“It’s for the best, sir.” Beth nodded, her smile solemn. After what she had to do today when Mikaela miscarried, I didn’t think she’d sleep well. Just like me.
I switched on the bedside lamp and turned down the main lights. “Have all her things moved into my room.”
“Right away, sir.”
“In the morning, Beth.” I stopped her as she moved to leave. “Get some sleep.”
“What about you, sir?”
My smile was just as tired as my body. “I’ll sleep when I know she’s going to be fine.”
She lifted troubled eyes from Mikaela to me. “Given what she’s been through in her young life, I’m afraid that will be a long time.”
“Then we just have to make sure we don’t let that happen.” I shifted my gaze from Mikaela to Beth. “Thank you for everything you did tonight. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you and John.” I dragged a weary hand through my hair, recalling how Beth rushed into the room and took charge just before Juliette arrived.
Beth smiled. “It’s always our pleasure, sir. You’re a good man, and what you’ve done for this girl is highly commendable.”
“Any good man in my shoes would’ve done the same.”
“I don’t think so,” she replied, her voice laced with sadness. “Get some sleep if you can, sir.”
I watched her leave, checked on Mikaela again, and headed for the bathroom, cursing that bastard for whatever he’d done to her. Letting the hot water soothe my aching muscles, I let my mind drift back to that red room, specifically those cages. The thought he might’ve kept Mikaela pregnant and housed the babies in those cages sickened me. How the hell did he get away with this for so long? And where the fuck was Mikaela’s mother? Who was her father? When did he kidnap Mikaela’s mother? We had no way of establishing if Mikaela was born in captivity.
So many questions and so few answers by guesswork alone.
Part 2: Mudita
(The desire to bring joy and pleasure)
