CHAPTER NINE
Addie
I barely remember my head hitting the pillow the night before. But when I woke up, it was morning and I could smell chocolate wafting in from outside the room.
I got up and smoothed down the wrinkled sundress I was wearing. Maybe Luke would know where a change of clothes was. I could definitely use one right about now. In fact, I would probably need a lot of new clothes since I left home with practically nothing and there was no way I was going back there.
I didn’t want to think about that right now. Instead, I needed to find out why the cabin smelled like chocolate.
I walked out into the hall to see Luke at the kitchen counter. “Morning, Daddy,” I said.
He looked at me and smiled. “Good morning, little one.”
As I approached, I could see what he was doing. He was frosting a chocolate cake on the counter with chocolate icing. “Is that for me?” I asked.
“It is.” He smiled sheepishly. “Don’t get too excited. It’s made from a cake mix I found in the back of the pantry. But I know you didn’t get to celebrate your birthday yesterday. I know this doesn’t make up for it but I hoped it was better than nothing.”
A lump formed in my throat. I couldn’t remember the last time someone made me a cake without any ulterior motive. I wasn’t going to be guilted into cold-calling donors or forced to pose and smile for the camera. Luke just made me the cake to make me happy.
I ran towards him and threw my arms around his neck. “Thank you, Daddy! Thank you so much!”
His arms went around my waist and he held me tight. “It’s my pleasure, little one,” he said. “You have no idea how much I love seeing you smile like this.”
I smiled and buried my face into the crook of his neck. It felt so good to be held tight like this by him.
After we broke apart, Luke cut us each a slice of cake and we sat down to eat it. It was the most delicious thing I had ever tasted.
“Your parents released another press release this morning,” he said after we finished the cake. He handed me his phone with the video ready to play.
My parents and Jonathan were standing in front of a podium, looking grim. “Sometimes, even our brave law enforcement make mistakes,” my father was saying. “As in the case of our daughter, Addie. An innocent man was blamed for Addie’s disappearance. It was recently discovered that the surveillance footage from the gas station was badly damaged and incorrectly restored, making it seem like she was being pulled away by an armed man when really nothing could be further from the truth.”
At this moment, he stepped back and my mother stepped forward. “Addie was returned to us last night by a good samaritan who found her on the side of the road when her car broke down. She is safe The ransom note appears to be nothing more than a cruel and vicious prank.”
A journalist called out a question. “If Addie is safe and sound, where is she? Why isn’t she here helping you make this statement?”
My mother looked grimly at the camera. “She is tired from her ordeal and needs rest. She will have a brief hiatus from the cameras as she recovers. Meanwhile, Thomas and I will continue dedicating our time to keeping our communities…”
I stopped the video, not needing to hear her political spin at the end. “Do you think people will buy the camera excuse?” she asked. “It seems pretty weak.”
Luke shrugged. “As long as people don’t fan the flames, then I won’t have to worry. People will soon forget and move on.” He leaned forward. “How are you doing?”
I shrugged. I had a lot of complicated emotions that I hadn’t sorted out yet. “I’m okay,” I said finally. “I’m still figuring it out. I don’t know what I’m going to do from here.”
He reached out and grabbed my hand. “No matter what happens next, I’ll be here for you,” he said. “I’ll help you through it.”
I smiled, knowing he was speaking the truth. And that meant everything to me. “Thank you, Daddy.”
“Anything for you, little one.