For Lucy by Jewel E. Ann

Author:Jewel E. Ann [Ann, Jewel E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-05-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Tatum’s parents took Lucy for the night. I brought Tatum home. She went straight to the bedroom and locked me out. I spent the night on the sofa listening to her cry. In the middle of the night, I walked around the pool, eyeing everything the police had already inspected. Austin pulled a chair from the deck to the fence to help him climb over it. It was a miracle it didn’t knock him down the deck stairs. It was heartbreaking that Lucy didn’t hear him because he probably shoved it down the stairs like he did whenever he wanted to move something from one level to another. He was a busybody, fearless and curious.

The next morning, I unlocked the door. Tatum had fallen asleep in a ball on her side of the bed, clothes still on, hands loosely fisted in her hair.

“I’m going to get Lucy,” I said softly.

She didn’t move, didn’t say anything. But I know she heard me. I changed my clothes, the same ones that had been drenched from the pool and headed to Tatum’s parents’ house.

“Emmett.” Tatum’s mom pulled me aside as I stepped into the foyer. “Lucy said it was her fault.” Concern lined her face.

I could hear the TV on in the other room where I assumed Lucy was with Tatum’s dad. “No. It was on my watch.” My throat tightened with emotion.

Tatum’s mom flinched, tears pooling in her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

I nodded. “I’m going to take her home now.”

“You left Tatum alone?”

“She was sleeping. That’s why I want to get right back home.” I headed toward the living room.

Lucy’s gaze made a slow trip from the TV to me, a sign that she wasn’t right, that she was still in shock too. I knew I had to fix it—fix her as quickly as possible before the damage became permanent.

“Let’s go home, Luce.” It had been a while since I’d picked up my daughter like a little girl and cradled her in my arms, but that was exactly what I did that day. Without another word to Tatum’s parents, I exited the house and buckled her in my truck.

A few blocks from home, I pulled over and killed the engine.

“Look at me, Lucy.”

She slowly brought her gaze to meet mine.

“I should have been home sooner yesterday. Had I been home sooner, Austin wouldn’t have fallen into the pool. It’s my fault. Mom knows it’s my fault. Everyone knows it’s my fault. If you tell people it’s your fault, then Mom will feel like it was really her fault for leaving before I got home. But I should have been there. It was my fault. The blame is mine and only mine. I need you to tell me you understand this. I need you to promise that you will not ever try to make anyone think that is was your fault or your mom’s fault.”

“But …”

“No buts, Luce. It was my fault.”

“But he’s …” Her bottom lip moved uncontrollably as tears spilled down her cheeks.

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