I want to be part of her entire world.
Watching the van as I kept my foot on the gas, worried I’d never see Caylee again, knowing too much about what could—was—happening, was terrifying.
Talk about a reality check.
Those people never leave anyone alive to threaten their complex and sophisticated organization.Caylee would’ve been dead within a few hours.
Or less.
Instead, we caught the fuckers.
Brad Thornton, we’re advised, is now locked up, and his staff has been advised that the company is closed for the foreseeable future.
Which Cole just updated Caylee on.
“I just can’t believe it’s Brad.”Caylee wipes her eyes and then smiles when her mom steps back into the room with a hot chocolate.
“Here you are, darling.”She takes a chair and rubs her daughter’s arm.“What do you need?”
Caylee glances at me.
I act like a tree, locking my thighs and letting her know, as I cross my arms, I am not leaving.I lean back against the wall and get comfortable to emphasize my intention.
I’m here for the long haul.
Caylee swallows.
I wish I knew what she was thinking.
She clung to me when I rescued her, but for the past hour she’s started to retreat, watching me like a wild animal she’s not sure how will react.
We need to talk.
But not tonight.
I have some big changes and decisions to make; I realize that.
Unless it’s too late.
––––––––
ITELL EVERYONE I’lldrive Caylee home and take care of her.She doesn’t kick me out, and I take that as a win.
Even Cole slaps me on the back, while the women all hug.
I’d think it was the Twilight Zone if we hadn’t all been through a huge scare.It changes people...temporarily.
It’s a quiet drive home, but we are soon inside, and I flop down into the armchair when Caylee lies down on the sofa.My muscles are aching, and I’m suddenly starving.
“Hungry?”
“Not sure.I don’t know how I feel.”She bites her lip, and I note how exhausted she is.
Decision making is hard when you are in shock, stressed and tired, so I pull out my phone and order a few light options she can snack on.Some fries, a chicken salad, some drinks and a huge burger for me.
When I glance over again, she has a lost look on her face, so I join her on the sofa.She sits up, and her eyes fill with tears.
“Sorry.”
