Page 52 of The Sound of Forever
“Rayne, go back to the couch,” I say firmly, my heart hammering.
“Rayne, you don’t know me, but I’m here to take you to be with your family,” the man says, his voice softening, but it only makes my blood boil.
“Don’t,” I warn, stepping fully into the doorway, blocking his view of her. “You’re not coming in here. Not without proof, not without legal authority, and definitely not without a fight.”
For a moment, he holds my gaze, the tension stretching unbearably. Then he exhales sharply, his lips pressing into a thin line. “This isn’t over,” he says, his tone laced with warning.
“Good,” I reply, slamming the door shut.
I lock it quickly, my hands trembling as I turn back to Rayne, who stands frozen, her stuffed rabbit held tightly in her arms. I drop to my knees in front of her, pulling her into a hug. “You’re okay,” I whisper, my voice firm even as my heart races. “No one is taking you anywhere. You’re safe here, Rayne. I promise.”
She nods slowly, her small arms wrapping around me. Over her shoulder, my eyes dart toward my phone on the counter. The first call will be to Keane. The second? To a lawyer.
I pacethe length of the living room, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as if that alone can keep me from falling apart. Rayne is upstairs, tucked safely in bed, or at least that’s what I keep telling myself. I’ve peeked in a dozen times already, watching her small chest rise and fall just to be sure.
Keane stands in the kitchen, talking into the phone. Every few minutes, he glances my way, his brow furrowed, his expression unreadable. I called him as soon as Rayne’s alleged uncle had left. That’s when I realized I didn’t get a name, just a threat. Still, Keane has been making calls. He’s all collected and grounding while I’m literally about to lose my mind.
“I don’t care what it takes,” he says into the phone, his tone biting now, sharper than I’ve ever heard it. “Find out everything you can about him—who he is, where he’s been, and if he’s got so much as a parking ticket—I want to know. Most of all, I want to know if what he claims is true. Julie showed me Ray’s birth certificate. There’s no father listed on there.”
He’s quiet, listening to whoever is on the other end, his hand gripping the counter so tightly I half expect it to splinter under the pressure. I stop mid-step, watching him. Keane has lawyers. He knows people. I have . . . my not-so-estranged dad. He’ll probably help me if I ask.
And I’ll ask. I’ll do whatever it takes. No one is taking Rayne from me. No one.
Keane ends the call and sets his phone on the counter, exhaling slowly as if to steady himself. I’m across the room in seconds. “What did they say?” I demand, my voice tighter than I want it to be. “I can pay, I’ll find the money.”
He turns to face me, his expression softening slightly, probably because he sees the desperation written all over me. “They’re digging into him now,” he says. “We’ll know more by tomorrow, maybe sooner.”
“No offense, but how do they know who he is?” I ask, because I didn’t ask for a name.
“Not only did they catch his face in the camera outside your house,” he explains, “but he stopped by the coffee shop slash bar and used his credit card. Rowan is on it. Though, now more than ever, I’m starting to believe that he’s not just a bored rich dude.”
“Wow, that’s . . . not what I expected,” I state, resuming my pacing. My nails bite into my palms, and I force myself to stop before I leave marks. “I don’t have lawyers, Keane. I don’t have resources like you. All I have is . . . me, but I’m willing to pay whatever they charge.”
His eyes narrow slightly, his jaw tightening like he’s weighing his next words. Then, without hesitation, he steps closer, closing the space between us. His hands gently find my arms, stilling me, and his voice softens, low and steady. “I’m here to take care of you and Ray if you’ll let me. Don’t worry about payments or—this is something I want to do, okay? No one is going to take her away.”
Before I can respond, his arms wrap around me, pulling me against his chest. His embrace takes my breath away, along with some of the worry. His chin rests lightly against my temple, and he murmurs, “Everything is going to be okay, I promise.”
I sink into him, the rhythm of his heart thudding against mine—quieting my thoughts, calming me. His arms, his body, all of him grounds me in a way I can’t quite explain. Right now, I let myself believe that everything will be okay. Just like it was while Rayne was in the hospital. It’s scary to lean on someone the way I’m starting to lean on him.
What if I fall for him without even realizing it? What if my heart slips into his hands before I can stop it? Will he catch me, or will I be the one left picking up the pieces?
ChapterFifty
Julie,
The other day,while the nurse was taking care of me, you asked me if I was afraid.
I’m not afraid of dying. Death comes to you when it’s time, like an old friend you didn’t expect to see but somehow always knew would come. But there’s something I’ve never told anyone, a secret that’s been with me my whole life. My biggest fear wasn’t death—it was not being a good mother. Not giving enough.
Elena was a difficult child. Gustavo always said I spoiled her, that overcompensating for not having a father would only harm her in the end. Maybe he was right. I don’t know. Was it a mistake to give her everything I thought she deserved? I loved your father, Julie. But the truth is, I married him because I wanted a dad for Elena. I believed she needed a family with siblings, a mom and a dad.
I don’t regret our family, but now, as I lay here, I see the ripple effects of my choices. Elena struggles because I made life too soft for her, too forgiving. She feels entitled to everything, and I’m afraid I’ve done her a disservice. I worry that when I’m gone, she won’t know how to stand on her own two feet.
But you, Julie—you’re different. I’m not afraid to leave you or Oscar. You’re capable. Watching you grow into the woman you are has been the greatest reassurance. You’re kind, selfless, and resilient in ways I never had to teach you because it’s simply who you are.
And yet, I see the worry in your eyes when you think I’m not looking. You wonder if you’ll be okay without me, don’t you? I want you to know something, Julie. You will be okay. Not because you have to be, but because it’s in your nature to rise. Even when it hurts, even when it feels like you can’t.
I know you’ll miss me. I know there will be nights when the grief feels unbearable, and you’ll question if you can do it without me. But in those moments, remember this: You are my heart, my pride, my light. Everything good in me lives on in you. You’ll hear my voice in the quiet moments, feel my hand in yours when you need it most.
