Sonya sinks to the couch beside me. Her eyes fill with tears. "You sweet girl. You almost died figuring out who killed the people we love. I'm grateful, please believe me, but a part of me is frustrated with your curious nature."
If it didn't feel like needles in my throat, I'd laugh.
Sonya brushes hair back from my face. "My son loves you fiercely. Please be careful with yourself."
She's looking at me with such tenderness, how could I do anything but nod my agreement?
Hugo walks in holding two bags. He carries them upstairs, returning immediately. We eat dinner together, me and Hugo, Sonya and Carmen.
Hugo explains to all of us how it came to be that he was coming home today when he said he'd be late with a meeting. "After I talked to Jimmy Esteban, I had a weird feeling. Nothing was sitting right. So I decided to call Towles, ask him why he'd redacted that name before he gave Mallory the file. It was obvious neither one of us trusted the other, and it made for a conversation that wasn't going anywhere. Then this odd feeling came over me, and I decided to trust him. I told him everything Mallory and I had learned, and he told me Mallory had piqued his curiosity in a case he'd resigned himself to never solving. He'd redacted that name because he knew there was something off about it, and he'd wanted to protect the man's information so he could do his job properly and follow a hunch."
Hugo looks at me with a stare I can't decipher. "I don't know if I'll ever understand it, but something told me to go home. I got up from my office chair and ran to my car. Thank God I did."
The most unusual sensation trickles over me. A feeling of safety. Like someone whisperedI've got you.
"How did you know to come to my house?" Hugo asks his mom. "How did Penn get there?"
"Carmen and I were standing in Merry Little Market when Penn walked in to buy the vanilla olive oil for Daisy. We were talking when we saw you driving fast up to your house. We knew something was wrong."
"It's good you were there," Hugo admits, glancing at me. "I don't think I would've left her alive."
"I guess we'll never know," Sonya says.
She and Carmen hover after we eat, watchful of everything I do. Hugo must take notice, because he says he'd like to watch the sunset just the two of us.
Sonya and Carmen share a look before retreating.
We go outside, and Hugo helps me onto the porch bed. He arranges pillows, and has me lie back. He settles in beside me, his hand rubbing over my stomach.
"Have you felt Peanut yet?"
I shake my head.No. If I hadn't been to the doctor, if I hadn't heard Peanut's heartbeat for myself, I'd be going out of my mind with worry.
Hugo works his way down to my midsection. He lifts my top, and the warm air drifts over my skin.
"Hey, Peanut," he says, voice low. Deep. His fingers caress the hardness of my belly.
"Pretty scary what happened to your mom today, huh? I don't blame you for going into hiding." Hugo's eyes find mine. He looks so good with his lips beside my skin. So perfect. So right.
"If you wouldn't mind giving us a little push of your heel? Maybe a knee, or an elbow. Just a little something to let us know you're hanging in there." Hugo's fingers flex, and he palms my belly, letting itroll over the expanse.
A press from the inside. A dragging feeling. Hugo and I gasp at the same time.
"Look at you go," Hugo says, wonder clear in his tone. He sends a message through my belly with a push of his hand. Peanut pushes back.
I make a noise, marveling at this wonderful thing happening in front of me. Hugo looks up, eyes wide, astonished.
"It's like she's communicating."
I swallow, and it hurts. "She is."
He presses a long kiss to my stomach. Reverent. "Mallory, I want her. And I want you. Forever. Will you be my forever girls?"
Peanut kicks.Hard.
Hugo laughs.
"She said yes," I croak.
