“What?” she asked, confused.
He reached behind himself and found another protein bar. “You need to eat, too.” He answered matter-of-factly. He opened it and held it out for her.
“I’m fine, Alik. Finish eating so we can get started.” Farrow said in a voice more harsh than she intended.
“We sure get grumpy when we’re hungry, don’t we?” Alik chuckled, still holding the food out to her.
“I’m not grumpy and I’m not hungry. Just eat your damn food!” she bellowed.
“Oh no? Then that noise your stomach is making is completely indicative of what? Crohn’s disease? Gas?”
“Alik Winter, don’t you ever bring up such vulgar topics with me again,” Farrow glared at his smiling face.
“Well, I’m not retro-cognition-ing until you eat something. It won’t do me any good if you’re growling for the next twelve hours—from your mouth and your stomach. Or worse, what if you get dizzy while driving, for goodness sake? Just eat the darn bar! We can stop and get more food when we need to! I’m loaded remember?”
“We’ve got money, but no time, Alik.”
“I’m about to make us some time. We’re clear for the next fifteen miles. Can you eat and punch it at the same time?”
“We’re good to go?” Farrow asked excitedly.
Alik held the bar up to her mouth for her to take a bite then left it hanging between her teeth.
“Now, we’re good to go,” he smiled and got back to focusing his vision on the past.
Chapter 46 Danny and Mom
Right after Alik and Farrow left, Theo had gone in to help Margo with Danny. What he overheard was one of the most beautiful sounds he could ever imagine. Margo was singing to Danny. He stopped in the corridor so as not to disturb them, but to listen to the love of his life, as she poured her devotion into each note.
Theo’s heart swelled with pride at the woman in that room. He’s seen her hold the most delicate medical instruments with precision. Watched her fight for what she knew was good and true. Protected her adopted children with her life, time and again, and would still think only to sacrifice her own well-being, her own needs, for theirs.
Her song wasn’t complex. No record label would be pounding at their door. She didn’t hit every note perfectly, but she sang with her whole heart. Theo heard the sweetness, the tender devotion behind each word and knew his fiancée to be the most beautiful, brilliant miracle in his life. He stood in the corridor with mist in his eyes thanking God for the blessing that was the woman singing like an angel to the little boy who had been left to die.
He rounded the corner slowly so as not to interrupt, but desperate to watch what he imagined would be an absolutely beautiful sight.
His red-rimmed eyes smiled at the sight before him.
Danny was sitting in Margo’s lap very still and quiet as though he knew she was fragile. He was holding a board book in his hands, and slowly flipping the stiff pages to look at the pictures of puppies. Margo was still singing, gently running her beautiful fingers through his too-long blond curls.
Theo could almost see her heart swell with love in her chest, though her brows were heavy with the clouds of worry and fear for her other children. For now, Theo knew she was trying to find peace with what was happening to them. She was taking solace in just the simple act of holding a baby who needed to be held. Knowing her, she was probably deep in conversation with God, too.
Looking up, Margo’s eyes watched Theo watching her. The sadness in her eyes still heavy, she offered a weak sigh of acceptance and held her hand out to the man she’d been in love with for nearly half her life. She couldn’t imagine a life where he wasn’t there. However many times they may disagree, or how many bad guys were hunting them, she loved that sweet man watching her as if she were the most beautiful woman on earth. Margo basked in his love, though she knew what she must really look like: A middle-aged woman in a wheelchair with a whole lot of family baggage. Please give me strength, she prayed.
Theo saw her as the strongest person he’d ever known and admired the heck out of her. “Can I get you something?” He asked when she stopped singing and started pointing to the pictures in the book with Danny.
“You know, now that you mention it, Danny wanted to play with his cool racetrack, but I can’t reach the floor. Do you think you could bring the coffee table here and help us set it up on that?”
“Great idea, Mom.” Theo winked at Margo and turned to head back to the living room, glad to have something to do. When he returned with the cumbersome rectangular piece of furniture in his hands, Danny was scooting the racetrack aside to make room.