The Returned

In fact other than that first day, my lust for her had grown into so much more. The need was still there, she still made me hard by just being in the room, but all along there was a burning need for something more with this particular girl.

I broke out in a sweat when I remembered how I’d walked away. How I’d made up my mind not to go back. If I’d succeeded I wouldn’t have known this feeling I have now. And that would’ve been a shame.

I was finally able to put her out of my mind long enough to get some work done, but by end of day I already had our first date all planned out.

I didn’t even give a second thought to mom and the date she’d set up for me with the old family friend. And by the time I left the office that night, Zandi was the only thing on my mind.

Cade

Present Day

“Sir, visiting hours are over.” The nurse came into the room and it was only then I realized that the light outside had changed beyond the windows.

My family had left a few hours ago after bringing me the food that was still sitting on the table in the corner getting cold. I wiped a hand over my eyes and came out of my stupor.

“I’m not leaving.” I settled back in the chair where I’d been sitting for the last few hours holding her hand and willing her to wake up.

I’d had her moved into a private room once her vitals started to look better and she was no longer in any danger. She hadn’t stirred once in all that time.

The nurse repeated her bullshit when I didn’t move and came this close to catching a foot in her ass. One look from me was all it took and she thought better of arguing and left the way she came.

How preposterous. Did she really think I was going to leave my wife who’d been missing for two years and go home to my bed?

You’d think such educated people as they ought to be would have better sense. I was sure the whole damn hospital had already heard the story. Though I’d threatened to sue if they leaked that shit and put my woman in danger.

I calmed myself down when I realized I was getting flustered at her, but my true frustration had nothing to do with her or anyone else here.

Ever since the doctor had mentioned a child my nerves have been shot. Mike had gotten hold of the P.I. who promised to be here sometime tomorrow since he was coming from out of state.

He’s purported to be the best and that’s why I’m using him again even though he’d had no luck finding her before. But I knew he’d done all he could, had even gone above and beyond.

This time I felt we might stand a better chance once Zandi wakes up. Because she could at least give us a focal point of where to start looking.

I checked my watch for the one-hundredth time. She’d been sleeping for a solid ten hours. The doc hadn’t found anything wrong with her CT scan so there was no reason for her to sleep this long except that maybe she was tired.

I’d spoken to the cops about the missing child and they’d assured me they’d get on the trail just as soon as she woke up and gave them something to work with.

The P.I. promised to get on the job as soon as he landed. I’d sent him a picture of her that I snapped on my phone, which he was going to show around in an effort to retrace her steps. Somebody had to have seen her coming into town.

It wasn’t much to work with but it was all we had until she wakes up. It was extremely hard just sitting and waiting. Every second felt like a lifetime.

And let’s not talk about the number it was doing on my head, knowing that I have a child out there somewhere without my protection.

If I knew fear and desperation before, that shit was tripled now. A helpless child, my seed, part of me… I was here but I wanted to be out there looking for my son or daughter, and still I didn’t want to leave her side. I now know what it means to be torn.

My eyes burned with fatigue but I was afraid to close them lest I wake to find her gone. I knew it was stupid, that there was no way the same thing would happen twice. But still I couldn’t shake the unreasonable fear in my gut.

Although she was back, I was still no wiser to what the fuck had happened back then. I still didn’t know who the enemy was. It could be anyone, and therein laid the fear.