Before anyone could stop her, Lenni darted out of the cabin and cried out, “Nancy!”
Archer ran after his daughter and before I knew what I was doing, I was running too.In my haste, I didn’t even bother with a coat even though it was cold.
The vehicle was pulling out and Lenni sprinted after it.
“Nancy!” she screamed, her legs pumping as she pursued the fleeing car.“Come back!”
The girl’s voice broke and something inside of me broke too.
I didn’t know her.I didn’t know why Nancy had dropped her off with a dad she clearly didn’t know.I didn’t know why Nancy had left without saying goodbye.
But I knew heartache.
And watching Lenni stand on a dirt path, staring after the car as it disappeared made a protective instinct inside of me rage.
In a few long strides, I stood next to Lenni, but I didn’t touch her or reach out to her.
I didn’t have to.
Because Lenni threw herself against me, wrapping her arms around my waist and letting out a sob that came from the deep caverns of her small body.
I placed my hand on the spot between her shoulder blades and urged her closer.
Somehow, I knew that Nancy was the last connection Lenni had to her old life.And that connection had just been severed forever.
Archer appeared at my side.His dark eyes were filled with sorrow as he looked down at his weeping child.He appeared as though he wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t move or say anything.
I waved him closer and then gestured for him to kneel.He followed my directions.And then I gently pried Lenni away from me and wrapped her arms around her father’s neck.
His arms came around her in a tight hold and she pressed her face into the column of his tan throat, like she was attempting to burrow into him.
Archer looked up at me with gratitude in his gaze.
I headed back to the cabin.My three friends stood on the porch, and I wondered how long they’d been standing there.
Poet took my hand and gave it a squeeze.
“We need Muddy,” I said.“We need hernow.”
“I already called her,” Hadley said.“She’s on her way.”
“We should migrate to the main house,” Salem said.
I barely registered what she said as I watched Lenni finally pull back to look at Archer.
Archer grasped her arms gently as he spoke.
Lenni nodded at whatever he was saying.
He dropped his hands from her arms and stood.Archer turned his head and his gaze locked on mine.
Something moved between us.
We were strangers and yet ...
“Grab the troops,” Salem said.
Hadley opened the cabin door, and Mildred used it as a chance to make her escape.She bounded down the porch steps and darted straight for Lenni.
