Two Years Gone - Two Secrets Born

inal. Monique's hand instinctively reached for the sleeping toddler sprawled across her lap, her fingers smoothing

her breath a shaky th

ye

inside her, a flicker that had grown into the child now cradled in her arms. Returning to the city she once called

kled overhead, falsely cheerful. "Local time is 11:00 a.m., and the

her ribs as passengers began gathering coats, clicking open overhead bins, shi

just anoth

the place where she

ddler blinked drowsily, her lashes thick and dark like her father's. Monique

re?" Cherr

rrier with the other. Her body was used to multitasking now , navigating the world alone, shielding Cherry with fierce

lways were in crowds. She kept Cherry close, the little girl's hand tucked into hers. They passed a coffee

en. She didn't need to see

igns: Baggage Claim, Exit, Ri

e shoulder. His hair was a little longer than it had been in her memory, and he had faint s

i

y stopped

if sensing h

s usually sharp features. She hadn't told him she was coming. She had barely spoken to anyone e

ice was low, earn

ve years in two?"

going to say strong.

at him with wide

before answering. "This is Ni

dn't want to startle her. "Hi, Che

ush toy dangling from the zipper. "This

ned. "Sma

into Monique's side, sati

you," Nick said

ind her eyes and quickly l

ell, damp pavement, exhaust, something faintly metallic, hit Monique like a memory. She'd hated t

as they approached the curb. "

uby had always had a wide net for support and a su

he backseat, a half-empty water bottle in the cup holder. Cherry b

time?" Nick asked gently as

ent, watching the blur of b

places with no questions. I worked where I could. Cleaned hou

weight of her words s

rry," h

idn't

u didn't deser

se the alternative was worse? That she still woke up sometimes convinced som

ctful silence the

ke it, with peeling white trim and a small, fenced-in yard that Mo

arry in your thi

ded. "T

window and pressed her palms to t

the robin hop along the fence. Fo

ear the sofa and looked aroun

slowly. "It's

irst place you've come

with trust, but somet

g," he added. "Let

to the door.

then paused. "You're

d him walk down the steps and

e leaned against it and let out a long, slow

is hom

ank walls, the small couch where she had soon f

id softly. "I

uld last less than twelve hours. That the very nex

l knock on

the

You're und