“Hi,” he breathed as he pulled me into a crushing hug against his chest.
“Hi,” I echoed, laying my head against his chest. I could hear the steady thumping of his heart within him.
“Well, I’ll start on breakfast,” Julia spoke, breaking the silence and causing me and Zachariah to slip apart. He took ahold of my hand instead. At least we both wanted to keep our skin touching.
“Make enough for an extra guest,” Carlos spoke, moving aside so that the boy standing with his head down was seen.
That certainly explained the shuffling footsteps.
While I stood there, not sure how to respond, Julia made her way slowly to the boy who appeared to be about ten-years-old or so. His brown shirt was two sizes too small and covered with a number of holes around the seams. His black hair was hanging over his eyes.
Once she reached the boy, Julia kneeled down to his level, a look of open calmness upon her face.
“Hi there,” she spoke as I finally tried to hide my surprise.
Was it a normal occurrence to bring children into this life? It was bad enough that I was brought into this life.
“My name is Julia. What’s yours?” Julia spoke.
I watched as Carlos stepped away, keeping his steps slow and light.
“Toby,” his voice low, just above a whisper.
“Well, Toby, how about we get you into a bath, then we’ll find some food,” Julia stated as she stood up and offered her hand to the boy.
Toby glanced up at Carlos, who now stood on the other side of the counter where his wife had just been moments before.
“Go ahead,” he said, dipping his head. He kept his voice more easygoing than normal.
After a few moments, Toby slowly laid his hand into Julia’s. His look of pure uncertainty and fear never faltered.
I wasn’t sure what to say, nor what to ask. How was one to ask about the reasons on why a child was brought into this house in such a way? I hoped, dear God, I hoped, that it wasn’t a normal thing.
What if I was like that child? I certainly could have been.
“I’ll start making breakfast,” I stated, my voice flat to hide the distress I felt. It was safer that way. For now at least.
“Shemoli is no longer a threat,” Zachariah said, watching for my reaction. He spoke as though it was nothing. As if a life could be wiped out just that easily.
To my husband, I’m positive that was how he saw it.
Shock. Horror. Awe. Acceptance.
How was one to feel after finding out that the man that not only killed your best friend, but also kidnapped you himself, was no longer a threat? Was I to feel ashamed? Relieved? Anything at all?
I wasn’t sure what I felt. Everything and nothing all at once.
Zachariah had informed me about what went down as if he was telling me about the weather. Did he expect me to be upset? I surely wouldn’t be. Not for that man that meant nothing to me.
Was I possibly getting used to this life that I was unwillingly brought into? What more could possibly come next?
What I did know was that I wasn’t surprised by the turn of events. Zachariah had promised that he would kill the men behind my kidnapping.
Every. Single. One.
That included Cody and Lynn Ray, despite that they were trying to do well by me at the start of my life. They were as much at fault as anyone else.
I wasn’t thrilled about how things went down, but I guess Shemoli thought that taking his own life was better than whatever my husband would have dished out. The man in question was willing to kill himself, which was the lowest of lows for anyone. Was it really better than suffering from the hands of a monster?
