Chapter Seven
She barely remembered the last stretch of road.
Fourteen hours blurred together in a haze of headlights, fuel stops, and whispered reassurances murmured more to herself than to Emmett.
She had driven through the day, past the night, hands stiff on the wheel, eyes burning, stopping only when she had to...
bathrooms, petrol, a lukewarm coffee she barely tasted.
When the sun finally climbed high enough to sting the horizon, she pulled off at the first place that felt… neutral. A town that didn’t know her.
She parked beside a small playground tucked behind a row of low buildings, the grass still damp with morning dew. Birds chattered overhead. Somewhere nearby, laughter drifted faint and distant, carried on the breeze.
Anabelle turned off the engine and rested her forehead against the steering wheel.
Just a break, she told herself.Just long enough to breathe.
Her chest felt tight again, not from fear this time, but exhaustion: bone-deep and heavy. She glanced at Emmett, still asleep in the passenger seat, mouth slightly open, dinosaur tucked under his chin. She couldn’t keep driving like this.
“Okay,” she whispered. “Okay.”
The hostel was a short walk away, set back from the road behind a small courtyard and a low iron fence. She’d expected grimy. Run-down. Barely acceptable. Instead, it looked… clean. Fresh paint. Hanging baskets overflowing with flowers. A sign out front advertising breakfast and free Wi-Fi.
Honestly? It looked like a step up.
The thought hit her harder than she expected. A step up from home. From the place shed chosen out of survival.
The ache came sharp and sudden, punching straight through her chest. She sucked in a breath and held it, blinking hard as grief surged uninvited: images of her mother’s smile, her laugh, the way she used to hum while cooking.
A year. It’s been only a year, and it already felt like another lifetime.
She reached across and gently shook Emmett’s shoulder. “Hey, baby.”
He stirred, rubbing his eyes with a fist. “Are we here?” he asked, voice thick with sleep.
“Yes,” she said softly. “We are.”
He yawned. “For… long?”
“Just two days,” she said. “Okay? Then we’ll go somewhere even better.”
His eyes brightened instantly. “Oh! Cool.”
She smiled, unbuckled him, and helped him out of the car before gathering their bags. Inside, the reception smelled faintly of citrus cleaner and coffee. A woman behind the desk greeted her with a warm smile.
“Checking in?”
“Yes,” Anabelle said. “Just… two nights.”
The woman typed quickly. “Room one-three-seven.”
First floor, Anabelle thought with relief. Maybe there’ll be a view.
She hauled everything up in two trips, shoulders aching by the time she unlocked the door and stepped inside.
The room was small but bright. Crisp white sheets. A little desk by the window. Curtains drawn back to let sunlight spill in. It was more than enough.
She dropped the bags and sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly aware of just how tired she was. A shower, she thought. Then sleep.
Her eyelids drooped.
“Sissy!”
She jolted upright.
“Sissy, sissy...look!” Emmett’s voice rang out, sharp with excitement. He stood on tiptoe by the window, pressing his hands to the glass.
She crossed the room and followed his gaze. In the distance, beyond rooftops and streets, a massive Ferris wheel turned lazily against the sky. Lights glimmered even in daylight, flashes of colour spinning slow and bright. Crowds moved below it like dots, music faint but unmistakable.
A fun fair.
Anabelle felt something inside her loosen. She looked down at Emmett, whose face was lit with pure awe: eyes wide, mouth open in a grin so big it almost hurt to see.
She smiled back before she could stop herself.
“How about this,” she said, bending low so they were eye to eye. “I take a shower to wake myself up a bit… then we go down there for two hours.”
His jaw dropped. “Really?”
“Yes, we’ll grab something to eat,” she continued, warmth creeping into her voice. “Go on some rides.”
“Can we?” he burst out, bouncing on his heels. “Can we, can we?”
She laughed softly. “Yes.”
“Yay!” He threw his arms around her waist. “Thank you so much!”
“But,” she added gently, holding his face between her hands, “only two hours, okay? I’ll need to sleep for a bit too. Then we can go again later before we leave the hostel.”
His smile didn’t dim. “That’s perfect,” he said solemnly. “Thank you, sissy.”
She pressed her forehead to his.
For the first time since she’d fled, the world felt… almost kind.
???
The smell of sugar and oil hung thick in the air, warm and comforting and just a little overwhelming.
Anabelle stood in line at one of the food vendors, clutching a paper tray loaded with hot dogs and a bag of deep-fried donuts dusted so heavily in sugar they left a faint trail wherever she walked. She kept one eye on the stand, the other on the small carousel a few metres away.
Emmett was riding cars.
After a solid ten minutes of indecision, he’d chosen a bright green jeep, gripping the steering wheel like his life depended on it. The ride jerked into motion, circling slowly at first, then faster, and Emmett’s laughter cut through the noise of the fair like a bell.
Her chest eased every time she heard it. She paid, thanked the vendor, and wove her way back through the crowd until she reached the edge of the ride. When the carousel finally slowed and stopped, she stepped forward immediately, hand outstretched.
“Okay,” she said, scooping Emmett up as his feet hit the ground. “Come here.”
She guided him to a nearby bench, sitting him down before he could dart off again.
“Are you having fun, sweetie?”
“Yes!” he said breathlessly. “That was amazing. Did you see how fast I went?”
“I did,” she said, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “You looked so handsome. So grown up.”
He laughed, chest puffing with pride.
“Hot dog?” she asked.
“Yes please!”
She handed it to him, then took one herself, watching him eat with the kind of quiet focus only children managed when food and happiness collided. Powdered sugar smudged his cheek. She didn’t wipe it away.
After a few minutes, she leaned closer. “How about you pick one more ride after this, okay? Then we’ll go back to the room for a little while. I need to rest.”
He nodded slowly, chewing, eyes already scanning the fair.
“Okay… maybe…” He hummed thoughtfully. “It’s so hard. They’re all good.”
Then his face lit up.
“Oh! I know! Can I go on the big Ferris wheel? I’d like to see the world from that high up.”
Anabelle hesitated. Just a beat. “I’ll check if you’re allowed,” she said gently. “Okay?”
He nodded eagerly and they ate their food in contented quiet. It wasn’t long before his voice rang out again.
“I’m finished!”
She took his hand, fingers warm and sticky from sugar. “Alright then. Let’s go see.”
He jumped beside her the whole way, excitement vibrating through him. When they reached the base of the ride, Emmett stopped short, craning his neck back.
“Wow,” he breathed. “I’ve never seen anything so big before.”
She smiled softly. The Ferris wheel loomed above them, metal spokes catching the light, cars rocking gently as they climbed and descended. She approached the ride operator and gestured to Emmett.
“Is he allowed on?”
The man smiled. “Of course. I’ll strap him in so he doesn’t fall, though.”
Anabelle crouched in front of Emmett. “Is that okay, baby? You won’t be able to get up until it comes back down again. But you can look out the big window.”
She paused. “Will you be scared? Do you want me to go with you?”
“Noooo,” Emmett said immediately. “I’m big now, sissy.” He thought for a second, then added seriously, “It’s just tall. If I feel scared, I can picture you there with me. I’ll be okay.”
Her throat tightened. “Okay,” she said softly.
He climbed into the car with help, waving enthusiastically as the attendant secured the harness. The wheel lurched into motion, lifting him higher and higher.
Too slowly.
She suddenly felt just how tired she was. The kind of exhaustion that sank into bones and made the world feel heavy around the edges.
She asked the operator, “How long until it comes back down?”
“About twenty minutes,” he replied.
She nodded, thanked him, and wandered a little away from the crowd. She lowered herself onto the grass, legs stretched out, eyes never leaving Emmett’s car as it rose.
He waved. She lifted her hand and waved back, smiling despite the ache settling into her limbs.
Then, a quiet chuckle sounded beside her. And she froze.
She turned her head slowly.
The man sat a few steps away from her on the grass, close enough that she hadn’t heard him approach, far enough that it hadn’t felt intrusive: until now.
He was… striking.
Broad shoulders stretching the fabric of a dark jacket, really broad, the kind that made him look grounded and solid even sitting still.
Blonde hair caught the glow of the fair’s lights, reflecting gold and white, and his eyes: brown, sharp, unsettlingly attentive, were locked on hers.
Not roaming. Not leering. Just… focused.
A faint smile curved his mouth, easy and unforced.
“Sorry if I startled you,” he said. His voice was low, calm. “He’s cute. Is that your son waving at you?”
Her gaze lingered on his face a fraction longer than it should have. Then she looked away, eyes snapping back to the Ferris wheel, to Emmett’s cart rising slowly into the sky.
“No,” she said. “He’s my brother.”
“Ah,” the man replied, nodding once. “That makes sense.” His smile softened. “It’s nice of you to bring him here. Kids deserve days like this. Days off.”
She didn’t respond. She just sat there, watching Emmett wave again, lifting her hand automatically, even as her thoughts tangled.
Gods, he’s attractive.
And of course this would be the moment they had to meet. She hadn’t slept in over twenty-eight hours. She’d driven for fourteen. Her nerves were fried, her body heavy, her head buzzing. At least she’d showered before coming out...small mercies.
Jesus, Anabelle. You need sleep.