“I never wanted to leave you like that.”
We pulled apart, and he held me at arm’s length, scrutinizing me with those familiar, reassuring eyes. “You’re safe now,” he said, though the tremor in his voice hinted at the enormity of what we’d narrowly escaped. Together, we retreated to a nearby café, where he promised to explain everything.
But for now, it was enough to be together, to know that I wasn’t alone in this terrifying new reality. As we sat, sipping coffee and watching Mikey sleep, the old woman stood guard outside, her silhouette a steadfast reminder of the strange events that had unfolded. Though my world had turned upside down in the span of an afternoon, I had my family by my side—both the one I was raising and the one I thought I had lost.
And for now, that was enough to keep the fear at bay.
