by Mary Abshire
“Would you like more bread?” Andrew asked Brian.
The little boy gave a big nod. Andrew moved the plate with the slices closer to him. “Sara, eat as much as you’d like. We have plenty.”
Emily set the empty bottle on the table. The baby opened her sluggish eyes. Now that the infant had a full belly, she’d likely sleep for several hours. Emily took the cloth from her lap and placed it over her shoulder. She’d found it in the diaper bag earlier. Trying not to disturb the little one too much, she lifted Justine onto her shoulder. Emily patted the infant’s back gently while she rocked back and forth in the chair. Andrew watched her with a warmhearted smile.
“You’re staring,” she said to him.
“Because you’re beautiful and you look good with a baby,” Andrew said.
“I think you’ve been working around babies too much.”
“What can I say? I enjoy loving beautiful creatures,” he said with a grin too wide.
Justine burped as Emily shook her head. She could understand how he might take a liking to babies since he’d died young in his life. But he had been sent back to fulfill the terms of his punishment in order to return to heaven. Producing a child was not an option for him, so he shouldn’t even give it the tiniest thought.
“Would you like any cookies for dessert?” Emily asked while she patted the infant’s back.
Sara looked at Brian. He gave another eager nod as he worked on finishing his cheesy bread.
“Yes, please,” Sara said.
Andrew rose from his seat. “I know where they’re at.” He’d passed her before she could get another word out.
The baby struggled to keep her eyes open. Emily wiped her mouth with the cloth. She’d left the carrier nearby so she could keep a close watch on the baby after feeding. As careful as she could, she bent and placed the infant back into the car seat. Andrew returned with cookies in hand as she straightened. He walked behind her and set the packages on the table.
“I wasn’t sure what you might like, so I bought two different kinds,” Emily said.
Andrew tore open each package before he sat. “Take as much as you want.” He scooted the cookies closer to the kids.
Emily took a few bites of spaghetti. It had cooled to room temperature, but it still tasted good.
“Would you like to play some games after we clean up?” Emily asked.
Brian nodded again. His head movements were so jerky Emily thought he’d get a bad neck ache.
“What kind of games?” Sara took a drink of her milk.
“We have Jenga, Life, and Operation,” Andrew said as he gathered his plate and the bread one. He left and headed for the kitchen.
“Have you ever played any of those?” Emily asked.
Both kids shook their heads.
“Life is a board game. It might be too advanced for Brian, but we can try,” Emily said, and he agreed with his head again.
Andrew returned to the table. Sara dusted her hands over her plate while Brian finished eating his third big cookie.
“Are you done, Sara?” Andrew asked.
“Yes.”
He reached for her plate. “What about you, Brian?”
Sara pushed the packages away from him, and he whined. “No more. You’ll get sick.”
Andrew took Brian’s plate. “There’s a bathroom by the kitchen. Could you help Brian clean his hands and face, please?”
Emily took a few more bites while Sara escorted her brother to the bathroom and Andrew returned to the kitchen. He rinsed the dishes and made a lot of noise banging the pots in the sink. Emily felt sorry for the kids and wanted to help them. She kept reminding herself they would be okay once Andrew killed Susan. After checking the sleeping babe, she rose and took her plate to the kitchen. She didn’t hear the kids talking in the bathroom, but she heard the water running.
“Thanks for cleaning up.” She stopped near Andrew’s side, standing in front of the sink.
He took her plate. “Not hungry?”
“I can’t eat after what Sara said.”
He frowned as he dumped the food down the garbage disposal. “I know it’s hard. It is for me too.”
She put her hand on his steel arm. “You’re doing a great job with them.”
He set the plate in the sink and then wiped his hands on the towel nearby. The kids hadn’t come out of the bathroom yet. He slipped his hands over her cheeks, cupped her face, and pressed his forehead to hers. “You’re incredible. We’ll get through this and the kids will be fine. I promise.”
With his lips so close, she couldn’t resist them. She gave him a gentle kiss, but it seemed he wanted more. Holding her head, he slipped between her lips and stroked her tongue. A wave of desire ran through her. She leaned her body into his. He felt so solid, so warm through his clothes, and so protective. She loved getting lost in his kisses and touch.
“I cleaned Brian’s face and hands,” Sara said softly.
Andrew slowly ended their kiss and Emily inched away. “Everything will be okay,” he said.
She nodded. “Do you need any help with the dishes?”
“No, I’ve got this.”
After he lowered his hands, she turned to face the kids. “Shall we look at the games and see which one we should play first?”
“Yeah!” Brian said excitedly and thrust his arms up.
Emily gestured for the living room. “Let’s go.”
Andrew’s words filled her with strength and hope. While she couldn’t do much for the kids, she could at least offer them a little fun and a sense of happiness. At the same time, she prayed the day would soon arrive when Andrew could kill Susan and destroy the demon.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Sara spun the wheel on the Life board. She had a smile on her face and stared with wide eyes at the spinning dial. They all watched and waited with anticipation. Sara and Emily were closest to the end of the game, but that didn’t mean they would win. They had to get the right number to reach the finish line.
“Seven,” Sara said after the wheel stopped. She moved her car with the pegs. “One, two…”
Emily met Andrew’s gaze and smiled. Sara had won the game.
The entire evening had been a pleasant one. Andrew loved watching the kids play with him and Emily. They’d acted better than most kids. He suspected punishments or abuse could’ve played a role in their behaviors. Boys were often loud and active, but not Brian. And Sara kept her head low most of the time, as if she were ashamed or embarrassed. As they’d played games, Emily and Andrew had tried to break them of their fears and had encouraged them to have fun. Life was too short to miss out on anything. Andrew knew that first hand.
“I did it!” Sara said in an excited tone.
Emily clapped her hands and cheered. “Yay, Sara. Good job.”
Brian let out a soft moan. He’d been leaning over the dining table the entire time they’d played the board game. Arms crossed and frowning, he sat down in his chair.
“You did good, Brian. Really good. You almost made it to the end,” Andrew said in an effort to lessen his disappointment.
The five-year-old had behaved well while they’d played three rounds of Jenga and one game of Life. He needed help reading the cards, which Andrew assisted with, but Brian had counted accurately when he moved his plastic blue car. He’d acted happy and had said a few words. The kid still wasn’t much of a talker though.
Emily looked down at the baby, sleeping in the car seat nearby. Andrew glanced at her too. The infant had stirred a few times, but hadn’t woken since her feeding. Given the babe was a few months old, he suspected she might sleep through the night.
“Can we play again?” Sara asked.
Andrew directed his attention to the microwave in the kitchen. He sat too far away to see the little numbers on the clock. “I’ll check the time.” He left his seat and headed for the kitchen. When he made it close enough to see the digits, he stopped. “It’s quarter after nine.” He returned to the table.
>
“Crap,” Emily said. “I think we were supposed to have them in bed by eight thirty.”
Andrew hadn’t been paying any attention to the time. They were all having so much fun. He hated to have to see them go. It wasn’t even dark out. How could kids sleep when the sun hadn’t set yet?
“Mother will be upset,” Sara said. “We should go.”
“We won’t tell her if you don’t,” Emily said. ‘“Can Brian keep a secret?”
He gave two nods as he lowered his arms. “I want to play again.”
“How about we play the next time you come over?” Andrew asked.
“Sara is right, we should take you two home,” Emily said. “But we promise we will play games again the next time you come to visit. Okay?”
“Okay,” Brian said, in a glum, unhappy tone.
“Why don’t you two pack up your stuff and we’ll get ready to go?” Andrew said.
Sara and Brian slid from their chairs. Brian followed Sara to get her bag sitting on the coffee table in the living room. The coloring book and crayons she’d brought for Brian were lying nearby. She stuffed them into her backpack while Brian stood next to her.
“I’ll get the diaper bag. I prepared an extra bottle in case the baby woke up, so I’ll bring it with us,” Emily said. “My keys are on the dresser in the bedroom. Can you get them for me?”
Andrew had emptied and cleaned the bottles Susan had sent. Emily had used the cleaned bottles for the formula she’d bought from the drugstore. Susan would never know what they’d done.
“Do you want me to get your purse too?” Andrew asked.
“No, we’re staying in the neighborhood, so I don’t need it.”
“I can carry the baby out too.”
Emily nodded before she headed for the kitchen. Andrew strode toward the bedroom, passing the kids in the living room. Sara was almost done putting her backpack on while Brian was twisting and whining.
Andrew paused behind the sofa. “Everything okay?”
“He doesn’t want to leave,” Sara said.
“Maybe your parents will let you two come visit another time since we live so close.”
He tried to sound encouraging. He had enjoyed their company. If he thought too much about their situation, his stomach churned. To avoid getting nauseous, he focused on Emily and what he wanted to do to her after their babysitting job was done.
After Andrew grabbed the keys from the dresser, he headed back down the hall to get the baby. Sara and Brian were walking toward him. Emily had the diaper bag hanging on one shoulder as she hefted the baby carrier.
“I can get her,” Andrew said as he passed the kids. He met Emily in the hall near the corner and took the carrier by the handle. “Here.” He gave the keys to her.
“Are you ready?” Emily asked the two standing by the front door.
Brian shook his head and mumbled.
“We’re ready,” Sara said.
The baby didn’t stir as Andrew carried her to the door. Emily opened it and the kids walked out. She followed Andrew out and then secured the locks. Sara led the way to the Jeep. The muggy air outside carried the scent of rain. Flickers lit up the ominous clouds in the sky and everyone looked up.
“Heat lightning,” Emily said as she approached.
The lights from the vehicle flashed and the locks clicked.
“Do you want her behind you?” Andrew asked.
“Yeah. Can you strap it in okay?”
“I’ll figure it out.”
He took the baby around the tail end of the car while Emily helped Sara and Brian into the backseat. The sky lit up again, but there wasn’t any thunder. Andrew set the carrier in the back behind the driver’s seat. He found a spot on the carrier to secure it with the seatbelt. After he locked it in place, he carefully lifted the straps over the baby to secure her. Brian sat in the middle with the belt across his lap. Sara sat by the window with her backpack adding extra cushioning behind her. Emily clicked the seatbelt into place for Sara. With the kids ready, Emily and Andrew shut the doors and then walked around the car to take their spots.
“It smells like rain,” Emily said before she started the engine.
“It’s very humid. Maybe a storm is coming,” Andrew said.
Emily backed out of the driveway and steered onto the street.
“Are you staying the night with us?” Sara asked.
Andrew leaned between the seats. “We’re staying until your dad gets home in the morning.”
Emily steered around two corners before she headed for the bluish-gray multilevel house. She slowly pulled onto the driveway. Andrew checked the baby in the car seat. She looked so peaceful sleeping.
“We made it.” Emily cut the engine. “I’ll get the baby this time. Sara has the key. Right, Sara?”
“Yes,” she said.
Emily was out of the car before he could stop her. He would’ve carried the baby for her, but as usual she took charge of everything. The quality was a good one to have, but he enjoyed the times when he could take control, especially when she was naked.
Andrew helped Brian and Sara from the backseat while Emily collected the baby. Together, they headed to the front door. When they reached it, Sara removed her backpack. She dug into the front pouch. Once she retrieved the key, she slid it into the lock.
Brian followed Sara into the house. Andrew waited for Emily to enter first. He locked the door behind her. A lamp near the entrance had been left on. Sara and Brian started climbing the stairs on the left. Their footsteps thudded on the steps.
Emily walked slowly ahead of Andrew. Together, they looked around. The open door to the left revealed an office with a desk, cabinets, and bookshelves. A small bathroom was on the other side of the office. Down the small hall, the open floor plan revealed a huge kitchen on the right across from the stairs. The center island had been built vertically versus horizontally. The kitchen ran into the dining area in the back. Plants on a short half wall separated the dining and living room on the left. The walls were painted in a light green throughout the house. Everything appeared orderly, including the remote controls lined up in front of the flat screen television.
Emily set the bag and carrier on the nearest couch. “Shall we make sure they get cleaned up and tucked in bed before we explore?”
Andrew unlatched the belt over the baby. He lifted it over and to the side of the infant. She moved her lips as if she were sucking on an imaginary bottle. “Let’s leave her down here since she’s sleeping. I don’t think she’ll wake up, but if she does she will let us know.”
He followed Emily to the staircase. There were several stairs leading up to a landing, then another long set of steps to the top floor. Emily rounded a three-foot wall overlooking the staircase. Andrew caught up to her in the living area, which contained several storage tubs, a child-size desk, kitchenette, and easel. There was a small sofa and TV too, but the room looked more for the kids to play in than adult lounging. Andrew noticed not a single car, doll, or any other toy lying out.
Dressed in pajamas, Sara came down the hallway on the other side of the stairs. She entered a room and flipped on the light. Andrew followed Emily to the hall. They passed a room with a crib on the left. Emily kept going and stopped outside the bathroom Sara had entered.
“Do you or Brian have to take a bath?” Emily asked as Sara collected her toothbrush from a cup.
“No, but we have to brush our teeth,” Sara said.
Emily twisted to face Andrew. “Since you’re a guy, do you want to make sure he’s getting changed?”
“Sure.”
Andrew continued down the hall. The first door on the right had a large bed with sheets tucked into place and several designer pillows position perfectly on top. The ceiling fan blades spun on a low setting. He presumed the room belonged to the parents.
The next room had pink walls with white furniture. The twin-size canopy bed had thin scarves hanging from each top corner. He met a closed door across the hall from
what he assumed had been Sara’s room. Since there weren’t any other rooms to check, he believed he’d located Brian’s hideaway.
Andrew knocked. “Brian, can I come in?”
After a short delay, the door opened. Brian had changed from his clothes and into white pajamas with cars.
“Hey buddy, do you need to brush your teeth?” Andrew asked.
Brian shook his head.
“Now, if you don’t and your mother finds out, she will get upset. Do you want that to happen?” He hated scaring the boy, but he didn’t want him to get into any trouble.
Brian shook his head again before he walked out of the room. He headed to the bathroom as Sara and Emily were leaving. Andrew grabbed Emily’s hand and gave a brief squeeze. She smiled at him.
Andrew waited outside the bathroom for Brian. The boy scooted a stool from the side of the vanity to the front and then climbed on it. He brushed his teeth for about a minute. After he finished, he returned the stool. Andrew followed him back to his room, but paused to watch Emily tuck Sara into bed. As if Emily were her mother, she planted a kiss on Sara’s forehead.
In Brian’s room, Andrew found the little guy had climbed into his kid-size bed in the shape of a car. He lay flat on his back with his arms over his stomach.
“Are you going to tie me down?” Brian asked.
Andrew’s face warmed. How could anyone do such a thing to a child?
“No, buddy. I wouldn’t ever do that. Do you want the covers on you?”
Brian shook his head.
“Get some sleep.” Andrew ran his hand over Brian’s head, messing his hair up a little. “Sweet dreams.”
Andrew walked out, leaving the door open. Emily stepped from Sara’s room and left a small crack opening. She pointed her finger down. Andrew understood the signal and headed for the stairs. After descending them, he continued into the kitchen. He stopped in the corner by the cabinets.
Emily came to a halt in front of him. “I don’t know about you but this place gives me the creeps. Just knowing what goes on in here makes me sick.”
He ran his hands down her arms. “I don’t like it either, but if you want to go back, I will stay here with them.”
