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His jaw jutted out at the sides as he clenched his teeth and fought emotion, seeing as the last time he saw me I was holding his daughter who had been taken from him, then he took my hand and said, “Rachel. Delighted to meet you.”
I smiled an understanding smile, and he stepped aside to invite us in.
We walked in to a tidy house that was decorated with a moderate hand. There was personality, and lots of comfort, but no one was going for any awards. They just wanted it to feel like family. And it did.
Emily stood in their living room holding Elsie Fay’s hand, and in the background stood their reverend, with a woman who looked around his same age who was probably his wife.
I nodded to Emily and her company but let Cap go and approached Elsie Fay.
I crouched in front of her, my billowy, ankle-length skirt settling around me in a circle, and gave her a bright smile. “Heya, Elsie Fay.”
“Are you an angel?” she breathed.
It was the white outfit.
“They do walk the Earth on occasion,” I heard the reverend say.
I ignored this and opened my arms. “Can I have a hug?”
No hesitation, she walked right into them.
To hold her closer, I dropped to my knees and tucked my face into the top of her hair.
That night, she’d been dirty, her hair greasy, she didn’t smell great, which I thought was a hint of good in all the bad, since it was clear he didn’t bathe her.
Now she smelled like strawberries and felt like heaven.
And I was wrong.
I couldn’t do this.
My battlements didn’t just shake. The parapets didn’t just rumble. The soldiers I had manning the trebuchets and boiling tar went on an ill-timed break, my Citadel was under attack, and the whole thing was in danger of crumbling to the ground.
Fuck.
I felt her getting uncomfortable so I instantly loosened my hold.
She stepped away, didn’t go far, but studied my face, then patted my cheek like she was comforting me.
My throat completely closed.
She turned to her dad and lifted her arms. He picked her up immediately.
I stood, looked at Emily and pushed out, “I’m sorry. Just a second.”
Then I raced out of there.
I stopped once I got to the side of the house, leaned into a hand on it, put the other hand to my waist, bent my head and deep breathed.
Seconds later, Cap was at my side, not close, not far, but he had his hand on my back and he was stroking my spine up and down, his touch light and not intrusive, just warm andthere.
After some time, I heard Cap ask, “Can you give us a minute?”
I straightened and turned to see the reverend had joined us.
“Of course,” he murmured, making a move to leave.
“No. I’m okay,” I assured. “I just needed a minute. But I’m okay.”
