"You gonna say anything to Lylya?" Todd asked, "or was she just some weird part of your plan?"
Maria didn’t respond. She moved to Lylya’s door and knocked.
Lylya quickly appeared, her flashing green eyes peeking out the door at Maria. She pulled the door open and smiled sweetly. "Hello. I am happy you are come home."
Maria closed the bedroom door behind her, slowly moved to Lylya’s bed and sat down. "Sweetheart," she said. "I have to go now. You are still going to live here, but I have to go."
Lylya’s face dropped. "But, you said you would never, never leave me, cross my heart."
Maria gathered her up in a hug. "I know, I know, sweetheart, but things have changed. I don’t know how, but maybe you will understand someday."
Lylya began softly crying. "Listen to me," Maria said. She gently lifted the child's face. "Todd is a great man. He will take care of you and love you and watch over you." Her voice trailed off in a sob.
Finally she was able to resume. "You take care of him too, okay? He’s gonna need you very badly. You love him for me."
Maria groaned and looked away.
Lylya gently lifted her tiny hand to Maria's face and caressed her tear-soaked cheek. "So sad," she said softly. "Why must you leave if you are so sad to go?"
Maria took hold of her tiny shoulders. "Sweetheart, this is so important. Please listen to me. If, someday, a long, long time from now, you hear somehow that I have died, I need for you to give Todd something for me."
Lylya backed away slightly. "Are you will die?"
"No angel," Maria quickly answered. "I'm not going to die, but if I do, a long time from now, will you give something to Todd?"
"Yes," Lylya said softly, her little voice breaking away into a sob. "I will not give unless you are died."
Maria reached into her bag, produced a small sealed envelope and handed it over to Lylya. "Only if I die," she repeated, "give him this."
Maria leaned, gently kissed the child on her forehead and wiped her own face with the back of her hands. Finally, she turned away and left Lylya's bedroom.
She lifted Joshua into his car seat, tucked the suitcases under her arm, and moved past Todd, who was sitting on the couch, staring at the wall.
"Maria," he said softly as she reached for the door.
She stopped.
"I still love you."
Maria stood staring at the door. She knew if she turned around, no power on earth or in heaven could stop her from running into his strong, open arms.
"I'm sorry," she said finally. "I just don't know how to love you back."
She opened the door and left.
By the time she reached the waiting Humvee she was sobbing hiccups. She collapsed in the back seat. "I can’t breathe," she wheezed. A deep moan escaped her lungs. She glanced up through tear-washed eyes and caught one last look at Todd through the Humvee's window. He had moved from the couch and was silently looking out at her from the doorway.
She pressed her hand to the window, a futile and silly gesture. From this distance, through the darkened, tinted window, he couldn’t possibly see that her index and middle fingers were tightly crossed.
Other Books By This Author
US
The Son of Man
The Son of Man two, Elders of Zion
The Son of Man three, The Heylik
Create your own Audiobook A Step by Step Guide
UK
The Son of Man
The Son of Man two, Elders of Zion
The Son of Man three, The Heylik
Create your own Audiobook A Step by Step Guide
Watch for: The Son of Man Four, The Golden Calf
Coming Soon!
The Son of Man 2, Elders of Zion Page 25