Claire came back with water and an armload of snacks, all the while cramming a small candy bar into her mouth. She passed out the snacks and waters, and handed me the clean glass.
“Where did you find that?” I asked with an absurd amount of excitement. My mouth was watering because I had a major weakness for anything candy. I poured water in the glass for Henry.
“Back of his truck,” she said with a mouthful of chocolate and caramel. “There’s some food in his pack, as well.” Apparently, I didn’t notice that while I was trying to cram some of our draw supplies back in.
Addie came back in, holding a couple short rulers and a roll of medical tape. She looked at Claire with a raised eyebrow while she chowed down on a small bag of potato chips.
“Why did you run out so fast?” Claire chewed and swallowed, trying to have some manners to answer Addie’s question. I would have just spoken with my mouth full.
“Oh, he kept asking for more water. Plus, he said he was hungry.”
“Y’all just cater to him like he is the king, huh?”
“Oh, yes. My King Henry.” I winked at him, and he smirked. Everyone stood silent. I sat down beside him and opened up the pack of crackers with peanut butter sandwiched in the middle. I held the cup to his lips and he sipped. I handed him a cracker, and he ate it in one bite.
Addie sat down on the bed and began unwrapping Henry’s injured hand. He hissed, over and over again. “Oh, geez. You really banged it up good.” Nick and Thomas chuckled a little. “I see,” Addie said when she heard them laugh. “So you punched something.”
“Yeah. It was a moment of stupidity. I have several of those on a daily basis.” Then I laughed because it was the truth.
“Ms. Addie?” I spun around with my Sig out, pointed at the door. The girl screamed.
“Who are you?” I demanded.
“Elaina…put away your gun,” Henry demanded. “Julianna. Come in. It’s okay. She won’t harm you. I promise. Well, if you try to steal that chocolate out of her hand she might.” He softly smiled at her. Julianna took a hesitant step toward the bed.
“I just wanted to see if Mr. Henry was doing alright.”
“Thank you, sweetheart. I’m doing better.” I was still confused. “Elaina, this is Julianna. She was at the school with Rosa. And that’s Justin, his sister Shay, and that, of course, is Rosa.”
“Hi. Sorry about the gun, I just got startled,” I was mumbling over my embarrassment.
“It’s fine,” Rosa said, as she wrapped her protective arms around Julianna. I noticed she was very much like Addie, with her mothering mannerisms.
As Addie finished splinting and rewrapping Henry’s hand, she said, “I cannot thank you boys enough for rescuing my daughter…and these wonderful kids.” Addie became emotional. She walked up to Thomas and hugged him, then Nick.
Addie worked her way around the room, and finally got back to Henry. It was difficult for her to speak. “Thank you so much.” She gently hugged him. “I thought she was gone.” Addie broke down.
I rushed to her side before she collapsed to the floor. I held her tight in my arms while she wept. After a few minutes, I guided her toward the bed so she could sit down.
“I thought I lost her,” she said over and over again. I understood her anguish. I looked over at Henry. He curled his lips into his mouth and looked away from me.
Rosa gingerly sat down on the bed and took Addie’s hands. “Momma, we tried to get out.”
“I tried to find you. I went everywhere, even Justin and Shay’s house. Their whole family…” Rosa grabbed her and pulled her close. I heard small cries, and realized that they were coming from Shay. Justin took his sister’s hand and held it tight, like he was never going to let her go. I looked over at my brother and he nodded at me.
All the sadness began overwhelming me. I kept seeing my father coming at me on the street near the church. Then Jenna trying to kill Nick. Nate. Henry turning Nick. My mom dying at the hands of Kellan. And Sophie taking that awful fall.
Then my Henry and the pain that he lives with every single day of his life. It tore me up so I got up and excused myself. I ran out the front door to try to collect myself. I sat down on the porch stairs and wrapped my arms around my legs. I was afraid if I let go, I would fall apart. I was shaking, trying to hold myself together.
Several minutes had passed before the door opened behind me. I didn’t even look up. I felt his cool body sit down beside me. A pain-filled sigh saturated the air around us.
“Hey, love.”
“You should be in bed.”