Page 105 of Holding Ground

FORTY-FOUR

Elliott

Emelia was gone when I got back to the house last night. Gone and hasn’t returned.

I tried calling her and texting her, but nothing.

I have no idea where she stayed last night.

She obviously doesn’t want to be found, or she would’ve answered my calls and texts. The question is…why?

When she ran away from that table last night—god, I was gutted. Gutted and confused, because something tells me it wasn’t about her feeling pressured by what I said.

But now I haven’t heard from her, so what the fuck do I know, other than she still has a lot of her belongings in the bunkie. So that must mean she’s planning to return at some point, right?

I barely slept last night, unwilling to accept the fact that she’s yet another person who’s left me. That’s not her. She wouldn’t leave without a word. I believe that. But as the hours tick by, it’s harder and harder to keep the faith.

A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts, and when I swing it open, Kate is there, looking almost as nervous as she did the first time she was here to visit Baylor.

“Hey, come in.” I step back to give her room to enter.

“Does she know I’m coming?” She takes in the empty living room.

“No, I thought it best that she not think this was a regular visit.”

She nods, slips off her shoes, and walks farther into the room.

“Baylor,” I call.

I hear her little feet on the hardwood, then she appears at the entrance to the room. Her eyes widen when she sees that Kate is with me.

“Mom.” She rushes over and wraps her arms around Kate in a hug.

Kate hugs her hard, with tears in her eyes. As far as I can tell, this is the first time she’s referred to Kate as her mom in Kate’s presence.

It makes all the protective instincts in me rise up, but I push them down for my daughter’s sake.

“Do we get to hang out today?” Baylor asks.

Kate sits on the couch and pats the cushion beside her. “Come sit on the couch with me.” Baylor does as she asks, pulling up a seat right beside her. “I wanted to come by today to let you know that I have to leave.”

Baylor’s wide, panicked eyes meet mine.

“It’s all right, kiddo. Just listen to what Kate has to say.”

She returns her attention to Kate. “Will I see you again?”

Kate takes her hands. “Yes, you absolutely will.”

“So it’s not going to be like it was before?” Baylor frowns.

Kate shakes her head, and when a tear slides down her cheek, she quickly wipes it away. “No, no, it’s not. I’m hoping I can call you, and we can video chat sometimes. And then I’ll come visit again when I can. It might be a while before I can get out here again, but I’ll be back. Would you like that?”

Baylor nods over and over.

Kate has to swallow back her emotions. “That makes me really happy. It’s been wonderful getting to know you, Baylor. I’m sorry it took me so long to make it back here.”

“That’s okay. You’re here now.”