5
–))
My mother–in–law glared at him, her voice
sharp. “You’re asking me where she is? Isn’t it convenient for you that she’s not here?”
“Mom, where did she go?”
She refused to tell him. With a huff, she picked
up the baby, little Leo, and went to greet the guests.
Realizing he wasn’t going to get answers there, Jason jumped in his car and sped home.
But when he got there, the house felt hollow, empty. It didn’t take long before a feeling of dread built up.
His heart clenched, a suffocating feeling washing over him.
He staggered through the house, calling my
<
name as he went.
All that awaited him were empty rooms.
The dresser was bare, not a single trinket
remained. Even the closet was empty.
He tried to laugh, but the sound came out more
like a sob.
He’d always assumed that, no matter what, I’d
never leave him.
He thought that having a child would chain me
to him forever.
But when he couldn’t find me, he realized that
he was the one who couldn’t let go.
Jason, eyes bloodshot, slumped down on the
bare vanity stool, staring at his reflection.
He sat there for hours.
When my mother–in–law returned with Leo, she passed the room and saw him sitting there. A
look of disdain crossed her face. “Oh, you’re
actually here? Shouldn’t you be out with some other woman?”
He ignored her dig, his voice rough. “Mom, why did you force me to marry her in the first place?”
Mrs. Hawthorne was silent for a moment.
Then she sighed heavily. “Jason, do you remember when you were a kid, and you were kidnapped? Do you remember who saved you?”
“He was an undercover cop. He rescued you from those thugs, and his whole family paid the
price.”
“His wife was pregnant. She escaped with help
from her family, but she was badly hurt. She
died during childbirth, and her child was picked
<
up and sent to an orphanage.”
((
994
“When I found that child, she was five years old. Your grandparents wouldn’t let me adopt her,
so I helped her behind the scenes. That child was Sarah.”
“I once showed you a picture of her and asked
if you would want to marry her. At the time, you told me that you liked her.”
Tears streamed down her face. She’d wanted to take care of me, but had ended up hurting me.
