ElizabethAfter Lucky--Mr. Stevens--left, I went upstairs to check on the kids. I could still feel his lips on my cheek where he'd kissed me, like a lovesick teenager. I had been that with Lucky once, I'd been sixteen when I realised what I felt for Lucky Spencer was love, true love, the kind of love that lasts forever.
He had been taken from me, but not the love I felt for him. I hadn't even looked at another man since the day I met Lucky, there was nevver any reason to. I knew he would come back to me, somehow. And he had, dear God, he had come back to me.
Loren and Chase were both asleep, their tiny bodies turned toward each other, each perfect little face wearing a smile. They were meant to be together, these two, because they were brother and sister. Lucky was their father, he lived in both of them equally.
But who was Chase's mother? Lucky--Mr. Stevens--said he didn't remember her much. He'd looked really uncomfortable when I asked about her. They hadn't been together when Chase was born, and upon her death, he was named the child's guardian.
There wasn't much time for Lucky to disappear, fall in love, and have a child Chase's age. Because for Lucky to make love to someone and create a child, he would have to love the woman. He loved me, and we waited, we were together and saying "I love you" to each other nearly a year before we made love. Chase's birthday was only two weeks after Loren's, and I was five weeks along with Loren when Lucky disappeared.
I lingered in the room with the kids for a few minutes, then went downstairs to call Sonny. Whenever I felt myself slipping out of control, I could count on Sonny to pull me back to reality.
He answered on the second ring. "Yeah?"
"Sonny, can you talk?"
"I've always got time for you."
I smiled. "Good, because I need you to help me make sense of this. He's Lucky, I know he's Lucky."
"I've got a tail on him, to make sure he's safe, Elizabeth."
"I'm not...I'm not worried about him, Sonny. I know you won't let anything happen to him. I was just sitting here thinking about Chase. I can't figure that out, Sonny. He's two weeks younger than Loren. If somebody kidnapped him and...and...there's just not enough time. He would have to be months younger, a month, at least."
Sonny was silent, but I could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. Kidnapping was the most likely explanation for his disappearance, even the police agreed on that. But motive was always robbery or murder, revenge for someone or something his father had done.
"Maybe he was premature."
"I don't think so."
"Have you talked to Stevens about this?"
"He said he doesn't remember much about Chase's mother, they weren't together when he was born. I guess she died, that's when he got the baby."
"He probably didn't say where he was living?"
I shook my head then remembered Sonny couldn't see me. "No," I said weakly.
"Okay, Elizabeth. It's okay. When's the kid's birthday?"
"July fifth."
"I'll research little boys born that day and see what I can come up with."
"Thank you, Sonny."
"Get some sleep, Elizabeth."
"I will." I hung up the phone, but made no move to go to bed. I sat on the sofa and thought of Lucky. My Lucky. He had come home, he was within my reach, and he had no idea who I was or what he meant to me.
Loren and Chase found me asleep on the sofa, they woke me by climbing on top of me. I sat up, grabbing them both around the waist and kissing them. It felt so right to have the two of them there, with me, together. So easy to think we were a family, and Lucky had already left for work, or was maybe still upstairs snoring.
"Mama? Why you wasn't in your bed upstairs?"
"I guess I fell asleep down here last night, sweetheart." I glanced at the clock to see it was only ten after five. "You two are up awful early. Why don't you take Chase to the playroom while I fix us some breakfast."
"Yeah!" Loren jumped down from the couch and took Chase's hand in her own. "Come on, Chasey!" Chase giggled and followed her, ad something about his expression made me think of my sister.
I hadn't thought about Sarah for a long time. She had died just weeks before Lucky disappeared. We had never been close, and especially at the time of her death when she had been trying to steal Lucky away from me, but still she was my sister, and I loved her.
I could have sat all day thinking about Sarah and Lucky and a million other things, but a loud thump from the playroom had me on my feet. "I'm sorry, Mommy!" Loren yelped.
I knelt in the doorway and pulled her and Chase against me. "It's okay, baby. I know you ddn't mean to." I kissed them both then went to pick up the Little Tykes kitchen center that had fallen over. "I'm not angry, Loren. Just be more careful next time."
"Okay, mama."
I patted both their little heads, watched them play for a moment, then went to make breakfast.