Walk With Me

59. Never Should Have Left

"Mia? What's wrong, kiddo?" In two more strides, my hand is on the car door, flinging it open. I jump in and hit the speakerphone button before tossing my cellphone into my lap and starting the engine.

"It's Mommy," she says softly before the line goes quiet. I can still hear noise through the speaker so I know she didn't hang up, but the pause that follows sends my heart ricocheting across my chest. "She needs you."

The crack in her voice has me switching on sirens and hauling ass toward the house.

"Can you tell me what's happening?" I ask Mia, trying to stay calm even though my entire body is on full fucking alert at the moment and it feels like there's a boulder on my chest.

"I don't know. It's really loud," she says. "He.... he hit her and I called you. But..." I hear her voice catch as the sound of something shattering in the background fills the receiver. "I'm scared, Tommy."

Fuck.

Keep it together.

"Hey, Mia, where are you right now?"

"The hallway."

"Okay, can you do me a favor?"

"Yes."

"Go into your room and close the door, alright? I'm on my way."

"Okay," she whispers and I listen in as the line fills with muffled movement and the sound of a door closing. "I'm in my room."

"Good. You stay right there."

I'm almost there. Just a few streets away.

After muting my phone, I grab the radio and spout off all the details I need to get a unit to Amber's house as quickly as possible, my gut wrenching at the reality of this being a call I never imagined having to make. Holy fuck, is she okay?

I get back on the line with Mia. "Can you still hear anything?"

"Yes," her voice spills out between cries now, each gentle sob bringing me closer to my breaking point. I should be there right now.

Two streets. I'm just two fucking streets away.

"Can you do something for me, kiddo?" I ask. When she doesn't answer, I keep going, determined to keep her distracted through whatever she might be hearing. "Can you sing for me?"

I can hear a sniffle before she answers, "Uh huh."

Another beat passes in silence before her soft voice begins playing through the phone and I listen as the melodic lyrics of You Are My Sunshine fill my ears.

Pulling onto the street, I fly past all the familiar houses, aching to get where I need to be. As I get closer to her house, I notice a gray sedan car parked carelessly across the length of the driveway.

I also notice Mia has stopped singing.

My heart stutters in my chest. "Why'd you stop?" I ask as I'm pulling up in front of the house. I hit the brakes and bring my car to a stop on the street, desperation strangling my voice. "Mia?"

"It's not loud anymore."

Fuck.

My feet carry me toward the front door as my mind begins to spiral. I don't know how to do this. I've never done this before. I've never answered a call like this. Never cared for anyone this way, never felt this utterly heavy feeling in my fucking chest. Or the unhinged desire to hurt someone the way I want to in this moment.

I know what I am about to walk into is going to take every ounce of self control I have. Mia is inside and I don't know how I'm about to find Amber.