Part 14 (1/2)
”How? How will she get here? They won't let me...”
I cut her off, visibly sensing her stress. ”That's for me to work out.”
”Will you tell her thank you for the book?” she asks, opening its cover and turning the pages one by one.
”You can tell her yourself when you see her.”
Taking in a breath, I see Casey's excitement first, then hear it in her voice. ”When do you think I can see her?”
”Soon,” I answer, reaching over and touching her knee.
”She stopped coming,” she says, her words coming out like a confession. ”She used to come and we would talk, but she stopped.”
”She did,” I confirm. ”But it wasn't because she wanted to.”
”How do you know my Aunt Em?”
”We're friends,” I half-lie, definitely not wanting to explain to her the dynamics of a healthy adult relations.h.i.+p.
”I miss her.”
Sensing the need for a subject change to lighten the mood, I point to her book and ask, ”Do you want me to read that to you?”
”No,” she answers quickly. ”I can read it tomorrow.”
Her voice sounds tired so I start to stand, thinking I should go and let her rest. Before I'm about to move from her mattress, Casey's arm darts across the bed and she grabs my wrist. I stop in place, startled by her gesture, and look down at her fingers wrapped tightly around me.
Instead of speaking, she sets the book down and crawls over to me. She positions herself under my arm and wraps hers around my waist. I only react when she's finished moving and then only to adjust to hold her tighter.
We sit in silence for a few seconds before she says, ”Viktor says someone is coming to visit me tomorrow.” My heart beats quickly, already knowing what he's planning. ”He says he'll take care of everything.” She stops talking, her face lifts to mine then she asks, ”Where am I going?”
”I don't know, sweetheart. What else did he say?”
”I heard him and Anna talking. He likes Anna.”
”He does,” I confirm, pus.h.i.+ng her head in to my neck and resting my chin on the top of it. ”He likes you, too.”
She nods. ”He gave me more pencils. Colored ones. And paper.”
”That's nice,” I tell her, but my mind pictures Viktor, sitting behind his desk, making claims to Casey and having no right to do so.
”I like them. I'll draw something for Aunt Em.”
Kissing the top of her head gently, I reply, ”I think she'd love that.”
Just as I'm about to tell Casey to get back in bed, the door to her room opens. Hoss stands on the other side of it. I can't see his face, and I'm ready for his possible anger. Yet it doesn't come.
Casey's head rises in the direction of the door. She's no longer holding me, rather she's clutching me tightly to her. Her fingers begin digging into my s.h.i.+rt and her arms begin to shake. I'm not certain if it's the cut he's wearing, the unexpected visit, or just Hoss himself that scares her.
Surprisingly, I hear him murmur quietly, ”She's a good kid.”
”What's up?” I ask Hoss as he stands to watch us from the door.
”Anna said you were with Casey. Thought you and I could have a talk. You gonna be around a while?”
”Yeah,” I tell him. I thought about leaving and going back to Emma, but after being with Casey, I've changed my mind and will accept Hoss' invitation to stay. There's enough room on this compound for a person to crash for a few hours.
”She doesn't look like her mother,” he comments, nodding toward a still-nervous Casey in my arms. ”Nothing like her.”
”She does,” I tell Hoss. ”She looks like the Dee Dee I remember.”
”People change,” he returns. ”Happens to all of us,” he adds with a hint of regret in his tone.
”I'll meet you outside in a few minutes.”
Hoss nods to me then steps outside and closes the door behind him. His reaction to seeing me with Casey shocks me.
Looking down into Casey's hair, I ask, ”You okay?”
She answers with only a nod.
”You know him.” I already know she does, but would like her to know she can talk to me about him if she needs to. ”Does he bother you?”
”No. He doesn't ever talk to me.”
”Do any of the men wearing vests talk to you?”
”No. I mean, some do. Cilas can't.” She stops and if it weren't so dark, I would swear she's smiling. ”But I don't think he talks to anyone. Not even Anna.”
This conversation isn't one she should be having before going back to sleep, so I stop it from continuing.
”Get back under the covers,” I instruct after kissing her quickly on the head once more. ”I'll stop in tomorrow. Maybe you can read me the book.”
”You like Winnie the Pooh?” she asks with hope while looking up at me.
”I don't know Winnie the Pooh,” I reply.
I'm close enough to her to see her eyes widen, and a shy grin coming to life. ”I thought everyone did.”
It's a small feat to see Casey smiling at my expense, so I let myself enjoy it before advising, ”Get some sleep, monkey. I'll be back tomorrow.”
As I'm starting to stand, Casey begins to situate herself back under the covers. I don't make further move to touch her, but instead head for the door.
Before I'm out of it completely, I hear her say, ”Goodnight, Max.”
”Goodnight, monkey,” I reply before closing it behind me.