Blood Red Blindfold

Chapter 3

No matter how hard I squeeze my eyes shut, my brain won't let me sleep. It knows exactly how exhausted I am, yet it won't give me a break.

The Filipino's face haunts my thoughts. Came back with no baby rings in my ears. I try to control my breathing, but it continues to hitch. How had two people lived in a country for a while and only one man knew their last name? I curl my knees closer to my body. No baby. Tears threaten to spill from my eyes.

A small knock sounds from my door. I swallow my breath and wipe away my tears with a single finger. I shift and raise myself on my elbows, my eyes still adjusting to the darkness. A darkened figure stands in the doorway. The silhouette is tall and muscular.

"Hail?" Josh calls into my room. His eyes flash in the moonlight poring through my window.

"Yes?" I call back. My voice is strangled with sadness.

He softly pads into my room and stops at the edge of my bed. "I couldn't sleep thinking about... what you said. I thought you would have even more trouble sleeping than me. I thought... you might want some comfort," he gets out, somewhat awkwardly.

I swallow and can only manage a whimper as an answer. He was right. I did need comfort.

Josh takes it as a yes and crawls onto the bed. He pulls me into a sitting hug. "Hailey, I'm here for you."

I nod into his chest, then snuggle back under the covers, wanting to hide forever. Josh burrows in after me, not letting me get away that easily.

His arms wrap around me, pulling me into him. He conforms his body around my back. I take a deep breath and lay there with my eyes closed. His breath is once again soothing my neck.

"I won't find them now," I whisper for the darkness to swallow.

"Hail," Josh says, lingering over my nickname.

I turn to him, looking up into his moonlit face. Josh swallows hard. My eyes question him. His eyes look over my face intently.

"Yeah?" I whisper, questioning why it was taking him so long to finish what he was going to say.

"I..." his voice trails off.

I feel his hand pull my chin up. He leans in close and plants his lips on mine. My eyes widen, but I let my lips fall into place with his. Josh lingers there for only a few seconds.

He pulls back and I can feel the heat coming off of his cheeks. Josh starts to climb out from under the covers. He stumbles out of the bed.

"Josh..." I call, scrambling out after him.

He stops and turns to me, pure embarrassment in his eyes. I see him swallow hard.

"I- I didn't know you felt that way... about me," I stammer.

His eyes fill with pain. "Hailey," he says, stepping up to me and softly grabbing my shoulders. "I've always felt that way." Josh smiles sadly. "Goodnight. And don't worry Hail, you'll find your parents."

He lets go and pads down the stairs. I hear the guest bedroom door shut. I crawl back into my bed, my mind working furiously. I've always felt that way. Always? I had thought we were just best friends.

You'll find your parents. I hope Josh is right. I had scoured the entire Philippines. Only one man knew the name Graham. And the man and women had run away on a boat, no one knowing where they had gone. My eyes close with my brain thinking about Josh's lips on mine.