Page 100 of Dark Endures

Thanks for pointing out the obvious. “I won’t be at work today.”

“You sound like you need to be in the hospital.”

People keep saying that. “I just need a little rest.”

Delia snorts softly in the background.

“Do you want to talk to Maddox?”

No! Why do people keep asking that? He clearly didn’t want to waste any more time with me. “No. Thank you. I don’t want to bother him. Look, I’ve got to rest.” That’s the actual truth. “Sorry about calling in sick.”

“Want me to send a doctor over?”

He knows doctors who do house calls? “No. I’m fine. All I need is some rest. Thank you.” I hang up the phone before he can ask any other weird questions.

“You know, it’s not a good idea to lie to your friends at times like these. Their support can help you heal at times like these.”

Don’t I wish Barb’s words were true. “They aren’t my friends. That was my boss.”

“You called the man that did this to you and apologized for not coming in?”

“No, that was my other boss.”

“How many jobs do you have?” Delia asks.

“Three…no, right now I only have two.” This conversation is too hard. I pretend to fall asleep until the world fades away.

Breakfast Or Dinner

Maddox

The smell of frying bacon and eggs fills the kitchen. Ace breaks egg after egg onto the flat top while the rest of us sit at the long stainless-steel worktable out of his way.

Most of us know how to cook but aren’t skilled at it. We’d only get in the way.

“Got the pastries and some company,” Canyon shouts as he comes in carrying a huge bowl full of food. Fiona and Brie follow behind him.

“Baby, you shouldn’t have stayed up all night.” Pit rushes over to his wife. “Come sit down and put your feet up.”

“I couldn’t sleep while all those children needed help.” Brie lets Pit help her into a chair even though she isn’t that pregnant yet.

“Have you eaten?” He reaches for a plate.

“The baby could eat.” She places a hand on her abdomen.

That right there is why nights like this don’t destroy us. Simple little joys. Brie isn’t our woman. And that’s not our baby. But our brother can sleep well tonight knowing there are fewer predators in the world to threaten his child.

“Ace, eggs over easy on toast stat!” Pit pulls out an apple turnover and sets it on a plate in front of her.

“Got it.” Ace never stops moving across the flat top.

It hurts watching that as much as it feels amazing!

Will Mindy and I be stupidly in love like that one day?

My heart burns at the thought.

“Fea, how are we doing finding the kids’ parents?” I take a croissant out of the bowl and hold it out to her.

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