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“What the fuck are the police doing?” I asked.
“I’m about to call in my own private security team to do this,” he said.
“Is Sydney home yet?”
The two of us turned at the sound of Daniel’s voice. He was rubbing his eyes and carrying Sydney’s stuffed animal. Kevin scooped his son up into his arms and held him tightly, and I watched as the small boy clung to his father. I knew he had no understanding of what was happening, but it was clear he was missing his sister and confused about the situation.
“Let’s get you some breakfast,” Kevin said.
“Can Sydney eat, too?”
My lip quivered as Kevin carried the boy out of the bathroom. I turned back towards the mirror and took stock of my disgusting face. Sunken cheeks and bags under my eyes. Dark circles rimming the redness of my face. My lips were cracked and there were permanent red streaks on my skin from where I’d been crying all night.
I was about to splash some water on my face before I heard a thud at the door.
“What was that?” Kevin asked.
“The front door,” I said.
I heard Kevin sprinting down the hallway as I came out of the bathroom. He yanked the door open and looked around, but I was staring at his feet. There was a small package at the door. Wrapped in brown paper and tied with a red ribbon.
Kevin was running down the driveway looking for whoever had knocked as I picked it up in my hands.
I untied the bow and slowly pulled back the paper. It was as if time was moving in slow motion. I could hear Kevin talking in the background, but his words were indiscernible. My hands were trembling as I opened the box, taking in the tissue paper that filled it up.
And in the middle of the tissue paper was a little white bow.
The bow Sydney had insisted on wearing to the beach.
The box fell from my hands and I stumbled backwards. A note came tumbling out as I fell on my ass. I heard something crash to the floor as I raked my hand through my hair, then I heard the indiscernible wails of a man in pain.
A man who was slowly dying inside.
I saw Kevin falling to his knees, his face twisted in pain. I saw the note flutter to the ground. I reached for it, my hands shaking violently, as Kevin began to sob.
Sobbing, with his head in his hands.
Like a lost little boy in search of his mother.
My eyes cleared up as I read the note. One simple sentence that had destroyed Kevin’s world. ‘100 million dollars for the pretty little girl in the tie-dye swimsuit.’
Sydney’s tie-dye swimsuit.
I wrapped my arms around Kevin and pulled him into my chest. I could hear police sirens in the distance as he fell into my body. Soaking my chest with his tears as his trembling form collapsed into mine.
Seeking shelter, and warmth, and a place to rest from the living hell his life had become.
I buried my face in his hair and kissed his head over and over again. It was the only thing I could think to do. Police officers were walking up the steps and moving around us, picking up the letter and the bow and the box. I heard one of the officers talking to Daniel. Trying to entertain him as we knelt on the porch.
A few of them were at the edge of the property, combing through the brush that separated his property from the rest of the city.
I felt small hands come down around my neck and I reached my arm out. I pulled a confused and crying Daniel into my body as Kevin wrapped his arm around his son. I sniffled and regained my composure, digging deep to be strong for these two I held cradled in my arms. Both struggling with what was going on, and no longer able to be strong for me.
So I had to be strong for them.
I could hear the police officers battering us with questions, and trying to console us. I stood with Kevin and Daniel in my arms and held them close to me, rocking side to side. I placed kisses on their cheeks and whispered that it would be all right. And somehow, taking a deep breath, Kevin found the strength to talk to the police.
Something about a man named Gianni and a supposed threat made over lunch.
