Page 157 of My Lovely Tragedy
Please, Tobias. Please, help me,I beg and plead in my head, pushing it into my core. Out loud, my voice cracking with the volume.
Yourcorvuswants to fly home.
I’ll take the gilded cage if I can have you. Anything. But I can’t be without you.
“Please don’t leave me alone.”
A blurry green sign flashes in my mind’s eye.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-EIGHT
CHARLIE
My finger tapsagainst the blackened screen of my phone, smudging the smooth surface with the lines and indents of my DNA.
“Daddy!” A squeal reaches my ears, drawing my focus. I turn just in time to catch Annie as she jumps into my lap. Her knees dig into my thighs, making me grunt as she clambers up and settles against me, lying her small head against my shoulder.
Her chest heaves as she breathes against the side of my face, laughter pulsating through her little pants of breath. She sucks in air and curls tighter against me, and with the smallest whisper, she says, “Mama’s trying to find me.”
“Ah.” I wrap my arms around her and turn in my chair, so the back is facing the door. “Did you run away from Mama?” I whisper as I nuzzle into her neck. She releases a giggle that flips my heart right inside my chest.
“Yeah!” she tries to whisper, but it comes out quite loud. My left eye twitches, and I pull back against the throb that implodes my ear drum. And then, I hear Stella’s voice whisper-shouting from down the hall.
“I hear you! Where are youuu?” she sing-songs, making Annie’s sleep-soft laughter start anew. I hug her tighter and curl my body, blocking her from sight as Stella steps into my office. Annie giggles and titters, and my face hurts from smiling. I catch Stella’s eyes over my shoulder, and even with the dark circles under her eyes and the heaviness of sleep still blossoming her face, she’s radiant.
“Have you seen Annie? I swear, she just disappeared.”
“I’m right here, Mama!” Annie screams as she busts out from under my arms.
“Shit!” Stella faux-screams. “You scared me!” Annie cackles and jumps down with a soft thud. Her footed pajamas cause her to slip as she rounds my desk.
“Slow down, baby!” I call after her as she runs out into the hall and into Charlie Junior’s room, if his grumbled shout is anything to go by.
My lips twitch in amusement as Stella sighs and drops her head to her shoulder. “She’s wild this morning,” I muse as I drag my finger over my top lip. Stella shoots me a glare, but the glimmering light in her eyes proves it’s feigned.
“It’s not even six,” she grumbles, dropping down onto the edge of my desk. I reach across to grab her hip. Pushing her shirt up enough to expose a sliver of skin, I rub circles.
“I know.”
“Have you even slept?” she asks with a glance over her shoulder. I shake my head, but the words don’t come. They get stuck in the lump I can’t choke down.
She leans over to brush her fingers through my tangled hair, then down over my cheek where her thumb grazes my own bruised under-eyes. “He’s gonna be okay.”
My breath comes out stuttered as tears prick my eyes and burn my nose. “He hung up on me, and now, he won’t answer.”
“Go up there, then.”
I lean into her touch, letting my eyes close against the onslaught. “I was going to but… I’m not sure.”
“You won’t be until you do.”
I nod as I release a breath. “Yeah, okay. I just have to make a call first,” I say more to myself than her, but she already knows that because her grip tightens, unrelenting. The anchor I need.
“Do you want me to stay?” she asks, but it’s cut off with another high-pitched shriek from Annie. I give her a small smile.
“I’m good. You should probably go wrangle her before she and Charlie start fighting again.” With that, she blows out a breath and pushes up from the desk.
Just as she turns to disappear, she stops with one hand on the doorframe. “Breathe, baby,” she whispers, eyes soft, lips gentle. I blink through the distortion with a weight on my chest, and then, I’m alone again.
