Chapter 0011
“I know,” I said quietly. “But right now, all I have is Abigail. I can’t lose her. Not after” I stopped myself, the worts too painful to say. Not after 1 lost everything
Daphne sighed, her expression softening. She knew what I meant. She didn’t need me to finish. “You’re not going to lose her, Lauren. You’re not. Just breathe. You’re okay.”
But I didn’t feel okay. I pushed those thoughts down, burying them where they couldn’t surface, at least not for
now.
The next morning, Daphne and I took Abigail to the mall, hoping to inject some normalcy back into our lives- even if it came with the usual headache of finding a parking spot in this endless maze.
1 tightened my grip on the steering wheel into the ridges of the leather beneath my fingers–anything to anchor myself, to shake the unease that seemed to weigh me down like a storm cloud.
And then it happened.
Out of nowhere, a small figure darted in front of my car. My heart seized, and 1 slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching, the girls next to me screaming as my breath caught in my throat.
For a moment, everything froze–the world narrowing to that tiny shape amidst the parked cars.
A child. Alone, weaving through the rows of vehicles.
No. Not just any child.
It was him.
Owen.
I couldn’t explain why my heart felt like it skipped a beat when I saw him. The moment our eyes met, his flashed
in shock.
Before I could do anything, Daphne gasped. “Oh my god! Did we almost merk that kid?! What is he doing out here alone!”
We both popped out of the car, approaching him as Daphne reached out.
“Aw, poor kid! What a cutie though. You need help, love?” she exclaimed, reaching for Owen’s cheek, but he was already pulling away, his eyes fixed on me, his small hand clutching for the hem of my shirt.
1 blinked surprised down at his tiny hand on me but he looked desperately up at me.
I nodded to Daphne explaining, “It’s okay,” I think. “He’s one of my patients.” Then crouched down until I was at his level.
“Owen? What are you doing out here? Are you alright? Do you need to get back to the hospital?” I asked gently, trying to remain calm for everyone.
His response was a quick shake of his head, his face turning red as he stammered out a word. “Hungry.”
I blinked again, surprised by his response. It was so unexpected from the boy who rarely showed emotion. And…in the middle of a parking lot.
“He’s hungry?” Daphne repeated. She looked confused at me before we both shrugged.
At the restaurant in the mall, I tried to keep the mood light chatting about little nothings as Owen focused on his
+25 BONUS
He ate slowly, deliberately, but his eyes never left me, the intensity quiet yet unyielding.
I waited for the right moment before finally asking, “Owen do you know your parents‘ contact information?”
He paused, his fork hovering mid air. The hesitation stretched long enough that I thought he wouldn’t but then he carefully picked up a napkin and started scribbling.
answer,
His handwriting was neat for a child–small, deliberate strokes that hinted at a precision beyond his years.
“Dad,” he murmured, so softly 1 almost missed it.
I nodded, offering him an encouraging smile as I took the napkin. Pulling out my phone, I punched in the numbers and waited.
The call connected, but there was no greeting, no sound of someone picking up just the soft hum of an open line. Confused, I checked the timer to confirm it was active,
“Hello?” I ventured, my voice firm but calm. I went on to explain what happened, waiting for a response.
The silence on the other end stretched, making the hair on the back of my neck prickle. I decided to situation anyways, that Owen was safe, where he was. Still, there was nothing.
Finally, a single word broke the stillness.
“Hm.
And then the line went dead.
explain the
I stared at my phone for a moment, unsettled. Shaking off the unease, I turned back to Owen. He didn’t seem bothered at all. Instead, he sat quietly, listening to Abigail’s endless chatter with a focus that bordered on fascination.
Abigail, for her part, didn’t seem to mind his reserved nature. She spoke with the same boundless energy she always had, her animated hands waving as she explained her favorite noodles in detail to him.
What caught me off guard was how her words didn’t just skim over him like a skipping stone–they sank in, getting through to him like a stone dropped into still water. He was listening. A soft laugh here, a hesitant nod there. Every so often, he’d even add a word or two, his voice quiet but present.
It was… unexpected.
Daphne leaned into me, her gaze shifting between the two kids. She lowered her voice, but the curiosity was clear.
“Man, this is wild. Don’t you think they kind of look alike?
