Zora is discharged the next day. Thomas and I have a heated discussion in the parking lot about who will drive her home when Zora butts in and takes Thomas’s side.

Not that it was a competition.

I’m sulking in the backseat when I notice Zora stiffening. Sweat pops up on her temples and she’s clenching her teeth. Concern wells in my chest.

“You okay?” I ask quietly.

“I’m fine,” she croaks.

I’ve long discovered that ‘I’m fine’ are Zora’s favorite words, but I’ve got these two things called ‘eyeballs’. I can see that something’s wrong.

“What is it, Zo?”

She doesn’t answer, just stares out the windshield looking terrified. The sunshine glows over her face and reveals the bruise on her hairline. According to Zora, Keanu tossed her around like a ragdoll. Every time I look at the wound, I imagine my hands around Keanu’s throat.

Still, I try to hide my anger from Zora. She’s under enough stress, blaming herself for losing two babies in a row. She needs my love more than my thirst for revenge.

“Thomas,” I reach out and tap the man’s shoulder, “stop the car.”

“What?”

“Stop the car. Now!”

The tires squeal as Thomas pulls the car over and glances behind us. His dark face is screwed in annoyance until he gets a good look at Zora. The hardened expression softens immediately. “Zo?”

She presses a hand to her chest. “I’m fine.”

“Tell me where it’s hurting,” I plead, my eyes roving all over her body. Dr. Fernandez mentioned that she would be in discomfort, not because of the miscarriage but because of how Keanu hauled her around.

This doesn’t look like the work of a mere bruise though. Maybe the doctor was wrong. Maybe they didn’t clean her up right after last night.

Before I can panic, Zora begs, “Can we go somewhere else? Just for a little while?”

Both Thomas and I look in the direction she’s staring. My eyes fall on our apartment building. Understanding dawns and my head whips back to her. “Sure, we can go anywhere you like.”

Thomas squirms. “I don’t mean to rush, sis, but I already asked for time off yesterday and this morning. I need to get to work.”

Zora ducks her head guiltily.

“Could you drop us off at the nearest car dealership, Thomas?”

“Car dealership?”

“I was supposed to get a new car ages ago, but I was waiting for Zora to help me decide.”

“Yeah.” Thomas catches on quick and turns back around. “Coming right up.”

He drops us off.

Zora climbs out first, but Thomas calls me back before I can follow her to the sidewalk. His dark eyes are firm. “You take care of my sister, alright?”

“Of course.”

Thomas’s constant reminders to treat Zora right are a little grating, but I get where he’s coming from. Despite how strong she appears to be, Zora’s especially fragile now.

I shut the door and join Zora. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She holds her hand up to shade her face from the scorching sun. Zora clears her throat. “It’s just… I don’t think I’m ready to go home.”

“It’s fine.” I rush to assure her.

She offers a small smile. “You do need to buy a car, right? You’re not going to spend a ton of money just to distract me.”

“Would you like me more if I gave you that impression?”

She chuckles. It’s still tinged with sadness but it’s a step in the right direction.

I take her hand. “I really need a vehicle and I really was waiting for you. So what do you say? Will you help me?”

“I would love to.”

We walk inside and a salesman lumbers over to us. He takes one look at me and than at Zora before his eyes fall to our clasped hands. I can see the wheels turning behind his eyes, but he doesn’t voice his thoughts and simply smiles.

“Hi, how can I help you today?”

I give him the stats I’m looking for and he leads us to the SUVs in the shop. Zora lags behind and I shorten my steps to keep up with her. The salesman notices and waits for us to catch up.

He observes us curiously again. “You two make a beautiful couple.”

Zora glances away so I answer for the both of us, “Thank you.”

“Do you know the sex of your child?” He gestures to Zora’s stomach.

I stiffen.

Zora raises her chin and snaps, “Can we just look at the car?”

“Sure.” The guy winces. “Of course.” He sprints away like Zora just like a fire under his behind.

I lean over. “Zo, he didn’t know…”

“It’s none of his business,” she says briskly.

I decide not to argue with her. She’s still reeling from the hurt of losing our child and, even though the baby’s no longer in her stomach, the bump is still apparent. I just don’t want her to bite an innocent bystander’s head off because they asked a question.

“Okay.”

After that, the salesman seems ready to be rid of us and I don’t want to linger either. Zora remains stonily silent and isn’t much help picking a model, so I just go with the one I think we’ll both like and drive out of the lot.

I take a deep whiff of the new car smell as we head down the highway with no destination in mind. A glance at Zora reveals her face turned to the window.

“Zo?”

“Mm?”

“You hungry?”

“No.”

“Tired?”

“No.”

I slow for the stop sign. “Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know.”

I flick the indicator and drive into a small lane where I pull over on the side of the road. When the car stops, Zora looks at me. “What’s going on?”

“I’m not going to force you to talk to me,” I say gently. “But I am going to force you to eat. Pick a place or I’ll do it for you.”

She narrows her eyes and I brace myself for a tongue-lashing but Zora just leans her head back and closes her eyes. “I want tacos.”

I blow out the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. “Great.”

Thirty minutes later, Zora is stuffed and napping in the passenger seat. I drive to our building and slide her out of the car, carrying her in my arms to my apartment.

Hopefully, Zora just has a problem with her place and not the entire building.

After I’ve settled her into my bed, I stand back and watch her sleep. The curtains are drawn to keep the room as dark as possible, but the sunlight is too strong to be restrained and it tiptoes past the heavy material to light up the room.

I study the side of Zora’s face—the curve of her cheek, her hair, the lips slightly pursed. She’s so precious to me, but I feel helpless. Lost. She has to deal with the trauma of being kidnapped and losing the baby. How do I make it easier for her?

My phone rings before I can find a solution. I dash out of the room before the noise can wake Zora and slip the cell to my ear.

“Hello?”

“Wilson Theodore Barton, what is this about you getting someone pregnant?”

I pull the phone back and stare at the screen.

Mom.

I set it back to my ear. “Hey, ma.”

“Is that all you can say to me? Why did I have to hear about my future grandchild from Violet of all people?”

“Violet told you?”

“I’m the one asking questions here.”

I gulp. My mother has always been a force to be reckoned with, which is why I had a habit of keeping my less-than-flattering exploits out of her orbit.

“It… wasn’t planned. It was an accident.”

“You mean you accidentally slipped and fell on her, naked I might add, to accidentally produce a child?”

“No, mom. That’s not—”

“Or was she the one who accidentally slipped.”

“Mom!” I glance behind me to make sure Zora isn’t there and lower my voice, “it was a shock at first, but eventually we accepted it. We—I was very excited about the pregnancy.”

“I can’t believe this. Violet made it seem like you were playing her and the other woman at the same time. I’m very disappointed, Wilson. That’s not the way I raised you.”

“Why would Violet…?” I rub the bridge of my nose. “Mom, it doesn’t matter. There’s something else.”

“What more could you possibly say that could shock me—”

“Zora lost the baby.”

The other end of the line goes silent.

“Mom?”

“Oh no. Is she okay?”

The tenderness and concern in her voice throws me for a loop. “Uh, yeah. She’s trying to be strong, but I can tell that she’s struggling.”

“Poor thing. It’s always hard to lose a child.”

“Why do you sound like you’re talking from experience?”

“Because I am.” Mom sighs. “I always wanted a houseful of children. I was an only child and I hated it. When I married your father, I wanted to get pregnant right away, but it was hard. I grew so discouraged. People who didn’t want kids were just popping them out left and right, but I couldn’t even conceive.”

“Mom, I had no idea.”

“Yes, well, it was horrible. For me and your father. I hated myself. Thought something was wrong with me. Then I got pregnant and we got so excited. I had the rooms picked out and was furniture shopping… but I lost the baby.”

She goes silent.

“Mom?”

I hear her sniff. “I’m sorry, Wilson. I’m surprised by how much it still hurts. I had a miscarriage. It was a girl. We named her Grace.”

“What did Dad do for you after? To help?”

“I was so wrapped up in my own grief that every time he extended a hand, I bit it. Thing is… he never stopped supporting me, quietly and patiently.”

“It doesn’t sound like enough. I want to do more.”

“You can do all kinds of things, but until Zora’s heart heals, she won’t be able to appreciate it. The best way to help her is to support her. Be understanding, and let her hurt if she wants.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

She chuckles sheepishly. “Look at me. When I dialed your number I was ready to tear you apart, but now I’m a sniveling mess.”

“I’m sorry. I should have told you a long time ago.”

“Just don’t let it happen again.” She pauses. “Can I ask you a question?”

I smirk. Since when has my mom ever asked permission to interrogate me? “Of course.”

“Are you helping Zora out of obligation? Because she’s the mother of your child or is there more?”

“I love her.”

“I see. That explains Violet’s behavior when she came to see me. She was very upset.”

“So I gathered.”

“Well, I’m glad.”

“You are?” I frown. “I thought you loved Violet.”

“Yes, but not for you. I saw the way she treated you, and it bothered me, but if anyone so much as looked at Violet wrong you were quick to defend her. I knew there was no getting through to you.”

I rub the back of my neck. “Was I that bad?”

“You’re like me. We only love one way—fiercely. It’s my fault for passing on those cursed genes.” She chuckles. “When Zora’s feeling up to it, let me know. I’ll come down and visit.”

“She’d love that. So would I.”

Mom hangs up and I slip the phone into my pocket. My mother’s understanding means a lot to me. It’s, honestly, more than I expected.

But if anything, losing our baby has taught me to be grateful for the little things. At least I still have Zora. Now I just have to find Keanu and throw him into jail. Then everything will be perfect.