When the Heart Lies - By Christina North Page 0,52

watching her. I can tell him I was worried for the three of them … explain how when she first left, he was angered to blindness, and I felt I needed to step in until he was able to do what he needed to do for their family. I wish I could get a message to her. What if something’s wrong? What if she thinks we don’t care anymore and disappears with this guy?” He looked at Jonathan. “What should I do?”

“Nick’s letters were returned, but possibly she would read yours. With an overnight delivery, the letter would get there promptly. Maybe you would get a response.”

“A letter would be okay. I’d need to be careful how I worded it, in case he reads it. Jackson said he treats her terribly. Should everything come out now?”

“I don’t think divulging everything now would help.”

Xavier looked completely beaten and exhausted, which was a rare. “Damn it, I want to talk to her. Why can’t Nick be stronger for her? She needs someone strong. And she needs to know she’s loved. I don’t fault Nick totally; he loves her, but his idea of love will never be enough for her. He thinks he can live any way he likes and still be with her. I can’t help blaming myself for his arrogance. We spoiled him.”

“You said Jackson is sending his niece to the café? You’ll find out more after he calls you.”

“I suppose,” Xavier said. “I think I’ll lie down. I’ll call Olivia later.” He never napped during the day.

~ ~ ~

When Wayde left for the grove, Kinsley blasted her face with ice-cold water, looked into the mirror, and smiled. It was her rehearsal for going out into the living room and giving her son the impression he had a happy mother. She walked into the hall and stood watching Max from the doorway. He was playing with Legos, one of the few things he had to keep himself occupied. He was building a castle.

Wouldn’t life be nice if we sneaked into the castle and live happily ever after?

She sat, mimicking his, Indian style position, and started to help him build, following his directions.

“I’m the prince.” He was always the prince.

“I’ll be the princess.” She was always the princess.

“No.”

“Why not? I’m always the princess.”

“The princess is sleeping.” He showed her the little figure of the princess in the bed. He covered her with a tiny blanket and bent the little prince down to give her a kiss.

“We should wake her up, so I can play with you. Has she been sleeping long?”

Max looked at her and nodded. She reached for the princess to wake her.

He reached out his hand to stop her. “No. Don’t wake her up.”

“Well, who am I going to be then?”

“You’re the Bitch Queen.”

At first, she didn’t think she heard him right and rewound the words in her head. No mistake, he spoke very matter-of-factly.

“Max! Why would you say that word? That’s a naughty word.” She wanted to pretend he never heard anything and would never remember anything.

“That’s your name now. Savannah and Wayde said so.” She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. If Max weren’t sitting next to her, she’d go into Savannah’s room, pull her from the bed by her hair, and beat her face bloody. If jail wasn’t a possible outcome, she’d do worse.

“Max, sometimes adults are naughty, and Savannah and Wayde are naughty. A lot. I don’t want you listening to them. You need to listen to me. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Okay. But, who will you be if you’re not the Bitch Queen?”

She hung her head and took another deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain this to him so he’d understand. “Max, queen is not a naughty word. The word bitch is naughty. A mean word, and only unkind people say mean words to other people. So, why don’t we put the queen to sleep now, and wake up the princess so I can play?”

“I don’t know.” His lower lip puffed out covering the top. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

She watched as he began to take the castle apart. “Wait. Why don’t you want to play anymore, honey?”

“I’ll wait ‘til daddy comes, then you can be the princess again.” She tried closing her throat tight, to choke back the tears, but when she did, her eyes squeezed shut, and they came anyway. Not little ones that stuck out from the sides, but big heavy drops that wet her face