Chapter 15 :
Waking up beside Nick every morning doesn't feel so awkward anymore. He's been very understanding of my obsession with Kelly's safety and mine, given the circumstances that brought us here in the first place. Sometimes, it's difficult to ignore his presence in the same bed as me, but I try to focus on other things, preventing my mind from wandering in places it shouldn't.
Nick is still mourning the loss of his mother, but his face is not emotionless anymore, especially when he's with our son. I can tell Kelly means the world to him and he's playing a major role in Nick's healing process as well as mine. Seeing them together always brings joy to my heart. Like right now; Nick is lying on the floor while holding a giggling Kelly in the air. Gosh, I wish I could grab my camera and burn this beautiful moment forever.
"Breakfast is ready" I call Nick as I place one last pancake on his plate
"One more minute" he replies not moving from the floor. No matter how much I love watching him play with Kelly, he really needs to get going.
I shake my head "You'll be late for work, Nick"
He groans unhappily then stands up and places Kelly reluctantly in his crib. The baby extends his small arms toward his father, asking him to hold him back, but Nick explains in a soothing voice that he has to go. Weirdly, Kelly calms down setting Nick free.
"Who said babies don't understand, huh?" he sits on the stool across from me
Placing a plate in front of him, I give him a genuine smile "Probably someone who didn't have a genius baby like ours"
Nick puffs his chest proudly "That's for sure. He's a combination of our best qualities"
I nod "He does have your eyes, which is great" Alright, so I might have just complimented him. Don't read too much into it
Nick raises an eyebrow "You like my eyes!"
I feel heat rising to my cheeks, probably turning tomato red "Errr…Well, they are sort of, you know…"
Still grinning, he shakes his head "I don't know, they're sort of what?"
Gosh, why is he making me say it, now?
"Fine" I put my fork aside "I like your eyes. They're…unique. The color changes all the time, one day they're green, then they turn blue and when I think I figured the color, I see grey" I lean in to take a closer look at them "Today, for example, they're blue grey, but they have freckles of …" I inch even closer, until our breaths mingle and I realize that barely an inch separates us. Nick's eyes drop to my lips and I freeze in place. Is he going to kiss me? my heart is hammering against my chest in anticipation. There's something very wrong with me, because I think I want him to close the gap and kiss me. Instead, Nick clears his throat and turns away "I've got to go"
"Right" my voice is shaking. I busy myself with my pancake, my eyes avoiding his direction until he reaches the elevator and I hear him mutter a goodbye.
This whole sharing the same bed and living under the same roof is messing with my head. The Nick Burkhardt I know today is the same one I knew in the past, then why is my vision of him changing? "Maybe because you're only discovering who he really is now, Adalind" says my inner voice of wisdom.
It is undeniable that he's proved to be so much more than I expected or wished for. He's a fantastic father to Kelly and a considerate "roommate", what else could I call him? We're not exactly friends, definitely not lovers, not enemies anymore…So, I'd rather go with the roommates label for the time being and I need to get a grip of my emotions, they're approaching the red line and I don't like that. I can't trust anybody with my heart. After Sean's betrayal, unconsciously, I started rejecting any form of emotional attachment and I'm certainly not starting now.
Hell no
Reaching for my phone, I dial Henrietta's number for the umpteenth time this week. Diana's absence left a hole in my heart and Henrietta is the only source of information I have about my daughter, but for the past few days, she refused to answer the phone which only made me even more anxious regarding my daughter's situation. When I prepare myself to leave a voice mail, Henrietta surprises me by picking the phone.
"Stop calling me, Adalind" she pleads in a whisper
My heart contracts but I don't let her words deflate me "Wait, Henrietta please, how is Diana? I miss my daughter, please, just tell me how she's doing?" tears pool in my eyes at the mere mention of my daughter's name. I miss her so much and every day, the image I have of her is more blurry. Relying on pictures or videos to remember what your own child looks like feels like repetitive stabs in the heart. She's my flesh and bone, yet I haven't seen her in so long, that it takes a monumental effort to draw his beautiful features in my mind and summon my memory to do the same.
Probably sensing the despair in my voice, Henrietta sighs heavily "Not over the phone"
A flicker of hope sparks inside of me "Just tell me where to meet and I'll be there" I plead with her. After a nanosecond of thinking, she gives me the address of an old park.
I change quickly into a yellow t-shirt and white jeans and keep my hair in a ponytail. After I place Kelly in his car seat, I hurry behind the wheel and drive to said park. Less than twenty minutes later, I'm sitting on a bench, with Kelly in my arms. Both of us waiting patiently for Henrietta to appear. At first, I don't recognize the woman strolling toward us. She's tall and slender with a glowing olive skin hidden behind big sunglasses and a scarf. It's until she sits beside me and I smell her flowery perfume that I recognize who's hiding behind this attire. She probably came here incognito, which reminds me that given the circumstances, I probably should have done the same.
"Thanks for coming" I hiss as soon as she sits. She answers with a nod, her head facing the pond in front of us. I clutch Kelly tighter in my arms "So, have you seen my daughter recently"
"She's fine but Sean is putting all those ideas in her head" she spits the words like they taste terrible "He wants her to believe you left her for a new family"
It is no surprise, but my heart does skip a beat when I hear the confirmation coming from her mouth. This man is intent on ruining my relationship with my daughter if I don't comply with his will. A tear escapes my right eye and I wipe it quickly, refusing to let my emotions take the best out of me.
"I suppose you already know it, but many lives are in danger including yours. It's either you're with him or dead" I notice her lower lip quivering as she adds "This man is…sick, he…he wants to annihilate you're baby's father and his family…or what's left of it. Just be careful, Adalind and please…" she turns finally to face me "Don't call me anymore" she starts to stand up, but I grab her arm to stop her. She jerks her arm away instinctively and my suspicion is confirmed.
She was hiding behind her attire, but it wasn't her identity she wanted to keep secret
"He hurt you, didn't he?" there's so much venom in my voice that I barely recognize it
"Let it go, Adalind" she starts to leave but I follow her with my son still in my arm. In one swift movement I lift her glasses from her once beautiful face. Her left eye is half closed and swollen. Her cheekbone is covered in bruises and there's a cut above her eyebrow. Bile rises to my throat and I feel the need to throw up and hit somebody all at once.
This strong woman in front of me refuses to let the tears shining in her eyes fall on her cheeks. She stares back confidently at me, but I know that deep down, she's a wreck and she's terrified.
I bring my hand to my mouth and take a step back, stunned and repulsed by the mark of this monster on her face "I'm so sorry, it's all my fault"
Henrietta puts a hand on my shoulder to steady me "No, it's my fault for believing there was still something human in this monster"
She turns on her heels, but before leaving I make her a promise "I'll find a way to help you, Henrietta, trust me" my voice breaks in a sob
Our eyes meet one last and she smiles sadly
As soon as I settle behind the steering wheel, I call Martin Meisner. He's my contact within the FBI and he's in charge of the BC case now. I don't know of anybody more capable to help Henrietta than him, besides I don't want to involve Nick in this mess, it's way too dangerous and he's already Sean's target.
"Adalind!" he answers
Taking a deep breath, I proceed to tell him about Henrietta and the role she's played as an intermediate between Diana and me. After I inform him about what Sean did to her, I beg him to find a way to free her from Sean's grip.
"If she accepts to testify against Sean, we could put her under a witness protection program, but we have yet to prove Sean's connection with BC" Meisner sighs, reminding me of Sean's perfect record.
"Promise me you'll try, Martin" I know it's unfair to ask such a thing from him, but Henrietta's bruised face is still in my mind. God knows what atrocities she's been put through because she's helped me.
Meisner takes a deep breath "I'll do what I can, I promise"
When I'm back to the loft, as I grab a bottle of milk I put earlier in Kelly's baby bag, I notice a folded note I'm sure I didn't leave it there. Slowly, I open it and read the content. I don't recognize the handwriting, but I know for sure Henrietta slipped it in the bag.
Diana's nanny takes her to Laurelhurst Park every Sunday afternoon
The Nanny and the bodyguard have an affair and they always take
Some time off from watching Diana when she's playing with Ducks at the pond
Their break doesn't last more than ten minutes
There's no doubt in my mind about this note's purpose. Henrietta has just offered me a golden opportunity to get my daughter back. Hope submerges every cell of my body and suddenly, life seems to take a turn in my favor. My heart is beating so fast that I'm surprised I haven't fainted yet.
%%%
"Nick, there's something I need to tell you" I assault him the moment he steps in the loft. I start to tell him about Henrietta and the note, only to stop abruptly once I take in the devastated look on his face "What's wrong?"
He walks to the bedroom and sits on the edge of the bed, fatigue and worry seeping off him "I haven't heard from Theresa for three days" he shrugs as I sit beside him.
He told me few days ago that she was working undercover on a BC related case, somewhere in Europe and her disappearance can only mean bad news. The whole Burkhardt family is on Sean's black list because of me. Fear is crawling on my skin as I feel goosebumps on every parcel of my body.
"We have this thing we do…My…my mom used to do it when she worked under cover. She'd send a text with the word OK everyday at midnight, so Theresa agreed to do the dame during her mission and she kept her word until two nights ago" he adds "It could be nothing…I know it's a tough job and it's not always easy to check in while under cover but…she's my little sister and the only family I have left aside from Kelly"
My heart cracks at the sight of his tormented face. I reach for his hand instinctively and hold it in mine, to my surprise Nick doesn't jerk away, instead he intertwines our fingers and stares at the floor.
"Theresa is a tough girl" I smile reassuringly "I'm sure she's doing just fine"
She'll be fine, I repeat the words like a mantra in my head. Nothing will happen to her, please God, let her be safe.
Nick smiles back at me but worry emanates from his eyes "You're right, I have nothing to worry about"
Needless to say, none of us managed to sleep that night