“Cookie first!” he demanded.
“I’ll get it for you, baby.”
He shook his head. “Nuh-uh. I wanna do it.”
“But you can’t reach the counter, baby.”
He nodded rapidly, his eyes full of mischief. “Yes, I can, Daddy.”
“No, you can’t.”
“I use chair!” And he was off on his hands and knees, scrabbling across the floor to the kitchen. I smiled at his wiggling diaper butt in his onesie.
“Daaaaddy!”
“Yes, baby boy?” I called.
“Can’t reach.”
“I told you. I’m coming.”
I grunted as I got to my knees, stretching my back before I took a step. A scream rented the air, causing the hairs on the back of my neck and arms to stand on end.
“Ari!”
I bulldozed my way into the kitchen, where Ari was clutching the table, staring out the window. He turned a pale face to me, tears spilling down his cheeks.
“He’s come for me!” he screamed.
As though coming out of a trance, he shuddered, then ran past me. I caught him and held him to me.
“Shh, baby, tell me what happened.”
“The window!” he shouted. “He was at the window. His face…”
Shit. No one was at the window, so he was gone. I took a step toward the window, but Ari clung to my shirt, making it difficult for me to move.
“I need to go check it out, Ari.”
“I’m scared.” He shivered against me. This was none of his games. His father scared him witless. What the hell had the man done to him for him to be this terrified? Ari was my fearless boy. Seeing him like this hurt, and all my protective instincts came out.
“I’m here. I’m here, baby. Just let me check if he’s still around.”
“No!” he cried. “Please don’t go out there. He’s evil, and I can’t lose you.”
“You’re not going to lose me.”
“Please, Daddy, promise me you won’t go out there.”
“I promise I won’t. But let me double-check that all our locks are engaged.”
Ari didn’t let me go. He fisted my shirt while I checked that all the windows and doors were closed. He didn’t say anything at all.
“There. All done.” I led him back to the living room. “And if he disturbs us again tonight, I’ll call the police. You’re going to be fine, Ari.”
“Okay, Daddy.”
No protest that I wanted to call the cops. Ari was always dead set against cops being involved in our affairs. He always insisted we could handle it ourselves.