Page 126 of Chasing Hope

“Dove?” I whisper.

A click rings out before the handle turns. I finally lay eyes on my girl, mascara running down her cheeks, red nose and all, her broken heart on full display.

Evie’s lower lip wobbles tirelessly, the tears flowing down her cheeks never-ending.

My broken dove.

She’s barely finished opening the door before I have her in my arms. The moment I wrap her in my embrace, her knees buckle, a heaving, heart-breaking sob tearing from her chest, one that has tears swelling in my own eyes.

Sweeping her off her feet, I walk deeper into her room, taking a seat on her bed. Evie sits on my lap, tucking herself into a tight ball, trying to make herself as small as possible. I just let her cry while trying to hug her as best I can.

Closing my eyes, I take deep measured breaths, trying to hold strong as she shatters in my arms.

I saw her mom in a different light tonight. The pedestal I put Serena on came crashing down and all that was left was an everyday woman. Not a superhero, not a goddess, and certainly not the savior she was to me growing up.

Moms are supposed to be the ones who hold you while you cry, not the ones who make you sob. I had to learn that lesson the hard way with my own mom. I never in a million years would have thought that the woman who saved my life would turn around and break Evie like this.

The Ellington’s’ house was the one everyone ended up at after school and on weekends. Their home was warm and inviting, their dad cool and laid back as he helped us all practice skating. Then we’d come back, dragging our tired and sweaty bodies through the kitchen and smell the delicious scent of whatevermeal Serena had cooked. Without fail, she had an afternoon sweet treat for us.

And yet here I am, cradling her daughter as I try to put the pieces of the heartshebroke back together.

Evie isn’t overly sensitive. She doesn’t read into things people say. So knowing Evie, knowing who she is at her core, I’m terrified to find out what Serena said to make her this visibly upset.

This has to be about what she’s been hiding.

The secret she’s been hoarding like her life depends on it.

I haven’t been pushing her because I didn’t want to force her, but how can I help her when I’m walking through this blindly?

Evie cried in my arms for hours until she drifted off to sleep.

She never uttered a word, just clung to my shirt, grasping it like I was her lifeline, all the while keeping her secret close to her chest no matter how gently I tried to pry.

Chapter 38

Matteo—Age Eleven

Every part of my body is numb besides the ache in my chest.

I barely feel the rain pelting against my skin anymore; the pain of my mom forgetting me once again is far outweighing the ice-cold droplets soaking me to the bone. I don’t even have to ask what happened, I already know. It’s happened far too many times now.

A surgery came up.

And although they’ve explained to me that they help people, that they save lives and patch people together on the worst day of their lives, in doing, so they always create my worst day.

I don’t know why they kept me when they forget about me all the time.

It’s a thought that has played on a loop in my head as I’ve walked the past thirty minutes from the rink to my home.

Why have me if they don’t even like spending time with me?

Why have me when they’re only annoyed by my presence?

Why have me just to hate me?

Am I easy to hate?

The tears that have been swelling in my eyes drop. The lump that has been lodged in my throat grows until it’s choking me, and suddenly, I’m gasping for air. I can’t breathe.