“Sleep, baby,” he whispered.
“But –”
“Sleep.”
She looked at his face, her eyes roaming it. Then she nodded and settled back in.
It was uncomfortable as all f**k, he was on the very edge but he settled in too.
He sensed Faye slide back into sleep and knew he probably wouldn’t join her.
He felt eyes on him and his went to Sondra.
When his eyes caught hers, she whispered one word across the room, it spoke volumes and settled warm deep in his soul.
“Perfect.”
Chace understood her and the enormity of her meaning.
But he didn’t reply.
He dipped his chin to her, settled back in, closed his eyes, held his girl and her boy close and, moments later, found sleep.
Chapter Nineteen
He Sent an Angel
“Son.”
Chace turned from watching Faye playing Candyland with Lexie, Krys, Twyla, Becky and Miah on the floor of the Goodknight’s family room to see Silas standing at his side.
Actually, Lexie wasn’t on the floor. Her pregnant belly wasn’t conducive to being on the floor. She was lounging on the couch and Miah was helping her take her turns.
“You couldn’t have gotten a good night’s sleep on that cot,” Silas went on. “Take my girl home, let her see to you, get some decent shuteye.”
It was just past noon the next day. Becky had been released. Faye had arranged for cover at the library, doing it muttering, “Frak Mary Eglund and her lunatic sister. They want, they can fire me for taking more personal time.” They’d shown up at the Goodknights with cars in the drive, these holding Lexie, Krys and Twyla with shopping bags full of clothes and shoes for Becky.
Becky had gotten a shower in and put on her new clothes. Like Miah, she seemed to be settling. Miah settled because he knew the Goodknights had a connection with Faye. Becky settled because her brother was there as well as food, clothes and a shower.
That didn’t mean she wasn’t skittish, wary and often didn’t jerk her eyes to her brother sometimes for understandable reasons like someone walked into the room or there was a loud noise, sometimes for what appeared no reason at all.
The psychologist had seen her and briefed Chace, Faye and the Goodknights.
The trauma Miah had endured, being cast out and his focus entirely on biding his time to save his sister was why he’d chosen not to speak. It was likely from both the kids’ behavior and things Miah had told them that he’d been looking out for his sister and shielding her as best he could from Enid Eglund’s lunacy for years. As a survivor, he took the good coming to him from living with the Goodknights. As a kid, he took the care Faye and Chace gave to him and let it build trust. But in the end, his mind was turned to getting his sister free, he considered it his responsibility and he wasn’t going to share it with anyone. Therefore, in an effort not to share at all, he controlled how he communicated.
The psychologist also told them they’d both need in-depth trauma counseling and their reunion with their grandparents would need to be monitored by a professional. As the two only people he truly trusted in this world, this the psychologist understood from Jeremiah sending Chace that note and allowing him to care for his sister, Chace and Faye had to be there.
Upon hearing the news, the cops in Wyoming didn’t wait to share with four of their locals that it was highly likely their grandkids were alive and in Colorado. They’d made their visits, waking them to share the news. Therefore, as expected, both sets were on their way and were expected to arrive at the Station imminently.
Chace was conflicted. He wanted to be there to meet the grandparents but he didn’t want to be away from Faye and the kids or take her away from them. He’d told her what had happened and her reaction had been much like her mother’s except stronger. It tore her up what had happened to those kids and it tore her up knowing, although it was a good thing they’d be with their blood family, that doing so would mean Miah would be a state away.
So she was staying close.
Chace wanted to give that to her but he didn’t want to leave her.
“I’ll survive, Silas,” Chace muttered.
Silas’s eyes moved over Chace’s face then they swung into the living room and finally he looked back at Chace.