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"Roland, I–" she starts, but I cut her off with a gesture, my eyes flicking to Carmen still cradled in my arms.
"Shh," I whisper, stepping inside and shutting the door behind me. "Let's not wake her."
Maddie nods mutely, leading me to her bedroom, which I realize is just a screened-off part of the living room, where I can put Carmen down. The room is small but cozy, filled with warmth and light from the string of fairy lights draped on the wall. I lay Carmen on the neatly made bed, tucking her under the soft covers and planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"Sleep well, princess," I murmur, then turn back to Maddie who's trying to wipe her tears away discreetly.
"Hey," I say softly, pulling her into a tight hug. I feel her tense for a moment before she melts into my embrace, her sobs muffled against my chest. "It's going to be OK. We'll find them."
"Thank you," she whispers, her voice barely audible.
"Come on," I say, guiding her to the small kitchenette. "Tea?"
"Please," she sniffles, sinking into one of the chairs at the table. As I boil water and prepare our cups, I rack my brain for something–anything–that might help take her mind off her worries.
"Did I ever tell you about the time I accidentally set fire to my high school's chemistry lab?" I ask, trying to keep my tone light. Maddie looks up, her eyes red but curious.
"Really?" she asks, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice.
"Yep," I grin, handing her a steaming cup of tea. "Earned myself quite the reputation after that."
Maddie chuckles, and I can't help but feel a small sense of victory at coaxing a smile out of her. "Do you have any biscuits?" I ask. I think some sugar might be in order. Maddie will need something to keep her going.
Maddie nods and points at one of the cupboards. "Ginger snaps are in there somewhere."
I look through the cupboard, locate the biscuits, and place them on a tray together with the two cups. "Let's go to the couch in the living room," I suggest. "It'll be easier to relax there."
We carry our tea into the living room and settle on the couch, sipping in companionable silence for a moment.
"Your turn," I say, nudging her playfully. "Tell me something from your childhood."
"Um," she hesitates, biting her lip. "Well, when I was 12, I accidentally flooded my mom's kitchen trying to bake a cake."
"Nice one," I laugh, and she grins sheepishly.
"Look, my mom was not like you. She didn't keep track of my movements and my dad left when I was what? Ten? But I attended some parties almost by accident. Some kid would invite you over to their place, another friend would call, and before you knew it, you were at a party somewhere. Especially in summer, one would then lose track of time and not necessarily call home."
Maddie nods slowly, then takes another sip of her tea.
"I imagined you lived in a nice neighborhood, though. Around here..." Maddie shakes her head. "He could have gone anywhere, but around here can get scary for a kid at night. It's a decent area these days, but it's not exactly like where you live."
"I didn't grow up in a fancy neighborhood, Maddie," I say, shaking my head.
"Really?"
"Yeah, really. What's more, my mom was sick. Bipolar and never one to take her medicine. In fact, she kicked me out the summer before college. I had to sneak around the hotel I worked at, sleeping in closets and empty rooms until school started. She was a single mom from the start, so I didn’t have anyone to fall back on. I doubt she even knew my father’s name."
"God, Roland, I had no idea," Maddie murmurs, reaching out to touch my arm gently. Her fingers are warm against my skin, and I find myself craving more of her touch. But now is not the time, and I force myself to focus on the task at hand–comforting her and finding her brother.
"I had good grades, so I got a full scholarship to college. So once that started, I was fine. But even skulking around the hotel and staying odd nights with friends, I was fine. Kids are more capable than we think."
"But you were older," Maddie protests.
"I was, but Maddie, Damien was raised here. He knows this neighborhood. He's not going to do something too stupid."
"Maybe," Maddie agrees thoughtfully. "It's just, I know how easy it is for kids to slip. I've seen it happen. They get involved with some dodgy kids and before you know it, they're doing drugs and one thing leads to another and they derail their lives. I've worked so damn hard to keep Damien safe, and yet, today, he's gone off to some party and gotten drunk. He knows what can happen when you lose your judgment."
"It can't have been easy for you to raise him after your parents passed," I acknowledge.
