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I look at him, smiling for the first time in a while. “You were always such a nice boy, what happened to that mouth of yours?”
“Hockey happened.”
“You guys talk a lot of trash out on the ice?” Max asks.
“All the time.”
The ESPN commentator announces that the Chicago Blaze started a special offensive training camp this week, and the show cuts to footage of players on the ice. I turn to Erik.
“Are you supposed to be there?”
He shrugs. “It’s all good. I’m not leaving you.”
“But will you be in trouble with your coach?”
He pats my knee. “Nah, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it. I called to discuss the situation with him, so I have some more time before I have to report to the team.”
“That lasagna’s good. I’m gonna get some more,” Max says.
My phone rings as he’s about to stand up, and I jump on it, swiping it up from its spot next to Erik’s on the coffee table.
“Hello? Vi, is it you?”
“Aunt Allie?” Vi chokes out.
“Vi!”
Erik’s warm brown eyes are filled with hope when they meet mine.
“I didn’t mean to go, Aunt Allie,” Vi cries. “I swear to you I didn’t. She told me we were going to lunch and you said it was okay and then she just kept driving.”
“It’s okay.” I can’t hold back the sense of relief that overcomes me then. “Where are you, Vi? We’ll come get you.”
“I don’t even know. This guy, he came and got me from the house we were staying at after Mom left to get groceries and he said Erik hired him to bring me home. He’s right here. I couldn’t call before because Mom’s cell is locked and she kept telling me she had no service.”
I look over at Erik and see that he’s on his phone now, walking into the kitchen to take a call. Hazel and Max are both looking at me, relieved.
“Okay. But you’re safe, right?” I ask Vi.
“Yeah. We’re at some house in the middle of nowhere. There’s no landline and I was afraid to leave when Mom was sleeping because I didn’t know where to go.”
I can hear the absolute terror in her voice. There’s not a doubt in my mind she’s being honest with me. And in addition to the trauma she’s endured, Vi’s image of her mother has been shattered. She’ll have a long road of recovery ahead.
As long as we’re together, though, we can face whatever the future brings.
Erik pops his head around the doorway that leads to the kitchen and says, “One of the PIs has her. They’re outside a little town in New Mexico. He’s gonna take her to Albuquerque and fly her to Chicago or Madison, whichever flight gets her back faster.”
“Can’t we go to her? I want to go to her right now.”
“This’ll be faster,” he assures me.
“Okay.”
I put my phone back to my ear and tell Vi, “You’re going to fly home, okay?”
“On a plane?” She sounds scared at the thought.
“Yes. It’ll be okay. You’re safe with the man who has you. He and lots of other people have been working very hard to find you.”
There’s a moment of silence before she says, “I’m so sorry, Aunt Allie. I know you’ve been worried about me and I’m stupid for going with her. She said we were just going to lunch. Why would she lie?”
“I don’t know. But all that matters is that you’re safe and you’re coming home, okay?”
“Can I talk to her?” Hazel begs. “Please?”
“Yes, but be quick,” I say, passing her the phone.
“Are you okay?” Hazel asks Vi, emotion coating her tone as she cries. “I love you and I’m sorry I said you’re a trashy skank.”
Erik meets my gaze, his eyes dancing with amusement. I gesture for Hazel to give me the phone back.
“We’ll see you soon, Vi. Wherever your plane is landing, we’ll be there waiting. I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I end the call and fall into Erik’s arms, exhaustion taking over as my adrenaline levels drop.
“Thank you for everything you did to find her,” I say. “I know I haven’t been myself these past couple weeks, but—”
“Allie, don’t. You’ve been completely yourself. Any good parent would be a wreck in this situation.”
“What would I have done without you?”
“You’d have gotten through it; you’re strong.” He tightens his hold on me. “But you’re not alone anymore. You’ll never be alone again.”
I pull away and smile at him. “Those private investigators must’ve cost a fortune.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“It does, though.” His face gets blurry as tears well in my eyes. “I said horrible things to you when we broke up, because I just wanted to drive you away and embrace my grief. I thought it would be easier to break up than to try to be together and fail. And even after that, after ten years…you’re still you. You still opened your arms, and your life and…your bank account to me. You’ve never failed me, Erik. Not one time. I failed you, though, when I told you ten years ago that I didn’t want you anymore. Because I did. I did want you.”
