Beyond The Broken Glass3: Finally Mended [complete]

20.) I Want The Best For Them...But I Need To Be At My Best.

For the first time in a long time. I finally got to see genuine smiles beaming across their faces. They didn't have to be scared or sad. They weren't confined to a run-down place that served as a home. They got to run and play in the yard that was bigger than our last two houses combined. 

"Mommy!" She giggled as she chased after Ky. He ran to the pool to refill the watering can that he was using to splash her with.

I was happy, as happy as I could get considering he wasn't here with us. Sure he called every day but that meant nothing because we couldn't be with him. He was so far away doing things that I could never imagine.

He said that everything he was fixing to do was to better us. He promised that when this was over we'd be free and our lives would be normal. It was nice to hear, but I had already come to terms with us not being normal anymore.

"Bri." I heard Taylor's voice from behind me. It startled me for one reason, it wasn't her usual cheery greeting voice. I stood up from where I sat on the concrete steps that led to the grass area.

"What is it?"

She looked frantically at my frolicking children before she turned her gaze back at me. She closed the space between us and grabbed hold of my arm leading me into the house. My heart began to hammer inside my chest as I watched her. She slid the sliding door shut as she turned to face me.

"Something's happened."

"Something like what?"

"He won't say. But last night he boarded a plane."

"Did they find something?"

"He wouldn't say." She sighed heavily and put her hands to her mouth. "But the way he was acting. It couldn't have been good."

She began to pace back and forth making me nervous. I pressed my body against the kitchen counter so I could steady myself. I glanced at the clock on the wall.

3:45.

He always made it his mission to call or FaceTime at four o'clock. Fifteen more minutes and that phone should be ringing with his face on the screen. I just had to keep calm until then. I had to believe everything was okay.

"Taylor, listen to me," I told her as I continued to hold onto the counter. "That man is all I have left along with those kids. I have to know he's safe. I have to."

Her brown eyes bore into mine, and for a long moment, she held my gaze. As if she was reading my life story through my eyes. I blinked and the tears that blurred my vision spilled over onto my cheeks.

"I'll see what I can do." She nodded. "Give me a moment."

She left the kitchen area and disappeared into the office, closing the double doors behind her. I was so busy staring at the office doors that the sound of her slapping the sliding back doors scared me. 

I turned to see him giggling wildly as he continued to douse her in water. I went to open the door and then I settled them down.

"Hey. That's enough water play for today. Okay?" I told them as I grabbed two towels from one of the lounge chairs and dried them off.

"Can we go get ice cream again?" He asked as I dried water off of his face and then his body.

"Ughh. Sure, but you gotta get clean first."

"Okay!" He took off running into the house and she followed after. Since moving here we've been able to go out. Not far from the house, but we went out.

On our first night here, Drew and Taylor treated us to pizza at an authentic Italian restaurant. Their faces were etched into my mind as they smiled happily and enjoyed the fresh air and food. That was what I wanted for them.