I nod, and he gets up from the floor, bringing me with him. He places me gently on the bed as if I’m a breakable china doll and hands me my nightshirt.
“Why don’t you change, and I’ll make you some tea?”
I don’t know if he really wants to make me tea or if he thinks I need some privacy. Before he can leave, I whisper, “I can change with you in the room.”
Hearing my words, a weak smile pulls on his lips, which doesn’t reach his eyes. “I’m very glad to hear that, couch girl. But I still want you to drink some tea. You were cold the whole night and your voice sounds croaky. I don’t want you sick.”
As I’m settling back on the bed, Zander walks into the room carrying a tray with a cup of coffee and a glass of hot water, along with a bag of lemon tea and honey. He places it on the nightstand, and I notice the time on the digital clock. It’s already nine.
“Office?”
He shakes his head. “I called Oscar and let him know you’re not well and we’re taking a day off.”
I don’t complain. I’m in no shape to go, anyway. My head hurts so badly; it feels like a thousand hammers are banging it.
Zander slips my phone on the nightstand and says, “Kristy called earlier.”
My hand, which was going for the cup of tea, halts and trembles.
He grabs and holds my cold hands in his warm ones. “No, Rose. Don’t go there. Stay with me. I’m here, with you.”
I look up at his warm eyes and try to calm my breathing. I focus on his gentle hands, rubbing my palms softly before circling my wrists.
“What happened, couch girl?”
“Kristy is pregnant,” I whisper, my mind running wild. We’ll have to keep it a secret, even from the walls of my room. Don’t they say walls have ears or something?
“You’re not happy?” Zander asks, totally oblivious to the looming threat.
Happy? How can I be happy?
“She’s in danger.”
“Who, Kristy?” Zander grabs my shoulders, and I meet his surprised gaze.
“The girl…the baby.” As I force the words out of my dry mouth, I can feel my insides crumbling.
He looks at me with a mix of worry and confusion. “Which baby, Rose? Kristy’s?”
I nod. “There’s a ninety-eight percent chance th-that the girl will inherit Kristy’s eye color.” My voice quivers with fear. My heartbeat races so fast that my chest hurts.
“Rose, what are you saying? Kristy doesn’t even know if she’s having a girl.”
“But w-what if it’s a girl?” I hug my knees and unconsciously rock back and forth. I don’t even realize it until Zander grabs my shoulders, halting my movements.
“Look at me, Rose. What is it?” he asks slowly, but I just shake my head. “What if the baby is born with blue eyes, Rose?”
“They’ll take her. They’ll take her…away. We’ll never find her,” I say between hiccups as fresh, painful tears wet my cheeks, mouth, and neck.
He hugs me tight, hiding me in his broad chest, hiding me from this bad world.
“Like they took you? You remember something from your past?”
I don’t need to reply.
He knows.
He knows I do.