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“I did. I talked to Jolene a few days after I saw the video for the first time, and she urged me to take it to the police. I started to wonder if I had reason to be concerned for my safety, because it was clear Graham was. Of course, considering it’s been months since he died and nobody has attempted to contact me, I’m inclined to believe he was just being cautious.”
Tabitha sat back in her seat once more, devastation,confusion, and concern marring her features. For a long time, I watched as she went through a range of emotions and attempted to come to terms with the news.
“Gosh, Lamise, I don’t even know what to say,” she said, looking like a shell of herself, much like I suspected I did for those first few days.
“I know. It’s just too much to wrap your head around, right? I considered going to the dog park, but I wouldn’t even know what to look for,” I shared.
She shook her head. “Why would you ever dream of doing that?”
“Because I want to know what happened to him.”
“You should let the police handle this,” she advised. “I honestly can’t imagine what could have happened there. I’ve been there a million times with Rocky, and nothing has ever seemed strange to me. Graham didn’t share what was going on that had him looking so terrified and believing that he’d wind up dead?”
As though he sensed I was starting to lose my hold on my emotions, Rocky nuzzled himself closer to me.
“No,” I whispered. “It was clear he believed he ran out of time to share all that he wanted to share, and I think he wanted to make sure he told me how much he loved me and wanted me to be happy instead of giving me the details that I am obviously desperate for now.”
“This is just awful, Lamise. I’m… I’m in shock, I think.”
“Join the club,” I murmured.
A moment later, it was obvious Rocky wasn’t the only one who realized I was on the verge of breaking down. Tabitha moved from her seat, shifted close to me, and pulled me into her arms.
That’s when I burst into tears for the first time in more than a week.
EIGHT
Lamise
A healthy dose of anticipation moved through me as I drove away from my apartment and to Banks’s house.
Today was my first official day on the job.
Technically, I might have been there twice last week, but with Banks’s mom still there, it didn’t feel like I was legitimately working. Then again, if what I’d seen last week was any indication of what I could expect this week and those that followed, it was safe to say I probably wouldn’t ever feel like I was working.
This week, I’d be there on my own. I’d be solely responsible for caring for a little boy that was quickly stealing my heart in all the very best ways possible. Rhys was such a joy to be around. He was a happy baby, and I found it was difficult to feel anything but contentment when I was with him.
The closer and closer I got to the house, the more I felt the trembling in my belly. That feeling was all the result ofexcitement rather than nerves, though. I couldn’t wait to get there.
When I finally pulled up outside the house, I didn’t hesitate to grab my purse and my bag carrying my lunch and stop myself from running to the front door. Making it there, I knocked gently, as always, worried about waking Rhys if he happened to still be sleeping.
It wasn’t more than fifteen or twenty seconds later when I heard the lock and the door opened. And what I saw in front of me forced me to stop a moment and say a silent prayer of thanks. It was hard to feel any sadness at seeing Rhys’s happy face first thing in the morning.
“Good morning, Banks,” I greeted him before shifting my attention to Rhys. I reached my free hand out to him and stroked my thumb over the back of his little hand. “Hey, Rhys. How are you doing, buddy?”
“Good morning, Lamise,” Banks returned. “Come on in.”
Banks stepped back and allowed me to come inside. Once he closed the door behind me, he asked, “Ready for the madness to begin?”
I couldn’t stop the corners of my mouth from tipping up into a smile. “This is so very far from madness, if you ask me.”
“Give it some time,” he warned me. “I think you’ll eventually change your mind about that.”
There wasn’t a chance.
Not at all.
I had the words Graham had said in that video bouncing around in the back of my mind. He wanted me to find happiness again. Maybe I wouldn’t ever have it the way I had it with him, because I truly didn’t believe it was possible to ever experience that again, but I could finda sliver of happiness by spending my days looking after an adorable boy who made it impossible to do anything but smile and laugh. Banks might not have been able to understand why I’d enjoy that, but it didn’t matter to me. I understood it, and I was the only one who needed to get it.
