’s barely alive, and his best chance to survive the next few hours is having more morphine to help with the pain.” The nurse practitioner spoke, unaware that he heard her words and had tried to communicate. Next time, he had to try harder. Next ti…
***
Once they arrived at his office, Lance and Rachel searched the entire building and the vehicle yard in the back. They called and called but no one answered. Finally, in tears, Rachel turned to Lance. “Rosie’s not here. There’s no way she’d hide from us… not like this.”
“I know. Okay, let’s reach out to all her friends. Maybe go talk to her teacher to see what she might know. If we still can’t find her, I think we should go to the police.”
“Oh, Lance. That’s the last thing I want to do.”
“I know. But they have systems for finding lost kids. Once we’ve checked all the possibilities, we can’t take the chance she’s just doing her own thing. She’s only ten, Rachel. I don’t want to believe anything bad has happened to her, but we have to make sure.”
“You’re right, I know. It’s just so hard to believe.
” With her body shaking and hands trembling, Rachel went to his laptop and opened the special parent’s website for Rachel’s class.
“Here’s the list of kids in her room. Those two, she hangs out with, even though it’s been a while since she’s spent any time with them. Can you call them?”
“Sure.”
“I’ll talk to these ones here. She played t-ball with them a while back.
Maybe they organized a game, and she forgot to say anything.
” Knowing the unlikelihood of this happening, Rachel still clung to the chance that her Rosie might have decided she wanted to be with kids her own age.
Though it would go against Rosie’s present behavior of staying in her room, reading her books, and drawing, Rachel prayed that maybe the little girl had reached out to her peers.
Being that Carlton Grove was such a small town where everyone on the list lived close to each other, certainly within walking distance of home or even Lance’s place, it made sense to follow up on these names.
After numerous questions and negative replies, Rachel finally turned to Lance and broke down completely.
Sobbing her heart out, she dropped her face into her hands and let loose.
“I’m such a rotten mother. How could she just run away?
I have to face it. The bond we used to share is flawed – no…
no, broken. Lord above, Lance, I’m scared.
I don’t know what to do anymore. What if she’s been in an accident?
Or lying in a ditch somewhere calling for me? ”
“Hush, honey. Don’t let yourself go there. I’ve no doubt, she’s fine. Rosie is a smart kid. Have faith.”
“I do. But with Damon in the hospital, I feel so desperate and alone.”
“You aren’t. I’m here. You’ll never have to go through this by yourself. So just accept that. We’ll deal with whatever happens together. Come here.”
He stood, bringing her to stand with him. His hands caressed her face, shoveling her long, blonde hair behind her shoulders. “We have to go to the police now, Rachel. You understand that, right?” He hugged her close, waiting for her to answer.
Though she hesitated, she knew he was right. “Ye-es. I know we do. Should we call them or go to the station?”
“I think it’s best if we go there and explain in person. Let me just call Marcy and make sure Nico is okay.”
Before he could hit the number to call, Lance’s phone lit up and stopped him from dialing. “It’s Marcy.” Surprised, he answered, listened, and handed the phone to Rachel. “She has a request.” He smiled reassuringly and stepped back.
Rachel answered, her voice questioning. “Hi. Is everything alright with Nico?”
“He’s fine but upset. No doubt he feels the tension, and he’s missing his sister. I can’t keep him entertained anymore. The poor baby is heartbroken and wants only you.”
“I understand. We’ll be right there. Thanks for calling. Can you put him on the phone?”
Rachel heard Marcy speaking gently to her son and the sounds of the receiver changing hands. “Mommy? I miss Wosie. I want you. Can you come and get me?”
“I’ll be right there, baby. Don’t cry anymore. Mommy’s coming very soon, and I want to see you smiling, okay?”
Sniff. “Okay, Mama.” Sniff. “I be good now.”
Marcy came back on the line, and her voice gentled. “He’s a wonderful boy, Rachel. Poor baby keeps saying he wants to go home. It might be better if I bring him to your place, and you meet us there.”
“Good idea. We’ll be there in ten minutes.”
“Okay. We’ll leave now and meet you.”
When Lance pulled up to her house, Rachel saw a company truck like the ones Damon and Lance drove parked in front of her house.
The minute she stepped down from Lance’s vehicle, Nico ran to her, his little arms outstretched and a huge grin of happiness covering his face.
“Mommy. I be a good boy. I stay with you now, yes?” His question spoken as a plea and a demand made her heart smile, as did his blond curls and toothy grin.
Her little boy knew exactly how to charm her.
Probably because his angelic ways always worked.
“Yes, baby. You can stay with me now.”