“I know that events like this one can be lonely for single women,” Mom said. “If you’re feeling that way, I want to be sensitive to it.”
“I’m not feeling that way. I’m happy.”
“There are a lot of young families here. Which can be hard.”
“She’s happy, Caroline,” Dad said, winking at Genevieve.
“It’s just ... I want you to know I understand your sorrow,” Mom told her.
“Thanks, Mom.”
“You have Dad and me, sweetie. We love you to the moon and back.”
“I love you, too.”
“And we’ll always be here. For anything and everything you need.”
“I appreciate that. Very much.”
“Have you had enough to eat tonight?”
“Yep.”
The music cut away. Neither Millie nor Wyatt had landed on the correct number. Consternation stamped Millie’s face. Wyatt counteracted that by sweeping his daughter upside down until she laughed.
“I’ll make you a cake,” Mom assured Millie as she bent to christen the little girl’s face with kisses.
Dad took Owen into his arms and ruffled his hair. “How are you, buddy?”
What despicable thing could these two people—who wore dog ears on Halloween and cherished their grandchildren—have done all those years ago?
Natasha
I think Sebastian’s lost his mind.
He picked up a rock, and he keeps dropping it on the bent area of the pipe.Crash. He lifts it again.Crash. Crash Crash. Metal creaks.
How many times has he dropped the rock on that pipe? Thirty? Fifty? He’s grunting and sweating. What if he spends all his energy on this pipe only to find out that it’s empty or that it carries sewage?
Crash. This time, he doesn’t pick the rock back up. Instead, he raises his knee and lets out a yell as he kicks down on the pipe with his heel.
It doesn’t break.
I come to stand next to him. “I’ll help.”
“We’ll all help,” Ben says.
“No. I can do it myself.”
Suddenly, he’s not the only one who’s angry. I’m angry, too, because he’s so rude. Why would anybody be rude in this situation? It’s hard enough to be stuck down here. We’re all worried. We need to be kind to one another.
Sebastian lifts his rock again. All of us except for Luke hunt around for the next biggest rocks we can find. When Genevieve stands, she has to put out a hand to steady herself and fear kicks me in the gut. She’s weak and moving slow.
She needs food and water and a bed.
God, please come get us out before nightfall. Please, God.I can’t face another black night in this hole.
“IsaidI can do it myself,” Sebastian snarls as I near him with my rock.
