“Yes, I was.”
She offered me her teddy bear. “Terrance is really good at cheering people up. Want to hug him?”
How could I say no to this sweet little angel? My gut ached as I accepted the bear, wrapping my arms tightly around it. If anything, just squeezing the damn thing got some of my irritation out of my system.
Never in my life would I be able to have children. This was the closest I was going to get. And when I started crying again, I made sure to hand Destiny her teddy bear so I could shuffle away.
No such luck. The little girl followed me, her simple dress fluttering with how quickly she darted just to keep up with my pace. She grabbed my hand and smiled up at me. “Want to meet my Mommy?”
“Sure.”
“She’s so nice. I think you’ll like her.”
I smiled weakly. “I’m sure I will.”
“Mommy says we have to leave the country. I don’t know why. She says we’re going to find my daddy.”
“I see you’re in the same boat as me.”
“Trying to find your daddy?”
I laughed. “Well...something like that.”
“I hope you find him. I hope he welcomes you home.”
“That’s so nice of you to say.”
Destiny proudly led me to her mother, a woman named Viola who seemed far too old to have a daughter of such a young age. After talking for a bit, I discovered that Destiny was barely seven, but she looked a couple of years older, almost ten, and she carried herself with an independent air that told me she was used to doing things herself.
If only I could have had a daughter like her.
Tears sprang to my vision that I quickly wiped away. Now wasn’t the time for crying over things that I couldn’t control. Now was the time for moving forward.
“Are you leaving with us?” Viola asked. “With the next...shipment?”
I nodded. “I believe I am.”
“We have to find her father first,” she whispered while resting a protective hand on Destiny’s head. “She needs to see him before we disappear.”
“I understand that.”
A wistful smile crossed her lips. “I don’t suppose you would know where he might be?”
“I haven’t been around town much. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
She nodded. “I just...thought I would try. His name is Cl—”
“Friends?” called a man from the other side of the room. I stood up as the man approached, umber-brown skin gleaming bronze in the light of the electric lanterns. “I’m Landon. I’ll be transporting you soon.”
Maria joined my side, whispering, “He’s a good man. He’ll take you to safety.”
“And what about you?”
Her lips parted to speak but it was clear in her gaze that she wasn’t sure. I didn’t want to be without my best friend. As I gripped her hands in mine and pleaded with her quietly to accompany me, she shook her head.
“I don’t know, April,” she whispered in reply. “I can’t tell you right now.”
“Don’t do this, Maria.”
She shook her head. “I can’t say. But I’ll stay with you until you have to leave.”
All the loss, all the heartbreak—when was it going to end?