Page 52 of Beneath the Quiet

She doesn’t hesitate but grabs mine in such a tight grip that I almost wince. Her willingness to trust me tugs at my heartstrings, and I’m determined to shake her out of whatever has her so concerned for her dad. I squeeze her hand and we leave the kitchen and go through the mudroom where we’re joined by Little Miss. The feline blinks up at me.

“Should we take her outside?” I rest my hand on the door handle and wait for Katie’s reply.

She nods. “She likes to go on walks with me.”

I can’t help but smile at the image of the two of them walking together, side by side.

“That’s nice. I like going on walks a lot, too.”

I push down on the handle and let the cat out, and she shoots off as if her tail has caught fire. I wait for Katie to take the lead and shut the door behind me. I squint at the beaming sunlight and raise my head to soak up the warmth from the sun shining down on us. Katie lets go of my hand and veers off to the left, and I follow. The silence stretches out between us, and I give her the time she clearly needs, but I can’t help but steal glances at her as we move further away from the main house.

“Sometimes, Dad gets a bit sad.”

I work my lips between my teeth, waiting in case she decides to tell me more.

“We all get at little sad sometimes.” I shrug. “Even adults.”

“I know that. But I don’t like to see him that way.”

I weigh my next words carefully. “Has he told you why he gets like that?”

“He misses my mum.”

I let her words sink in and try not to let them sting.

“I see.”

“She died when I was born.”

Her revelation shakes me to my core. I thought Aidan was divorced, but knowing his wife died, my heart bleeds for both of them.

“Oh, Katie,” I whisper. “I’m so sorry.”

She gives me a crooked smile. “Thank you. I…” She inhales deeply, her next words tumbling in a rush to get them out. “I’m okay, because I never knew her, and sometimes, I feel guilty because I didn’t and don’t know how to be sad that she’s not here. I wish I’d gotten to know her, and it’s strange not having a mum like my friends, but…” She blows out a long breath. “But I know Dad misses her a lot, and some days more than others.”

I pull her a little closer to comfort her. “And is today one of those days?”

She leans into me and nods, her arm snaking around my middle. “I think so.”

I open my mouth but can’t find the right words to say. But are there really any when it comes to this? I settle for the truth instead.

“I’ve never known my mother.”

“You haven’t?”

I shake my head. “Never known my father, either.”

Katie’s arms squeeze around my middle. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay, I promise. Like you, I can’t remember a time I missed them because I didn’t know them. So, I just want you to know that I can relate to how you feel.”

She leans away and takes a step back. “Did you ever feel that you should have missed them?”

I purse my lips and take my time to answer.

“Probably, but I can’t remember.”

“But if you didn’t have any parents, where did you grow up?”