Page 35 of Protected By Duval
He also knew there was nothing more to say at the moment.
Nodding, he reached out and clapped his hand on West’s upper arm. “Thanks for letting me in tonight.”
West nodded. “That was Tracy, man.”
Duval heard the words, but he knew that West wouldn’t have let him stand out there like that.
Tracy was the one who’d given them time to talk.
“She’s amazing.”
West nodded. “I wholeheartedly agree. My life just keeps getting better and better.”
Duval nodded and walked to the door with West at his side.
West unlocked the door and opened it for him. Duval stepped outside and stood in the warm light of the porch. “Thanks, again.”
“I wish I could help you.”
Duval shook his head. “I think you did.”
Smiling, just a tiny bit, Duval turned and headed back to his truck, breathing in a cooler night air.
CHAPTER 6
NOELLE
She laid awake a good long time after Ciela fell asleep.
Feeling her daughter’s back rise and fall under her palm, she started to drift off.
Noelle struggled to see it as a set back.
This was the first time that her daughter had been able to speak to her, in between long, terrified wails.
Blinking, Noelle tried to clear her eyes of the tears that had fallen as soon as she realized that her daughter had fallen asleep.
The first thing she’d do in the morning was call Doctor Barr and tell her what had happened. They’d schedule an appointment as soon as the therapist could fit them in.
The last thing Noelle wanted to do was put too much time between what happened and a session.
It was hard enough for a child as young as Ciela to work through the terror she’d gone through. The more time that passed, the harder it was.
The door softly opened and Noelle looked up to see her mother, standing in the doorway.
Her mother raised her eyebrows. “ASLEEP?”
She’d mouthed the question and Noelle nodded, mouthing back, “FINALLY.”
Her mother gestured for her come out of the room, whispering softly. “Dinner’s still warm.”
Almost on cue, Noelle’s stomach started to grumble.
Wincing, she wiggled away from Ciela, trying not to shift the mattress too much.
When she reached the edge of the mattress and her feet touched the ground, she used a hand to grasp the headboard and pull herself up.
Ow. Her back and the arm that had been between her body and the mattress were aching.
