“Cause they make up everything,” he answered, smiling proudly. Wren shook her head and laughed.
“We learned about atoms in science class today. Different atoms stick together to form molecules, like two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen molecule makes water,” Wyatt explained.
He spent the next ten minutes telling us everything he’d learned about atoms and molecules. Eventually, he looked down at his plate and seemed surprised to see that it was clean. “Hey, Mom, can I have my brownie now?”
“Sure. Why don’t you go get them and bring ’em over to the table?” As soon as he got up from the table, Wren leaned closer to me, placing her hand gently on my arm, and whispered, “This is the happiest he’s been in days. Thank you.”
“He’s a great kid.” I was completely captivated as I watched her hand drift down my arm, stopping briefly at my wrist while she gently squeezed. I found myself longing for her next casual touch, any small gesture that let me feel the warmth of her skin against mine.
“Want a brownie?” Wyatt asked, while he placed the entire plate in front of me.
“Thanks, but I’m gonna need to take a raincheck. I’ve got some things to take care of,” I explained.
“Okay,” he said, dropping his eyes to his little red tennis shoes.
I casually stood to leave and told Wren, “Thanks for dinner. You really do make a mean pot of spaghetti.”
A bright smile crossed her face when she answered, “I’m glad someone thinks so.”
They both followed me to the door and waved when I pulled out of the driveway. I still had a few hours before I needed to head to the warehouse, but I needed to get out of there. I was getting too close. Felt too good to be there with them. My first instinct had been to protect them. Up until now, it had never occurred to me that maybe I needed to protect myself.
Chapter 9
Wren
?
It had been days since I’d seen Griffin It wasn’t that he wasn’t around. I heard the faint rumble of his motorcycle engine when he drove by our house, but he was making a point not to be seen. I didn’t understand it. I thought our dinner together was really nice. I’d even caught him smiling a couple of times when he was listening to Wyatt carrying on about what he’d learned in his science class. But, for whatever reason, Griffin was avoiding us, and I didn’t like it.
After our dinner together, Wyatt had actually started to improve. His routines were falling back into place, and he seemed more like himself. Just when things with Wyatt seemed to be getting better, it was time for him to go back to his dad’s. It was obvious by his mood that he was dreading it. On the way to school, he stared out the window, nervously fidgeting with the zipper of his backpack. After promising him several times that I would be there exactly at eight to pick him up, he got out of the car and slowly walked inside the school building.
A nearly overwhelming feeling of dread had been weighing on me all day, and I just knew it had something to do with Wyatt. I knew something wasn’t right, and it was killing me. Maybe it was mother’s intuition that was gnawing at me, but I’d spent the entire day looking at the clock, biding my time until he would be back at home with me. I was momentarily distracted from my fears when I heard my cell phone ringing. I figured it was Rachel calling to see why I hadn’t made it to our self-defense class but when I looked at the screen I didn’t recognize the number.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Send Mrs. Daniels a message. Tell her to get Wyatt and leave… now.” Stitch said urgently.
“What’s going on?” I asked with panic.
“I need you to listen to me, Wren. Everything is going to be fine. Just get the message to Mrs. Daniels.”
“Okay,” I answered.
“I’m here, watching him, stay calm and just trust me” That’s all I got and then, the phone went dead.
My fingers trembled as I typed the message to Mrs. Daniels.
Me: Take Wyatt and leave!! Please!!
Mrs. Daniels: I’m already out the door. On my way to your house.
Me: Thank goodness. See you soon.