Page 42 of No Turning Back
“You look like you saw a ghost.” She jokes.
Little does she know that I saw an apparition that has been haunting my life. I shake it off and walk to them. Mari reaches for me.
“Da-da-da-da,” she says and points around her.
“No. Momma, baby girl,” I say to her, but she shakes her head.
I had put her hair in little twisted ponytails on top of her head this morning. She arches her back to get down, and I set her on the floor. She pushes herself up and takes a step.
“Mom, look,” I squeal as Mari falls back onto her butt, then stands again.
She immediately falls and crawls to the living room, where she uses the sofa to stand up. I watch in awe with my camera on my phone rolling video as she takes a couple more steps.
My mom and I make dinner, and the rest of the evening I don’t think about what I need to do tomorrow. I know I’m going to meet the man who shot the rhino. But will the other man be there? Will he continue to haunt my life?
Poseidon
* * *
Just like every night, I sit outside her home and watch their lives go on without me. I can’t wait until Mari’s birthday party when I can see Sydney again. I want to hold her in my arms. I want to demand that she take me back, but I can’t. Until she comes to me and tells me what’s going on, I can’t give her any more of myself. She already has all of me. She has my heart and my soul.
When Mrs. Williamson stopped at the jobsite to visit with Jayden today, she mentioned she was going to see Sharon and her granddaughter, and I knew I had to try to see them. I missed Mari, and I’m glad I crashed their meeting. Jayden knew what I was up to as soon as I said I had to take off for a bit.
Mari saw me before the women did and stood up, shaking her arms at me. I almost choked with pride seeing her try to take a couple of steps toward me. I swung her up in my arms and nuzzled her in close. Her cute little smile with a couple of teeth showing told me how much I’ve already missed in the nine days since I left.
When I first left Sydney’s house, I said I wasn’t going to stay away for long. But then I decided for us to move forward, Sydney would need to tell me more about her past. She knows everything about me, and I don’t know the most important things about her. Granted she doesn’t know about the Unknowns or why the Drago Defiance was originally created, but until I get her secrets, I can’t give her those. Too many lives would be affected.
She won’t talk about Mari’s dad, and I think it’s not because she loved him, but despised him. How could she have the child of a man she despised? Those are questions I want answered.
I watch the lights go off in each room as she prepares to go to bed. Her mom left an hour ago. She waved at me as she drove by. I’m not fooling Sharon or anyone for that matter. Only Sydney doesn’t know where I spend my nights. I pull out my cell and text her.
Me
Goodnight, spitfire. Sweet dreams. Kiss my marshmallow for me. I miss you.
I started calling Mari marshmallow shortly after Sydney and I got together. Mari smushes herself against me as if she’s trying to meld us together. It’s a feeling I missed until today when she hugged me again. She hugs with everything in her.
I look back at my phone and notice she still hasn’t messaged back when I see the light flick on in her office. I watch her as she sits at her desk. She needs curtains on those windows. She pulls on a pair of glasses I’ve only seen her wear a few times. The dark rims would look ugly on some people, but not on her. They make me think of a sexy librarian.
She is looking at something on the computer, then I see her hold up photos. I want to move closer, but I don’t want her to know. She finally picks up her cell phone and looks at it. Her glasses are perched on the tip of her nose.
Spitfire
Night, Tucker. I miss you too.
That’s the first time she’s acknowledged missing me. I tell her every night I miss her, but she usually just says goodnight and that’s the end of it.
Spitfire
I wish you were here.
Me
I wish that too.
Spitfire
If I asked, would you come to me?
