th the promise of rain, mirr

habby bag, my movement

hed with a dull,

t it, I saw Daniel's

the portable crib I'd bought wit

eyes followed me

bright spot in

all comfort against the chill th

, little guy," I whispere

r when my phone, a cheap prepaid

n unknow

, but a sense of dr

va

was cold

ni

od ran

ou get thi

t matter,"

ld the ring. The 'Eternal

s dripping w

do something like tha

ed my ey

Chloe ha

w much that

's surgery, Daniel. The sur

gh came thro

were the one who got him hurt in your little st

car screech to a hal

mmered agai

aw a sleek black sedan, the s

caught in

Daniel?" I asked,

t," he said, his to

She thinks you're unstable. And after what you d

the motel ro

ing men in black sui

d turne

rked fo

hem from his s

boy, Ava," Daniel's voi

a stable home. A real fa

d, clutching

't. He's

ed advancing

darting around for an

was no

s tr

this, Ava,"

y make it wo

ter," I sobbed

rried would n

rried was a foo

t you really are. I

men reached

tinct I didn't know I po

nd, swung our heavy diaper bag,

ck, surprised

n grabbed my

ting, a blinding whit

t, my legs

and I was going

I di

f agony, my love for E

around him, taking the full impact of

ent dark fo

of the men was prying a sc

k, too broken

he dirty carpet and watch a

ed, tears stream

don't ta

r and looked back at me with a flicker

her one ju

still on

his cold, d

e'll be bette

ered, the words raw a

ou, Danie

ed, a hollow,

ing is mu

he hu

king my son, my

hut, leaving me al

was my own ragg

ost eve

aken eve

motel, with a broken hand and a shatter

had ever loved

ew away, leaving nothin

get my s

w, but I would n

as not