“No, it’s not,” Toby muttered. “I have nowhere to go. No family.”
“Carlos will help find you somewhere to stay. A place to keep you safe with food and a warm bed,” I spoke. I knew Carlos well enough to know that he’d do just that. “I promise, everything will work out.”
“How can you know?” he hiccupped against my side.
“Because I was once in your shoes,” I sighed out. “My…mom didn’t want me and gave me to the same man that you were with.”
“The one that had the gun?” Toby asked.
“Yeah, that one,” I said. “But Zachariah, he saved me. He let me stay here and become his wife.”
“Really?” Toby asked, sounding shocked. “He…he doesn’t like me.” He lifted his tear-stained face to see me.
“He’s not the biggest fans of kids,” I agreed. “But he won’t hurt you. No one ever will again.”
“Okay,” Toby sighed, sniffing and laying his head against me again.
I leaned back against the cushions of the couch, bringing Toby with me. It didn’t take him long to become comfortable and his breathing to even out. I was sure he was tired from not only today, but also the entire time he was in Shemoli’s care.
“How long do you think he was with that man?” Julia asked quietly as she returned.
“A few weeks at most, but right now, I’m not pressing for more,” Carlos answered. “He’s been through enough. The boy’s already at the end of his rope.”
“What will happen to him?” I asked, running my fingers through his soft hair. He stirred slightly against me, shivers still causing his body to tremble every now and then.
“I know of a few families that may take him as their own. It’ll be a day or two,” Carlos answered as Julia took the throw blanket that had been left in one of the other chairs and lay it across the boy.
“I’ll run to the store to get him some clothes,” Julia said. “And a toy or two.”
“Don’t go overboard,” Carlos warned.
“I would never do such a thing,” Julia said, acting shocked that he’d even say that. She then shot me a smirk before making her way out of the house.
“Do you want me to take him to one of the beds?” Carlos asked, looking between the boy and myself.
“No, that’s okay,” I yawned. “I wish someone would have held me like this at his age,” I whispered the last part, watching Toby’s eyelashes flutter in his sleep.
“Alright,” Carlos said slowly as though he was in thought.
It looked like he wanted to say something more, but decided against doing so. Instead, he turned and went back to the kitchen, following Zachariah’s path.
