Secrets (Never to be Told)

Chapter Twenty-Four

After their date, time slipped away too quickly. The next day, Lucy had agreed to the undercover training program, and before they knew it, she was boarding a plane to Sacramento, leaving Tim and Hailee to navigate three weeks on their own.

Sitting at his desk, buried in paperwork, Tim felt a familiar presence behind him. "So..." Angela plopped into the chair across from him with a teasing grin. "Three weeks without Lucy. Don't go crazy on me, Bradford."

Tim looked up, raising an eyebrow. "I'm not going to go crazy just because Lucy's away," he replied, though his voice held a hint of defensiveness. "Besides, I have Hailee."

Angela's expression softened, her smile turning thoughtful. "It's her first time being away from her mom for this long. How do you think she'll handle it?"

Tim's shoulders sagged slightly as he leaned back in his chair, his gaze dropping to his report. "I hope she'll be okay," he said, his voice quieter. "She's never been with me for longer than a night, either."

Angela patted his shoulder before heading back to her desk, leaving Tim to sit in the silence, thoughts churning. Lucy had left detailed notes about Hailee's routines and schedules, but he was realizing just how many small details she handled. It was more than just getting Hailee to school or cooking meals - it was those little rituals that made her feel safe.

Determined to make things as smooth as possible for Hailee, Tim began jotting down a schedule for their weeks together. He'd get up early to walk Kojo, come home in time to make breakfast and get Hailee ready for school, work his shift, and then pick her up afterward to bring her back to the station until his shift ended. Satisfied with his new plan, he set an alarm and headed out to pick Hailee up from school.

The first few days passed smoothly as they adjusted to the new routine. Hailee seemed cheerful enough, though a little quieter than usual. Tim tried to keep her busy with walks to the park with Kojo, helping her with homework, and getting her involved in cooking simple meals. But by the first weekend, he started to notice her energy waning.

Saturday morning, he prepared his usual breakfast - toast with scrambled eggs and a side of yogurt. But as he set the plate in front of Hailee, she gave him a small, disappointed frown.

"Is everything okay?" Tim asked, glancing at her with concern as he put the pan down.

Hailee toyed with her fork, her gaze fixed on her plate. "Mommy always makes pancakes on the weekends," she murmured, her voice tinged with sadness. "I miss her."

Tim felt a pang in his chest, knowing he couldn't fill Lucy's place, no matter how much he tried. He quickly dried his hands, walked around the counter, and wrapped Hailee in his arms. "I miss her too, honey," he said softly. Leaning back, he gave her an encouraging smile. "But she'll be back before you know it - just two more weeks."

He could see the sadness lingering in her eyes, so he patted her shoulder and headed back to the stove. "Tell you what, how about I make some pancakes right now? They might not be as good as Mom's, but I think I can pull it off."

Hailee perked up slightly, watching as he retrieved the flour, eggs, and milk. It didn't take long before a fresh stack of pancakes topped with a little bit of chocolate spread and maple syrup appeared on her plate. "Voila!" he said, trying to match Lucy's cheerful presentation.

Hailee smiled and dug in, but Tim noticed her gaze kept wandering to the empty chair where Lucy usually sat. He tried to brighten the mood. "So, what do you want to do today? Anything special?"

She gave a small shrug. "I don't know..."

He looked around, thinking. His gaze landed on Kojo, who sat by the door, tail wagging, clearly eager to go out. "How about a hike with Kojo?" he suggested, giving the dog a pat. Kojo barked happily, as if to seal the deal.