Page 89 of Deceived Wrath

Finally, I stand and clap Ray on the shoulder.

“I’m going to find Scout. Try not to die while I’m gone.”

Ray huffs a laugh. “I’ll try my best.”

I leave Ray to rest and head down to the cafeteria in search of Scout. I spot him near the vending machines, holding a carton of chocolate milk.

He looks a little pale, but otherwise unharmed.

Relief floods through me at the sight of my son, and my legs move faster than my thoughts.

I scoop him up before he can register that it’s me, but the second he does, he tightens his arms around my neck and buries his face in my shoulder.

For a moment, nothing else exists.

“You did good, Scout,” I whisper. “You saved him. You…you saved Ray’s life.”

His small arms squeeze me back. “Is Ray going to be okay?”

I brush a hand over his hair as I swallow past the lump in my throat. “He’s going to be fine. He’s going to stay with Holly for a little while, just to make sure he rests.”

Scout pulls back, and I set him down on the floor and kneel in front of him.

He looks anxiously down at the floor, and I know something is bothering him.

“What’s wrong?”

Scout glances up at me as he fiddles with the hem of his sweatshirt. “What about me? Where am I going to go?”

“You’re coming home with me,” I say without a second of hesitation.

Scout’s eyes widen before he throws his arms around my neck, almost knocking me over.

I smile. “I’m glad you’re happy.”

“But we can still see Ray, right?”

“Of course. But for now, we need to let him rest.”

“Dad, can I ask you something?”

“You can ask me anything, you know that.”

There’s that anxious expression again that has my chest tightening. I swear I never used to worry this much when I was a kid. Scout must have gotten it from his mother.

“Did Ray end up in the hospital because he ate too many pancakes? Because I’ve eaten a lot, and I don’t want to die.”

It takes everything I have not to laugh. I take his face in my hands. “No, bud. It wasn’t the pancakes.”

Scout lets out a sigh of relief.

“I was worried for a second.”

I ruffle his hair. “Glad to know your priorities are in order.”

After spending some time with Ray, Scout and I say our goodbyes before heading back to the house to collect Scout’s things.

The place feels eerie without Ray’s presence, but Scout doesn’t seem to notice as he starts packing up his toys.