I clear my throat, “Don’t worry, if there’s one thing Emett understands, it’s hockey. He’ll be fine.”
“Right.” He shifts on his feet, almost like he needs to leave but doesn’t want to and it doesn’t make any sense to me.
None of this makes any sense to me, and I hate the feeling.
Just when I think he’s finally going to open that door, Emett comes flying back, carrying a white paper with something colorful on it.
“Mr. Brick! Wait up! Button, Cranky and I drew a picture for you.” He stops, panting. “Here…” He hands it to Severin. “It’s for saving my mom.”
Severin’s large fingers clasp around the paper, and a lump works itself down his throat as he stares at the colorful mess.
“You see it’s you and Mom and me right there. I’m the smaller one.” Emett points out each variation of a doodled, crooked somewhat circles. “Do you like it?” he asks, hopeful, and I bite the corner of my lip when Severin doesn’t say anything for a moment, just stares at the picture in his hand.
“Thank you, little man. It’s perfect,” he finally croaks out, and I can’t find an ounce of lie in that statement.
Huh.
Emett’s face breaks out in a huge smile as he jumps up, does a happy dance, and runs back into his room.
When he’s out of the earshot, I say, “Want me to throw that out for you?” I wouldn’t actually throw it away. I keep every little thing Emett ever makes, and I don’t want this one to go into the garbage either.
But Severin doesn’t hand it to me, instead, frowning. “Why? It’s mine. He drew it for me, no?”
“Um…” I blink at the fierceness in his tone. “Yeah, it’s yours.”
He nods.
“I’ll get out of your hair now. Bye, Aurora,” Severin says, each word laced with a thousand more unspoken ones but in a language I’m terrified to understand.
He turns toward the door, opening it.
“Severin?” I catch him right before he steps off into the early evening.
“Yeah?” He stops but doesn’t turn to face me.
“How did you know where we lived?”
Those caramel eyes cut to mine, and I suck in a lungful of cold, icy air. “I simply wanted to know. And when I want something, I’ll always find a way to have it, Aurora.”
Why does that sound like both a promise and a threat?
10
Kevin the police bear
Severin
Thewhitenumbersonthe screen of my phone are slowly ticking away. Minute by minute each one turned into another hour.
I’ve said my peace.
I’ve apologized.
She’s accepted it.
End of the story.
Then why the hell am I sitting in my car far enough away so she can’t spot me, but I can see them.
