Chapter 8

At that moment I wanted to cry. She is a human, just like all of us. She has a name and a family. Without thinking, I hugged her tightly. I wanted her to feel safe. I didn't let go and she fell asleep in my arms after a couple of minutes.

I took deep breaths and calmed myself down. The man died, he was right next to me. I could die too. The car came to a stop and dropped both of us at the house. I paid the driver and I woke up Ellie. I couldn't carry her anymore. I felt like I was about to faint. When she saw the house, her eyes widened.

"I know, it's a huge house, right?" I said with a smile and she nodded again.

Just stay strong Mariah, only for a couple of minutes.

I opened the unlocked door with her holding my hand. As I went inside the house, I heard fast and heavy footsteps coming my way. I can't face him now. He ran towards me and then stopped, looking at Ellie. He was then looking at me. Concern was all I could see in his eyes and I wondered why. I broke the stare and bent down, facing Ellie.

"Hey Ellie, look." I pointed at him.

"This is my husband, Kevin. He will give you whatever you want, so all you have to do is ask. I will just go get the two of us a glass of water and I will be back, OK?" I asked her quietly.

She suddenly hugged me and I whispered in her ear.

"I will find your mommy, I promise." I stood up on my feet and turned around, giving Kevin a tired smile.

I walked to the kitchen and took two glasses of water, I filled them up and walked back to the living room. I was worried that Kevin would scare her away but I saw the two of them laughing on the couch when I came back.

"What are you laughing about?" I asked. My eyes were on Kevin.

"Nothing." They both said at the same time.

They were laughing at me, but I was happy to see Ellie smile. I was happy to see Kevin laugh and have a nice laugh and all I wanted to do was listen to it over and over again. I gave her the glass of water and I took her in my arms to my room.

After telling her that I would find her 'mommy', she fell asleep. I walked out of my room quietly just to meet Kevin outside.

"Are you OK?" He asked me, his eyes still full of concern.

I walked to the hallway, I didn't want to talk to him right then. I am too weak.

"Why do you care Kevin?" I asked him and he followed me.

Why did he follow me?

"I heard what happened at the mall, I just wanted to make sure you were OK." He told me.

He doesn't care about you Mariah, he is only trying to mess with your head.

"Leave me alone," I told him and closed the bathroom door.

I need to cry right now. Before I had the chance to lock it, he opened it and locked it behind him.

"Tell me what happened." He ordered, but his voice was far away from that. His voice was not dangerous, not angry. His voice was weak, quiet, and worried.

"No! Go away, Kevin! Now!" I was slapping him on the chest but it was weak, it didn't affect him, and he didn't even move.

He took my hands off his chest and pushed me into him. Into his body. His warm muscular arms were around me, and mine were around him. He hugged me. Kevin Jones hugged me, and I hugged him back. We were so close, our bodies pressed against each other. I never wanted that moment to end. He was letting me feel like I am safe, like I am not alone in this world. I knew I had cried on his chest, but I didn't care. I needed it, I needed him. As my crying got louder, he hugged me tighter and whispered:

"It's OK Mariah, I am here, it's all over now, you are safe. I promise I will protect you."

He called me Mariah, he said he would protect me. Is that the Kevin I know? I looked up at his eyes, trying to find the truth in them. I did. His eyes were showing a different emotion in them, for the first time.

"I...I...I...was tr...try...ing to..sa..save her," I said, not only my voice shaky but my whole body.

"You did the right thing, Mariah, I am proud of you." He said and looked straight into my eyes.

"You are proud of me?" I asked and my head came back to his chest, to my safe place, and I found myself crying even louder now.

"I am proud of you," he whispered. I cried on his chest for hours, or at least it felt like it. But he was there, playing with my hair and saying that he was proud of me. He is proud of me.

"What if we never find her mom?" I asked him and looked up again.

"We will, and it will all go back to being normal again." He said and returned the stare.

"I don't want anything to go back to being normal." I suddenly said. Fuck, that was a bad response.

I first saw confusion in his eyes, but after a second I saw his eyes widen from realization. He slowly released me from his hold and moved back a little.

"Umm. I will go see what I can do about her mom." He said without looking me in the eyes and got out of the bathroom quickly.