Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 91467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91467 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
“I knew the babies weren’t there, they hadn’t been since the night I gave birth.” She doubled over as if in pain, holding her stomach as I held her in my arms.
“We have to find our babies Cade, please...”
“I know baby, we will. We won’t stop looking until we find them I promise.” Even if I have to turn the whole world upside down this time.
She fought for air to breathe, one of her panic attacks again and I held her through it, soothing her with soft words until she calmed down.
Cade
By the next day she was looking and feeling a lot better now that the drugs were mostly out of her system. She still had a long way to go, but at least she no longer looked like death was waiting just around the corner.
The doctor prescribed something that was supposed to wean her off the drug that she’d been on a steady diet of for the past two years and I was allowed to take her home.
I’d asked my family not to return to the hospital, to give her some time, and Mac had promised to get in touch when he had something useful for me. Other than that I didn’t want to see or hear anyone.
I took her home, making sure to keep my eyes open as we drove through the streets. I gave serious thought to finding a hotel or somewhere else to stay, but in the end decided I could protect her better from the safety of our home.
She stopped in the door once we got to the house and looked around before stepping foot inside. “It’s still the same.” She looked back at me in wonder.
“Yes! I couldn’t bear to change anything.”
I looked now with new eyes at all the little things she’d done to put her mark on our home. I’d bought the house after we got married and from the beginning she’d been fascinated with making it a home.
I walked with her through each room now as she ran her fingers over old familiar things. The portrait of our wedding that took up almost a whole wall still hung over the fireplace mantle and she stared at it for a long time.
“We have to set up the nursery Cade. We have to get the room ready for when our babies come home.” She looked at me almost pleadingly.
“Of course baby we’ll do that right away.”
I had the fleeting thought that maybe I should check with the doctor first, see if that was okay, but decided against it. If it’s something she wants, there’s no way I’m not gonna give it to her.
“We’ll do whatever you want.” Those words sounded so familiar, words I hadn’t uttered in all the time she was gone. It was once a popular refrain between us.
How easy it was to just fall right back into that old familiar routine. When she reached for my hand I felt the last of my resistance melt away.
I still have no clue who why or where, but after listening to her the night before and then again today, I no longer doubt that she was telling the absolute truth.
All that was left was for me to find the answers anyway I can and make things right. It was obvious that she was still afraid, and why wouldn’t she be?
I’m afraid for her too, for her and my children. If whoever took her had planned to kill her that could only mean they meant to shut her up.
And even though she didn’t know anything, they weren’t willing to take any chances. Which meant they might still come looking for her. And they knew where she lived.
Would they actually show up here again? I wish the fuck they would. A sudden thought hit me as we moved from one room to the next.
“Did you ever mention the birthmarks and the fact that I have the same one?” She shook her head before I was through talking.
“No, we never really spoke to each other. The old woman would talk once in a while but I never answered her. I don’t think I spoke two words since I was taken. Except for the night they took our children. Then I screamed for them to bring them back…”
I folded her into my chest when she started to cry feeling helpless in the face of her pain. As a man there was so much I wanted to do but couldn’t.
The thing pressing on my mind now was the hope that whoever had my children wasn’t aware of the mark that we shared.
The mark I was hoping would lead us to them. I have a feeling if they know that it may mean death for the poor innocents.
“We’ll find them Zandi and bring them home. I know it’s hard but I want you to concentrate on getting better. Leave the rest to me.” I felt her body relax even more against my chest and wished in that moment that I could make it all go away.