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I wanted to call Theo again, but the flight isn’t quite two and a half hours, so I’ll just wait until I get there.
When I land in Dallas and get in the Uber to Marlow’s house, I realize that my phone didn’t actually charge on the plane. I curse under my breath and call Theo anyway. It goes straight to his voicemail, so I leave another message.
“Hey, I made it. Call me when you get a chance. I love you.”
I lean my head against the back of my seat, adrenaline still coursing through my body. This has been quite the day.
About forty-five minutes later, I’m dropped off in front of Marlow’s house, and I rush to the door, uncertain of what I’ll even find. She opens the door before I’ve finished knocking and collapses into my outstretched arms.
“Thank you for coming,” she says, crying again.
“Of course, I came.”
When she catches her breath, she pulls back and wipes her face. It breaks my heart to see her like this. She looks like she’s been crying for days, her eyes are puffy and her skin is blotchy, her lips swollen.
“I can’t tell you what it means to me that you’re here.” Her voice breaks again.
I put my hands on her shoulders and then hug her again. “I hope you know I’ll always come running for you and Dakota. Do you want to tell me what’s going on?” I ask carefully.
She bites down on her lower lip and glances down the hall before she whispers, “I’ll tell you everything soon, but right now, I just need to get out of here. Dakota is sleeping right now, or I would’ve picked up the U-Haul already. Can you go pick it up?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
She exhales and reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Thank you. And then as soon as we pack it up, I’m ready to go to Landmark.”
“You’re…coming to Landmark?” I don’t even feel enough guilt for how much she’s hurting to hide my shock or excitement.
She smiles for the first time since I got here. “I’mmovingto Landmark,” she says.
“Wow. Okay.” I laugh. “Well, in that case, I’m going to get the U-Haul right this second. Where is it?”
She rattles off the street and gives me her car keys, and within half an hour I’m back at her house with the U-Haul hitched to the back of her SUV and we’re loading both up.
Dakota shuffles out of her room as we’re lugging one of Marlow’s bookshelves down the hall. She stops when she sees me, and I can tell from her red cheeks and glazed eyes that she has a fever.
“Hey, peanut.”
I walk over to her, and she lifts her arms for me to pick her up.
“I can’t believe how much taller you’ve gotten since I last saw you,” I tell her.
I pick her up and she wraps her arms around me, hugging me tight.
“Oh, I’ve missed you so much,” I say, squeezing her hard.
She sniffles against my neck, and I soak in her hug. This girl hasn’t stopped talking since she started saying “Mama” at four months. When she couldn’t say words, she was still jabbering nonstop. The only time she’s ever been quiet is when she’s sick.
“I’m so sorry you’re not feeling well.”
She has her favorite blanket with the silky edge, and she rubs it against her cheek as I hold her.
Marlow touches Dakota’s forehead and frowns. “Her Covid and strep tests were negative, and the doctor said to just try to keep her fever down to keep her comfortable. I was hoping it’d be gone when she woke up.”
She grabs the thermometer and takes her temp, making a face when it says 101.2.
“It’s lower than it was, but still not as low as I’d like. How does your tummy feel? Are you hungry?”
Dakota shakes her head.
