Page 117 of Falling for Brody

Chip clasped his hands in his lap and repeated his words again. "I want to go home."

"I want to go home."

He squeezed his eyes shut and pictured his mom and Brody.

He wanted to see them again.

He had to believe he could.

But he was beginning to worry he wasn't going to make it.

"Chip?"

"Please. Please. Please."

"Chip?"

How close were they?

Were they friends? Or that guy trying to take him away?

"Chip?"

That's when he heard it.

A sharp bark and a howl.

"Roland?"

Chip scrambled to his feet, crying out at the pain in his legs.

The excited barking of a dog made him cry out and walk into the open, waving his hands over his head. "Here."

He kept moving toward the sound of the dog barking.

"I'm here!"

"Chip?"

"Uncle Angel! Uncle Angel!"

It felt like a second and forever at the same time, but then there was Roland.

Roland pushing him back into the leaves, licking him all over his face and hands.

Chip was left breathless and giggling as Gabriel stepped up to his side and reached down for him.

It was just a few moments later that Brody came running through the trees. "Chip! Chip!"

"Brody!"

Brody hadn't even stopped when Chip launched himself at Brody, wrapping his arms around Brody's neck.

"Oh, thank God, buddy. Thank God, we found you."

"Brody?"

Brody rubbed his hand over Chip's back, trying to soothe him.

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