Bless Your Little Heart

TWENTY-EIGHT

Police chatter rang in my ears as I sat still facing forward, waiting for someone to acknowledge us after what felt like hours.

I dreaded each visit here, the feeling of hope building only for it to be crushed with the news that 'nothing has came up'.

All we had was the car from that day, and we knew she had been taken to Canada. We don't know how, but my baby was hundreds of miles away and there was nothing I could do about it.

I laid awake at night thinking of all the bad that could be done to her, she was a small girl. She couldn't fight even if she wanted to, if they drugged her they could basically treat her like a rag doll.

The thoughts disgusted me, but sadly that was the reality I'm facing. My baby was gone and I couldn't accept the fact.

My husbands grip on my hand tightened as police chief Thornton approached our seats.

"Jackie, George, my office?" He motioned behind him as we rose to our feet, nodding I take lead to the office I've visited many of times. Growing used to the tacky decor and array of family photos, each one reminding me of the ones I told down in our home.

George and I sit in the padded wooden chairs as Mike closes the door behind us.

"So," Mike walks around to his side of the desk and plops down into his cushy roller chair. "How have you all been?" He grabs the coffee cup on his desk before bringing it to his lips to take a sip.

George sighs and leans back before running a hand through his hair, "About as good as you could do in our situation." I hun in agreement as Mike nods to us, sympathy in his eyes.

"Well, I may have some news that will cheer you up some," He goes to grab his cup again before slapping himself on the forehead.

"God what am I doing? Would you guys like anything to drink? Water? Coffee?" He reaches down to a filing cabinet beside his desk before opening the drawer and stifling through the papers.

"I'm fine." I retort, George nods to Mike as he adjusts himself in his seat. "I'll take a black coffee if you don't mind."

"Not at all." Mike waved his hand toward us before pressing a button on his phone. "Sherri can you bring me a black coffee to my office please."

He turns his attention back to us before placing a file atop his desk. Opening it he sifts through the countless pages before stopping on a picture.

Pulling it out he slides it before us to examine, "Remember this car?"

We both nod his way before looking up at him awaiting a response, "We got prints." He smiles ear to ear as our faces drop to shock.

"I thought you said it was wiped clean?" My husband adds as the bewildered look stays on his face. Mike laughs as he leans forward, "Our perp is smart, but he wasn't that smart." Leaning back he pulls another picture out of the file, showing the gas cap of the vehicle before.

"They didn't think to wipe the gas cap." Gasps leave our lips as the once doubtful and depressing feeling changed into the once hopeful and happy I felt long ago.

"Phillip Madriga, known assailant of the gang Tres Amigos. Infamous all around the world, known for sex trafficking and drug smuggling." He ends with a huff.

"Only thing is, we can't seem to track down Phillip, but I assure you, once we do. We'll have all the answers we need."

•••

I threw the array of breakfast food in front of her, pancakes, sausage, eggs, biscuits. She deserved it after everything that's happened.

"Bon appétit." I threw an awful French accent on before sliding out my chair and sitting down, her giggles were a comforting sound.

Her giggles end as she straightens herself in her chair, picking up the fork laying beside her hand. "Thank you Malcolm." Her beautiful smile blesses my eyes as she digs into the feast before her.

"Of course babygirl." Feeling my lips curling into a smile as I watch her scarf down the food. Quickly shooing it away before she could see it, following her lead in digging in.

Forks bang against our plates as we shovel the fluffy deliciousness into our mouths, taking only short moments to catch our breath. Slathering a thick layer on syrup on the pancakes, I cut a small piece of butter to go on top.

I feel her gaze on me as she watches my movements, finally speaking up as I pick the syrup back up.

"More?" She cocks a brow up at me before taking a bite of her eggs. I bring my head up and see the confusion laid on her face, now taking over mine.

"What?" I open the bottle and turn it back upside down before the thick liquid pours out.

She shakes her head as she chews her food, "Just a lot of syrup." She remarks as she gets another fork full of eggs.

"That's why your pancakes look dry as hell." I chuckle before closing the lid and sitting the syrup back down, cutting the pancakes into pieces.

She scoffs before cutting off a piece for herself, "I would gain 300 pounds if I ate that much." She motions toward my plate as giggles erupt from inside her.

Her statements bewildered me, her fat? Never. She could be morbidly obese and she would still somehow be so beautiful.

"You would still be beautiful." The words spill from my lips as my thoughts spoke for themself, stopping in my tracks once I realized what I said.

I could feel her gaze eating into me, I didn't want to look you and see her face. She probably was disgusted by me, Im over here complimenting her after I literally stole her.

She probably hates me, and how could I blame her? Look at what all I've caused. Her life was going perfectly before I intervened, before I stuck my foot in door. I rubbed her life yet I somehow expected her to love me, want me, the craving for her grew more and more.

I wanted to deny it but I was far past that point, I had broke every rule I ever set for myself. Every precaution I took to live this way, I turned my back on my 'family', if you can really call them that. I'm risking my life with every move I make, every word I speak.

But I didn't care, not now, not anymore.

All I want is her.

-

EEEEEEEK

xoxo