The Lotus Fountain by J D Ryot & Nicole Little

Author:J D Ryot & Nicole Little [Ryot, J D & Little, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 929
Publisher: Engen Books
Published: 2020-11-06T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

A dim light came on overhead; a single bulb hanging on a thin string swung lazily to and fro, briefly illuminating their faces and then plunging them back into shadow. Cassidy averted her eyes and waited for Ella to compose herself. She didn’t want to embarrass the girl anymore than she already was, having interrupted her in a private moment of loss and grief. Ella took deep shuddering breaths and swiped at her face with the sleeve of her tunic.

“Please. Don’t tell them I’m in here!” Her high panicked tone raised Cassidy’s hackles.

“It’s cool. Don’t worry. I won’t say a word.”

“Thank you,” she replied with obvious relief, her shoulders visibly relaxing.

Cassidy eyed her curiously; she couldn’t help but ask: “What happens if you’re caught in here?”

“Caught spying? They’ll send me to The Hut.” She shuddered.

The Hut? Cassidy’s thoughts drifted back to the small building she’d asked about while on the tour with Marcella. The storage shed?

“You don’t want to know,” Ella offered tremulously.

Oh, but Cassidy did want to know. She wanted to know very badly, but seeing the distress it was causing the girl, and along with everything else she had just had to deal with; Cassidy held her tongue, and her questions. Another time. Another place.

Ella gulped several deep breaths of air, swallowing her sobs.

In a faltering voice she whispered: “He’s already gone isn’t he?”

“Yes. I’m so sorry.”

She sighed shakily but nodded her head, resigned. “It’s for the best, I know that. But we still cared about him, you know? He’ll be happy won’t he? He’ll go to a good home too, right?” she implored.

Cassidy wanted nothing more than to reassure the young woman. She knew that if all of the other parents chosen by The Rising Son Adoption Agency were anything at all like Annie and Ximena, the baby would have a wonderful home and would never want for anything. Cassidy knew that love was plentiful in the Romero-Jones house and Mateo would be cherished there.

“He will be loved. That’s what they told me.”

“He will,” Cassidy answered; in her heart she felt it was the truth and she desperately wanted Ella to stop crying. She wasn’t quite sure how to comfort her. And she didn’t want to say the wrong thing. She was a bit out of her league with this whole entire situation; she just was not good with people and their emotions. Cassidy was accustomed to climbing mountains, tumbling out of cars, and breaking through windows; dodging bullets and belligerent aliens; exploring new worlds. Yet here, in this supply closet with this heartbroken girl—it was one of the scariest moments of Cassidy’s life.

“Ella...” she began gently, questioningly.

Ella watched Cassidy intently, looking for signs of sincerity, clearly wanting to confide but also bound by what she had been taught her whole life was a secret. “It is our way.”

“I’ve heard that before,” Cassidy remarked dryly.

“It’s better like this! Better than ways of old when…” She stopped, choked back another sob, unable to go on.

Cassidy was certain she understood what the ways of old might have entailed.

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