Chapter 11 #4
“That sucks. Hopefully, they will call you soon with an update. If they don’t, call them.”
“I will. Listen, I need to go and check on Luke and Leo. It was so good talking to you. Thank you and Neil for packing up my things. You donated the stuff I told you to, right?” I wanted her to donate all of our furniture to the women’s shelter.
“Yeah, they came and picked up the stuff today. Call me if you need anything, and I’ll let you know when we ship the few boxes of things that you told me you wanted to keep. Please be safe out there. Love you,” she said.
“I will. I still remember those self-defense moves I learned. Love you back,” I said with a chuckle as I ended the call. Throwing my arm over my eyes, I closed them and laid on my bed to try and clear my mind after talking about the situation that caused me to leave South Carolina.
What felt like minutes later, I sat up on the bed and rubbed my eyes. I looked over at the clock on the nightstand and realized I’d fallen asleep for almost an hour.
Hurriedly, I got off the bed and changed out of my scrubs and into a pair of comfortable sweats and an oversized T-shirt before I grabbed my phone and went back into the kitchen.
“Sorry, that took so long,” I said as I walked in the kitchen to find it completely cleaned up, no evidence in sight of dirty dishes or even a half-eaten box of pizza.
Luke’s giggle caused me to turn and find him and Leo sitting on the floor putting together his car. Luke wasn’t in the clothes I’d put him in, but a matching pajama set with trucks on them.
I walked into the room unsteadily, choked full of emotion that he’d cleaned the kitchen and bathed Luke.
“You didn’t have to do all that,” I told him as I sat on the couch. I put my legs off to the side and rested my head on the arm of the couch, as I watched Leo and Luke play together.
“You looked tired. I hope I didn’t overstep, but Luke helped me clean the kitchen and showed me where everything was,” Leo eyed me warily over Luke’s head.
“I took a shower, Mom,” Luke said as he held a few pieces of blocks in his hand.
“You did?” I said with a yawn. He’d fight with me if I ever tried to get him to take showers. I wondered how Leo had gotten him to agree.
“Yeah. I asked Dad if he took baths or showers. And he said he took showers, so I wanted to take one too,” Luke explained.
“That sounds great, buddy. I’m proud of you,” I told him with another yawn. I picked up the remote off the floor in front of the couch, the spot it always managed to end up, even though I sat it on the arm of the couch time and time again and turned Rio on just to have some background noise.
My eyes grew heavy as I watched Leo show Luke the next step in the instruction book for the Legos.
The next thing I knew, I felt a soft tap on my arm.
I sat up quickly, causing my head to spin and looked up to find Leo standing over me.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep,” I told him, as my eyes searched the room for Luke only to come up empty.
“You must’ve been tired. I put him to bed.
We read a couple of books he picked out before he fell asleep.
I made sure his blanket was tucked in just the way you showed me,” Leo assured, as he put his hands in the back pockets of his jeans and rocked back on his heels.
He looked nervous as to how I’d react, but I was just thankful that he’d helped me tonight when I was too exhausted to think.
“Yeah, I felt a migraine coming on. My body finally gave in, and I fell asleep. Thank you for doing that, and cleaning the kitchen,” I told him as I looked up at him.
Leo was a better father than I’d ever imagined he’d be. He stepped right into the role and was doing all the right things.
“You still get those?” he asked, the first time he’d asked anything about me that was personal aside from my job.
“From time to time. Stress usually brings them on,” I said, immediately regretting letting the last part slip. Hopefully, Leo wouldn’t ask me to elaborate. I didn’t have the energy to explain tonight. Hopefully, I’d never have to.
“Why don’t you go back to sleep? I’ll make sure I lock the door on my way out,” Leo said as he looked down at me like he wanted to say something more but refrained. I nodded before he turned around and walked to the door.
After he put on his shoes, he opened the door.
“Leo,” I called out to him.
“Yeah.” He turned around, one hand on the doorknob, the other in his pocket.
“Thanks again for tonight. You’re great with him.”
He gave me a soft smile before he said, “You don’t have to thank me, but you’re welcome.”
I laid my head back on the couch and heard the door close softly and Leo’s footsteps as he walked down the front porch.
My phone buzzed in the pocket of my sweats.
I pulled it out thinking it was Lexi or my mom checking to see how Leo’s visit with Luke went.
Only when I looked down at the message app, it wasn’t either of them.
My blood ran cold at the sight of an unknown number messaging me.
Unknown number
You can run. But I’ll always find you. See you soon, beautiful.