22. Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter twenty-two
Hummingbird
I stared at the screen, torn between being touched and wanting to break down and cry. Derek and I had always picked and cut down our own tree.
Decorated it together.
Snuggled on the couch while staring at it.
And now I have to do it alone.
I knew I could ask Edith to come, but I also knew how busy the lodge was this time of year. A thought popped into my head, and I glanced at the conversation on the screen. Could I take him up on his offer?
Guilt and a general heaviness washed over me. I hated being alone again. Having all those years with Derek around twenty-four-seven spoiled me.
Should I let Shield in? Beyond politely typed conversation? People near me only ever get hurt. But isn’t that what he signed up for working for Lynette?
Lynette.
The Agostis.
A smile crossed my face as I thought about how over the top some of the decorating hype would get back at the Agosti house.
My family decorated out of obligation, not caring much about the holiday outside of social expectations, but George and Lynette made it into a day I grew to love instead of something I loathed and had to endure.
They had welcomed me with open arms, and I missed hanging out with them, their children, and even most of their employees.
God, I miss them.
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly as determination filled me.
Hummingbird:
Shield:
Shield:
My eyes went wide.
Wait. Both of them?
I immediately messaged Edith.
Hummingbird:
Momma E:
I sank into the chair and took several deep breaths to help clear out some of the panic.
Hummingbird:
Momma E:
Hummingbird:
Knowing I had limited time before Edith arrived, I made a point of changing into clean clothes and tidying up a bit, not that there was so much to clean. I’d been making a concerted effort to keep the depression from taking over by making sure my home didn’t look or smell like a pigsty.
Once dressed, I also clipped on my holster and gun. I wasn't anticipating any trouble, but that didn’t mean I wasn't going to let down my guard.
Not after what happened last time.
I settled into the usual routine of watching my camera feeds until the now-familiar SUV rolled into sight. It was then I rushed out the back door, hopped onto the golf cart, and drove to the other end of the tunnel.
By the time I walked to the monitor showing the mine entrance camera feeds, Shield and Edith were out of the SUV and walking to the cache.
Edith handed him a wreath and waved him off.
Shield stared at her for a moment before nodding, turning, and heading out.
I watched the screen, hand hovering over the biometric lock, waiting for the coast to be clear.
When Edith nodded and headed toward the door, I unlocked it and opened it a crack, one hand resting on my gun.
“It’s just me. He’s out of sight.”
I opened the door wide enough for her to walk through, then immediately closed and locked it once Edith was inside. “This feels absolutely insane.”
My other chosen mother pulled me into a tight hug, letting out a sigh. “The world is insane right now, but I’m glad to be here with you.”
“Me, too.”
Once we were in the bunker, behind more locked doors, I rushed to my security room and searched the camera feeds until I found Shield walking through the property, heading toward the house. “So, why is he holding a wreath?”
Edith walked over and leaned in the doorway. “He mentioned you two had discussed it and was insistent on picking it out.”
We watched as he walked onto the tiny front porch and hung it over the small light.
“I’ll let you finalize the location, but here you go, Hummingbird.”
I reached my hand out to touch the screen as I whispered, “Thanks.”
After a moment, Edith pulled up a chair and sat next to me. “What details would you like first?”
I gasped and spun in my chair. “Is Tech okay? What in the hell happened?”
The woman in front of me let out a tense breath. “He came out of surgery just fine. It’s going to be quite a long recovery, but he is very much alive and well. Lynette is also right as rain. As for what happened, well, someone went after Lynette and her family.”
“Am I still safe?”
Edith stared at me for several moments before shrugging. “As far as we know, you aren’t in any more danger than you were before.”
I sagged in my chair, not feeling great about the entire situation. “Okay.”
Edith glanced up at the screens behind me and stood. “I think Shield is heading back. If we don’t want him seeing the hidden entrance, I’d better head out now.”
“Thank you for the surprise visit.”
A warm smile spread across her face. “Of course, my dear. It’s one thing to message you, it’s another thing to have visual confirmation. Lynette and I both needed this.”
With almost the same speed and energy, I returned Edith to the mine entrance, giving her one last hug before practically shoving her out.
The door was barely shut and locked when I looked up at the monitor to see Shield round the corner.
That was close.
“Edith, please don’t tell me you’ve been standing here the whole time.”
She chuckled and walked toward Shield. “No. I can assure you I was quite comfortable where I was.”
He looked around. “You, Lynette, and Tech have all kinds of tricks up your sleeves, don’t you?”
“Do I even have to answer that?”
“I suppose not.” He looked around again, like he was searching for something. “Do you think they’ll like the wreath?”
Edith glanced to her right, directly into the hidden camera, and grinned. “They did.”
I simply shook my head. That cheeky woman.
The two got back into the SUV, and it wasn’t until they rolled away that I made my own pilgrimage back to the house.
After confirming they were off the property, I ran upstairs and flung open the front door. A huge smile appeared on my face as I took in the wreath Shield hand picked out for me. It was a simple green wreath with pinecones and a burgundy red bow.
It was perfect.
Once back inside, I pulled my phone out and messaged him.
Hummingbird:
I knew he was driving and wouldn’t be able to respond right away, but that was fine by me. My mind was reeling with everything Edith had told me, and I wasn’t up for a lot of conversation at the moment.
The next few days passed without incident. I ended up moving the wreath inside, giving it a place of honor on the inside of the blast door. It was the only decor I had up at the moment. While admiring it, my phone dinged.
Momma A:
An enormous smile filled my face. He’s home from the hospital!
Hummingbird:
Momma A:
I loved that he had someone who cared for him as much as Derek had cared for me. It was the best feeling in the entire world.
One I missed terribly.
I should message him.
Hummingbird:
Hummingbird:
Hummingbird:
Knowing there was nothing else I could do to help the situation, I put down my phone and walked into my kitchen to make a cup of tea. That would make me feel better, right?