Page 106 of Zone
It’s mid-afternoon, and the lunch crowd has all gone. The place is closed for a few hours while they prepare for the dinner rush, and I’m surrounded by my aunts and cousins and their little ones.
My hands are cupped in front of my ears, and my mom is at my side, rubbing slow circles on my back. “I’m so sorry, honey. I can’t even imagine how awful it must’ve been.”
“Her little face was so red.” My chest twists painfully. “She only cries like that when she’s really in pain…” My voice breaks. “I never let her cry like that.”
I rub my fingers over my eyes to swipe the tears that won’t stop coming. My head aches, and I couldn’t sleep last night. I’ve gotten used to having her little body in the bedwith me, kicking me in the face or scooting around so her head is pressed right against mine.
“She’s probably scared and wondering where I am…”
“Oh, honey.” Mom hugs my arm, resting her head on my shoulder.
“Gavin wanted me to tell you if he didn’t have to play right now, he’d be down here helping you get her back.” Haddy sits on my other side holding my arm. “When he heard about what happened, he went and got Lucy out of her crib and carried her around for an hour.”
“I’m still amazed she learned to walk,” Gina teases, sliding her hand over her distended midsection, and my eyes drift to the dark-haired toddler wobbling around the dining room, playing with my cousin’s toy poodle.
“Look at the baby!” A little-girl voice joins them, and a blonde three-year-old runs straight to Lucy. “Hey, baby!”
Her voice is high and sweet, and Kimmie Joy follows her, squatting beside the two girls. “This is your cousin Lucy. Lucy, this is Callie.”
I swallow the thickness in my throat. Cricket should be here playing with her cousins, and when my big sister’s eyes meet mine, hers fill with tears. It almost makes me start again.
“Knoxey.” Her voice is quiet, and she stands, coming to where I sit and reaching for my hands. “How are you holding up?”
I can only shake my head at first. When I’m able to speak, all I can say is, “Not good.”
Lucy lets out a squeal, and Mom slides out of the booth to walk over to where the little girls are playing.
Kim takes her place at my side, putting her head on my shoulder. “Dad said Aunt Liv is talking to the lawyer in Arkansas. She thinks you have a really good case for gettingher back. Aunt Liv said this cousin is such a distant relative, she doesn’t have a stronger claim than you do.”
“I can’t believe I let them take her like that. I should have thrown them out.”
Her lips press, and she shrugs. “I don’t know, but I think Edward was right. How you handled things mattered.”
“I could’ve thrown them outnicely.”
It was a quiet drive over yesterday evening. I put my earbuds in and leaned back in the chair, not even wanting to acknowledge my cousin. I’ve always trusted Edward to have my back, but I can’t help feeling like he really let me down this time.
“Hey, LB, you okay?” At the sound of my brother’s deep voice, Kimmie straightens at my side. “Mom said you could use a pep talk from someone who’s been there.”
“Austin.” I clasp his hand briefly. “I can’t stop wondering how she’s being treated, if she’s okay. Every minute feels like forever.”
He sits across from me, hands rested on the table. “It’s torture, I know, but we’re all here with you. We’re not letting her go.”
“At least you were able to see Callie. At least she was with her grandparents.” I shake my head. “I just have to go on faith.”
“But you saw the cousin, right? She seemed like a decent person?”
“Melody ran a background check on her. She doesn’t have a record or any kind of history of anything. She’s a musician, a hair stylist.”
“That’s good news.” Kimmie strokes my hair off my forehead. “She’ll take care of Cricket. She’s her family.”
I inhale slowly, hoping she’s right. “She’s just in fucking Arkansas,” I say under my breath.
All these babies around means I’m going to have to curtail my language.
Austin gives me a tight grin. “There are worse places she could be.”
“Your aunt is doing her best to set a hearing before the holiday,” Edward says, joining the group. “She’s hoping to get a judge who’ll be sympathetic to you, who’ll take into account the baby’s needs and your character.”
