Forsaken

Prologue

“I don’t know if I can do this, my love.”

Peering down at her, he fought to muster the same strength within himself he saw shining in her wise, beautiful eyes. She was so strong, so poised. Only someone who’d spent a lifetime with her could discern the depth of pain in the slight lines framing her eyes.

“It is for the best – this is the only way,” she whispered as she lowered the extravagant basket onto the wooden porch. Then louder, with a resolve coming from deep within she proclaimed, “It shall come to pass.”

She took a small step back from the front door of the town police station with what seemed to be a great deal of effort. Her eyes closed and her head bent forward as a single tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

He observed silently as the night air swirled through her hair; lifting it from her shoulders as if to caress her sorrow away. With the silver moon high in the clear sky, the rest of the town was fast asleep. The two o’clock hour was approaching fast and even the stars seemed to shine with urgency. Time was almost up.

Glancing back down at their precious delivery, he took a deep breath and inhaled the rich aroma of the sweet grass woven into the intricately crafted basket. He hoped in vain it would be successful in warding off evil. Kneeling down carefully, he unfolded the overflowing layers of silk and velvet blankets. The piercing blue eyes that gazed back up at him took his breath away.

Swirling with all the colors of a Caribbean lagoon, they watched him intently. As if guessing what had to happen next.

His words caught in his throat as hot tears threatened to spill over. He swallowed and tried again to say the words he needed to say. “My precious baby girl. You are my moon, my stars and my sky. You are the very breath that gives me life. One day an understanding will come. But for now, we must say goodbye.”

She reached for him and gave him the brightest toothless grin he’d ever seen. His heart slowly ripped apart and shattered into a million jagged pieces that would never be whole again. Remembering the braided seaweed bracelet he’d been holding in his hand, he carefully secured it around her tiny left wrist.

“This is not goodbye forever, my sweet girl, only for now. We love you with all our hearts….” His tears finally spilled over and he felt a hand softly touch his shoulder. She nodded in understanding as he stood up and walked down the steps, unable to stop the overwhelming wave of complete and utter heartbreak.

He looked on as she whispered something into the basket, and then kissed their little girl’s cheek with such tenderness it broke his heart all over again. She folded the soft layers of fabric back to protect their baby from the crisp wind blowing off the ocean, and then slowly stood. She turned, met his eyes and walked down the steps to stand by him. His rock. His everything. They would do this together. Hand in hand, they took one last look at their miracle and walked into the shadows; leaving no trace they were ever there.