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“Natalie?”
“I have to go to Vermont,” she said, pulling back. “I have to fetch my brother.”
“Now?”
She nodded. “He just called me from some place in Newport, asking me to come and get him. He didn’t sound well; I want to go as soon as possible.”
My mind raced with the implications of this.
I didn’t want her to leave after what had happened.
“I’ll go with you,” I said, quickly.
“No,” Natalie was firm.
“I need to go by myself. I need some time to myself.”
She went to take her handbag.
“Take the car,” I said.
She smiled. “I’m just going to say goodbye to Ethan.”
She went upstairs and my mind was spinning. It felt like everything was moving out of control. My entire life, which I had so carefully tried to keep from falling apart. The last twenty-four hours had shown me how much of an illusion that was. The most important people in my life could be put at risk so easily and by someone I had trusted and worked with for so many years. The whole point of working so hard and building this security was for them to be safe. But it felt like no matter what I did, there would always be threats and perils around us.
Natalie was upstairs for a couple of minutes, then she came down.
“I’ll call you,” she said and headed for the door.
I couldn’t let her go like that.
“Natalie.” I walked up to her and kissed her, holding her face as I felt her cold lips against mine. I didn’t want to let her go. I felt her arms around me, holding me as she kissed me back with some of the feeling I remembered from before.
Too soon, she broke free and went towards the car, driving off.
I walked to where Ethan was drawing in the playroom. I sat down next to him, watching him draw flowers with fat crayons.
“Hey, pal,” I said. “Shall we do something fun today?”
He smiled and my heart ached with love for him.
“What did Natalie say to you when she came in here just now?”
I didn’t know if he’d answer or say anthing, but again, he surprised me.
“She come back soon,” he said, sounding happy.
Oh, God, I thought. I hope so.
