Chapter 1 The Night Everything Changed #2
Terrence couldn't promise they weren't.
So he said the only truthful thing he could.
"I don't know where they are yet."
Tan looked away.
"I waited."
Terrence frowned.
"You waited?"
"My brother said... stay hidden."
The words came in broken English mixed with the innocent rhythm only young children carried.
"He come back."
Terrence already knew.
He never did.
Twenty minutes later...
Terrence drove toward Mercy General Hospital.
Normally, officers transported found children directly to the station until Child Protective Services arrived.
But one glance at Tan convinced him otherwise.
The little boy needed food.
Water.
Medical attention.
Kindness.
Besides...
His wife was working today's emergency room shift.
Eva always knew exactly how to calm frightened children.
Tan sat quietly in the passenger seat wrapped inside one of Terrence's department blankets.
He still held the stuffed panda.
Terrence noticed the small jade pendant hanging around his neck.
Beautiful craftsmanship.
Old.
Probably important.
"You hungry?"
A tiny nod.
Terrence reached into his lunch bag.
The peanut butter sandwich he'd forgotten to eat overnight was still wrapped inside.
He handed it over.
"You can have it."
Tan stared at it.
"...Really?"
"Really."
The little boy carefully unwrapped the sandwich.
Instead of taking a huge bite...
He broke it in half.
Terrence smiled.
"You don't have to save it."
Tan whispered,
"...For Mama."
Terrence gripped the steering wheel tighter.
"She hungry."
His throat tightened.
"Maybe..."
Terrence finally said.
"...maybe you should eat this one."
Tan thought for a moment.
Then quietly nodded.
He took one bite.
Then another.
By the third bite...
He was eating like he hadn't seen food in days.
Terrence looked away toward the windshield.
His eyes burned.
Mercy General Hospital bustled with its usual afternoon chaos.
Nurses hurried through hallways.
Doctors pushed stretchers.
Children cried somewhere beyond the pediatric wing.
Terrence carried Tan through the emergency entrance.
Almost immediately, several nurses smiled.
"Oh my goodness..."
"He's adorable."
"What happened?"
Before Terrence could answer, one familiar voice called from behind the nurses' station.
"Terrence?"
He turned.
Eva David walked toward them wearing navy blue scrubs beneath a white lab coat. Her curly hair was gathered into a neat bun, and her warm brown eyes immediately landed on the frightened little boy clinging to her husband's shoulder.
Her smile faded.
"What happened?"
Terrence gently lowered Tan to the floor.
"I found him wandering into traffic."
Eva's hand flew to her mouth.
"Oh, sweetheart..."
She knelt in front of him.
"My name is Eva."
Tan looked up cautiously.
"I'm a nurse."
No response.
She smiled anyway.
"I heard somebody here was very brave today."
Terrence laughed softly.
"He almost gave me a heart attack."
A tiny smile tugged at Tan's lips.
Just for a second.
Eva noticed.
"So..."
She whispered dramatically.
"You smiled."
Tan quickly hid his face behind the stuffed panda.
Terrence chuckled.
"There it is."
Eva looked at her husband.
"You've already made him laugh."
"I got lucky."
She gently reached for Tan's small hand.
"Can I look at your arm?"
He hesitated.
Then nodded.
Eva carefully rolled up his sleeve.
Her professional smile disappeared.
There were fading bruises along his forearm.
Small scratches.
Old mosquito bites.
Signs of dehydration.
She looked into Terrence's eyes.
Neither of them spoke.
They didn't need to.
Both knew...
This little boy had been alone far too long.
Over the next two hours, Eva stayed with Tan through every examination.
She coaxed him into drinking juice.
She convinced him to eat warm chicken noodle soup from the cafeteria.
She found a clean set of children's clothes donated by a local church.
She even discovered a tiny toothbrush in the pediatric supply closet.
Little by little...
The frightened child began talking.
Mostly to Eva.
"My mama make noodles."
"I like dragons."
"I scared of thunder."
"My brother funny."
"My birthday..."
He proudly held up one hand.
"...five."
Terrence watched everything from across the room.
His wife had always possessed a gift.
She never forced children to trust her.
She simply made them feel safe enough to choose trust on their own.
When Tan finished eating, he crawled onto the hospital bed and leaned against Eva while she read him a picture book from the pediatric library.
Within minutes...
His eyelids became heavy.
His head rested against her shoulder.
He fell asleep.
Eva didn't move.
She simply stroked his hair.
Terrence quietly walked beside her.
"You okay?"
She nodded without looking away from the sleeping child.
"I can't stop thinking..."
Her voice cracked.
"...how scared he must have been."
Terrence rested a hand on her shoulder.
"We'll find his family."
"I hope so."
"So do I."
Just then, a woman wearing a county identification badge entered the room carrying a clipboard.
"I'm Angela Morris with Child Protective Services."
Terrence introduced himself.
Angela looked at the sleeping child.
"Poor thing."
She sighed.
"We've been overwhelmed since the immigration operation."
Terrence frowned.
"Has anyone reported him missing?"
Angela shook her head.
"Not yet."
Eva looked up.
"What happens now?"
Angela answered gently.
"We'll place him in emergency foster care tonight while we continue searching for relatives."
Eva glanced back down at Tan.
He was sleeping peacefully for what was likely the first time in days.
Her heart ached.
She leaned down and kissed the top of his head.
"So many children..."
she whispered.
"...should never have to go through this."
Terrence silently agreed.
Neither of them knew that in less than twelve hours, a single nightmare would change the course of their lives forever.