He tried to speak again, but his voice failed.
“Don’t try to say anything, Dad. You need your strength.”
His head attempted to lift off the pillow, and he tried to speak once more, but his mouth worked silently.
I knew what he was trying to ask. “Mom’s okay, Dad. She’s fine. She’s awake and stable. She just wants you to get better and join her.”
I thought I saw a smile curve the corner of his mouth. His head sank back into the pillow, and he was gone once more, but this time, the expression on his face seemed more peaceful.
A tear rolled down my cheek as I redoubled my energy into him. They’d been through so much together. Built a family. Built businesses. Seen their children struggle and hurt and survive. Been through normal daily life stresses. Been through things normal people would never dream of. Been through things that would drive most couples apart or at least drive them to rip out each other’s throats. Not them, though. Not Wendell and Paulette de Morisco. Not my parents. Each day brought them closer together. Even the days where they fought and argued. They were one. Each wonderful and strong on their own, yet completely dependent on the other. I was certain if we lost one, we’d lose both. That wasn’t going to happen. We wouldn’t let it. They were going to live long enough to see their grandchildren’s children. Long enough for them to see each of their children find a love as strong as theirs, or at least as close as we could find.
Thirty-Five
FINN DE MORISCO
Caitlinglared at me over Mom’s bed. “What’s taking your boyfriend so long? How hard is it to drive to Encinitas and back to San Diego? It’s only a half-hour drive. He’s been gone for over two hours!”
“Stop growling, Caitlin.” Mom looked over at her and patted her hand. “There’s no reason to be upset. Schwint has been here for days. Maybe he needed to take a moment for himself before picking up Cynthia.”
“We’ve all been here for days, Mom.” While her words were argumentative, her tone wasn’t. Caitlin had been unnaturally soothing with Mom since the wreck. I’d never seen such a nurturing side to her before. “Christina has two little boys to take care of, and she’s already back downstairs with Dad.”
“That’s true, but you are our children. Schwint has barely met us, and yet he hasn’t left our side. If he needs a little bit to himself, he is more than entitled to take it.”
I hadn’t said anything, but my thoughts were actually echoing Caitlin’s. I’d texted Schwint a half hour ago but hadn’t received a response. Even if Cynthia were still sleeping when he arrived at the house, he would’ve responded. Of course, knowing Schwint, he’d probably left his cell in my truck. There was also the very real possibility he’d wrecked somewhere along the way. He’d been certain he’d be able to manage driving, that it surely wasn’t that hard, and he had magic to help him if he needed it. Even with magic, the Five was never pretty during rush hour. I glanced over at the clock on the bedside table. Rush hour should have been over nearly an hour ago. I cursed myself for letting him go. Even if Cynthia drove them back, it had been too big of a risk, but I hadn’t wanted to leave Mom and Dad, and Schwint had looked like he was about to go stir-crazy. When Ricky had called and said there was an emergency at the restaurant and he needed to go in, it seemed like a perfect chance for Schwint to get out of the hospital. The house wasn’t really that far away. Truth be told, Cynthia was safer with Schwint than she was with Ricky.
“You really think Wendell was trying to ask about us?” Mom’s hopeful face was nearly heartbreaking. She’d asked this about twenty times since I’d told her when I came back up after my shift with Dad.
“Yes, Mom. I’m sure he was. As soon as he found out you were okay, he went back to sleep. He looked more peaceful than I’d seen him.”
She smiled, the reassurance lessening her fear once more. “Surely that will help him recover quicker if he knows we’re all okay.”
I patted her hand soothingly. “I’m sure it will, Mom.”
Caitlin narrowed her eyes at me but didn’t say anything more, not wanting to upset Mom, but her message was clear. Schwint should be back with Cynthia by now, and this was entirely my fault.
It wasnearly another hour before Schwint returned. Mom had been asleep once more but woke as soon as she heard him step through the door. One look at him told me something was wrong. He looked past Caitlin and Mom and held my gaze, his yellow eyes wide and pain-filled.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. If Caitlin wasn’t speaking, she must be having the same problem as well. It was Mom’s steady strength that voiced our fears. “What is it, Schwint? What happened?”
He stepped forward, this time his gaze sweeping across the room to address all of us. “I went to your house, Paulette, to get Cynthia. She didn’t answer the door, so I went in with the key you gave me. She wasn’t in bed. I nearly left, thinking that she’d ended up going to the restaurant with Ricky, but then I noticed this lying on the bed.” He stretched out his hand and started to give the folded paper to me, then thought better of it and gave it to Mom. “I don’t think Cynthia is hurt. I didn’t find anything that would suggest she was.”
Mom opened the paper, Caitlin and I rising to read over her shoulder.
Come get her.
Caitlin and I both cried out in despair, she crashing into the chair beside the bed, me sinking to the bed beside Mom.
Only Mom remained in control. Her voice stronger and calmer than I’d heard it since the wreck. She held Schwint in her gaze. “What do you mean you didn’t find anything that would suggest she was hurt?”
Schwint hesitated.
“Just say it, Schwint. I need to know. Why do you think my daughter is unharmed?”
“I didn’t find… I didn’t find any blood. The room was messed up like there might have been a struggle, but I didn’t find any blood. Plus, the note. It would seem to imply that Cynthia is alive if they want you to come get her.”
Mom nodded slowly. “Yes, that makes sense. I am certain you are right.” Despite the strength her voice insinuated, her hands trembled as they gripped the blanket over her lap.
Caitlin’s voice rose as she looked up at Schwint. “And where have you been? You should have been back hours ago.”
