Chapter 10
TEN
Sam lay on the bed in the Deans’ spare room and stared at the ceiling.
The sun was slowly rising, casting light into the room and onto the TV sitting on the dresser, which hadn’t been turned on.
Despite the adrenaline crash and relaxing glass of wine, she’d barely slept.
Unlike Bella, who lay beside her, snoring.
Several times throughout the night, Sam had rolled over and stared at her sister. For ten minutes yesterday, she’d thought Bella was dead.
Her chest ached at the memory. It hadn’t happened—she needed to remember that. Bella was safe beside her. People would say God had been watching out for Bella with how everything had played out. Getting her out of the house.
But if God was watching out for Bella now, then where had He been when Sam was a child and fending for herself because her mother was too drunk to remember she had a daughter? Where had God been when Sam started working for the Mob with no idea she was in over her head?
Why hadn’t God been watching out for her?
There was so much that needed to be done today. Getting in contact with her landlord’s guy and getting some necessary clothes and toiletries were at the top of her list. But she didn’t have it in her to get up. Instead, she rolled over and watched Bella sleep.
Sam may not have carried the girl in her womb, but she loved Bella like she was her own child. She’d been there since the day Bella was born. And yesterday, she’d come too close to losing her. Tears burned Sam’s eyes. She closed them and took deep breaths. She’d cried enough last night.
Her thoughts turned to the fire and the dead body. Who was it, and why had her house been chosen? Had it been meant as a warning? Had the Mob found her and Bella?
Sam didn’t think so. The Mob didn’t do things like that. If those people knew where they were, Sam and Bella would already be dead or captured. The Mob didn’t taunt. They acted. Either take out the threat or torture it to teach a lesson.
Bile rose in her throat.
A door shut somewhere down the hall. There was no use lying in bed thinking. She needed to get up and start doing.
She stood up and wrapped her hair in a bun on top of her head, then closed the bedroom door behind her as she followed the light down the hall to the kitchen. The scent of fresh-brewed coffee thickened as she got closer.
Dean was standing at the coffeepot, pouring himself a cup. He glanced up at her before setting his cup down. “Sleep well?” He pulled another cup from the coffee-mug tree, poured some in it, and handed it to her.
She accepted the mug, wrapping her hands around it. “No.”
Dean slid the coffeepot back onto the burner and picked up his own mug. “Didn’t think you would.” He leaned his hip against the counter and took a small sip of his coffee. “My mother is going to come watch the boys this morning, so Cass can help you with whatever you need.”
Thickness filled her throat. “They don’t have to do that.”
“They want to. You and Bella are family.”
Sam swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thanks. I have an appointment at the Orange Street Church clothes closet at nine.”
Dean quirked an eyebrow. “Church?”
He knew she avoided church, although he didn’t know why.
“Well, Bella seemed excited about it.” She shrugged.
Dean smirked.
“Don’t read anything into it.”
“Never.” He pushed off the counter. “I gotta get to the station.” He clapped her shoulder. “I know it’s rough, but it will all be okay.”
Sam rolled her eyes. “Yeah.”
“Cass should be out shortly. She’s enjoying some quiet time before the monsters wake up”—he looked at his watch—“in ten minutes or so.”
Sam chuckled. They weren’t that bad. At least, not when Sam was around.
“Help yourself to whatever you want in the kitchen. Mi casa es su casa.”
“Thanks. I really appreciate it. Hopefully, we’ll be out of your hair soon enough.”
“Don’t worry about it.” He set his empty cup in the sink.
Normally, Sam would be on her way to the station as well, but Captain Bennett had given her the day off to deal with this disaster. Since she was here invading their space, she might as well make everyone breakfast.
She opened the refrigerator and pulled out bacon and eggs, making a mental note to replace everything she used in case they had particular plans for the items. She found some pancake mix and food coloring in the cabinet and busied herself starting breakfast.
“Whoa,” a tiny voice said from the kitchen door.
Sam turned and found Charlie rubbing sleep from his eyes. Luckily, the boys weren’t identical twins. Charlie had blond hair, whereas Bobby’s was brunette.
“Good morning, Charlie.” She looked at the microwave clock. Dean hadn’t been kidding. Ten minutes.
“Are those pancakes?” Bobby pushed past his brother. He stepped up to the counter and peered at the plate. “Why are they green? Did they mold already?” He tilted his head.
Sam suppressed a laugh. “No. I added food coloring to make them special.”
“Charles, put your hand down,” Cass barked from the kitchen door as Charlie reached for a pancake. “Wait until everything is done.”
She sidled up next to Sam. “You didn’t have to cook breakfast for us.”
“It’s the least I can do after everything you’ve done, and will do, for me and Bella.”
“Dean told you? He has a big mouth.” She frowned.
“You know you love him.” Sam flipped the bacon in one pan and turned her attention to a green pancake on the griddle.
“Let me help.” Cass took the spatula and dealt with the pancakes. The two women worked in tandem, finishing the pancakes and bacon, and Sam made fluffy scrambled eggs for everyone.
“I should probably go wake Bella up. She’d sleep till noon if I let her.”
Cass looked dreamily at her boys. “I can’t wait for that day.”
Sam shook her head as she walked down the hall to the bedroom. She opened the door. “Bella—”
Bella jumped and let out a squeal.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you’d be asleep.”
“I wasn’t.” Bella’s voice was strained.
Sam stepped into the room and sat on the bed next to her sister. “Is everything okay?”
Bella nodded. “J-just getting ready to come out.”
Sam wrapped her arms around her sister. “We’re going to be okay.”
Another set of traumatic circumstances to heap on someone so young. Would Bella ever get to live a normal life?
Bella shrugged out of the embrace. “I need to go to the bathroom.” She quickly disappeared out the door.
Okay, odd. But who wouldn’t be a little off after the last twenty-four hours? Sam returned to the kitchen, where Cass already had the boys seated at the bar with plates of food. “I hope you don’t mind that I already served them. They were turning savage.”
Sam ruffled Bobby’s hair. “I don’t believe it.”
Charlie shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth. “What’s a savage?”
“Charlie, don’t talk with your mouth full,” Cass warned.
The boys were already done eating by the time Bella made it into the kitchen.
“I made you a plate.” Sam pointed to the plate of food on the counter.
“I’m not hungry.” Bella sat down at the bar and laid her head on her arms on the counter.
“You need to try to at least eat a little bit. We’ve got a lot to do this morning.”
“I’m not hungry,” she mumbled again into the counter.
“Okay.” Sam couldn’t remember the last time Bella had skipped breakfast. It must be the stress.
“Here.” Cass returned with a pile of clothes and laid them next to Bella on the counter. “They’ll probably be a little big, but they’ll do until we can get our shopping on.”
“Yay,” Bella groaned as she grabbed the clothes and disappeared.
“Sorry about her.” Sam set her fork down.
“Don’t be. It’s a lot. Just give her time.” Cass started cleaning up the mess her boys had made.
“Let me help.” Sam stood.
“Nonsense. Finish eating and go get ready. My mom should be here any time.”
An hour later, Sam walked up and down the aisles of clothing in the church’s clothes closet. She hadn’t thought the clothes would be in this good a shape or that there would be such a good variety. No, she’d expected rags and junk.
They’d been welcomed warmly and given the rules. Pick out five outfits and grab the necessary toiletries. There were all kinds of shampoos, conditioners, and soaps to choose from. A wide variety of everything.
A backpack containing brand-new, unopened packs of underwear and socks, along with toothbrushes and toothpastes, was given to them, and it would be used to carry their new toiletries and clothes.
Sam quickly grabbed two changes of clothes and a pair of pajamas. She’d buy her own clothing later, but she wasn’t going to deny that she needed a few things to get by on before she could do that.
Cass trailed behind Bella, holding the clothes she picked out.
“Ma’am, you’re not done shopping, are you?” An older lady peered at the few items in Sam’s hands. She had to be in her seventies, a long white braid over her shoulder.
“Yes, I don’t need much.” Sam looked at the things in her hands. “I’m just here for my sister.”
“Nonsense. There are plenty of clothes here for you to take as well.” She patted Sam’s arm.
Sam bounced from foot to foot.
“Nervous?” the woman asked. “Don’t be. You’re not the first person to walk through those doors full of uncertainty.”
Sam forced a tight smile, preparing herself for the usual platitudes.
The woman looked from Sam to Bella and back. “She looks like she’s a shopper. Would you like a drink while you wait for your sister?”
“You have no idea. She’d shop until she dropped if I let her.” She smiled, a genuine one this time. “I don’t need anything right now.”
“Why don’t you humor an old lady.” The woman smiled sweetly.
Sam didn’t want to be rude. She looked at Bella, who was admiring some dresses. Cass was with her. Everything would be okay.
“Yes, ma’am.” She followed the woman to a small café area just off the clothing section.
“Have a seat.” The woman went behind the counter and grabbed a couple bottles of water and a plate of cookies. “My name’s Barbara.”
“Sam.”