a place we know| ✓

four

"And find a place where every single thing you see tells you to stay."
S E E K E R
.
.
December 13th
6:50 PM
New York
---------

Audrey first spotted her daughter's bright pink hat some distance away. She was rocking back and forth on the swing, staring out at the vast school field, and kicking her legs gently as the wind blew over the horizon.

Her heart broke at the sight. She picked up the pace, walking as quickly as she could toward her daughter. She noticed how the air was crisp and the sky was gray, with a hint of snowflakes in the air. She rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them up, and braced herself against the chill. She couldn't imagine how cold Leah must have been sitting alone.

"Leah!" She jogged the rest of the way there. "Leah, I'm here!"

Leah didn't say anything but instead looked up at her mother with tears in her eyes. Audrey's heart ached as she took in the sight of her daughter's tear-streaked face. She knelt down beside her and took her into her arms, holding her close. It was a cold day, and the wind was biting, but Audrey didn't want to let go.

"I'm here, baby. I'm here. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry."

Leah's blinked her tired eyes that leaked more tears than Audrey could count. "Mommy... I want to go home, mommy." She clung to her mother's coat, weeping from a place of deep pain.

Audrey squeezed her eyes shut as a tear slid down her face. "I'll take you home. Mommy's got you." She hoisted her daughter up and pulled the hat over her ears. "You must be so tired, baby. I'm so sorry you had to wait out here."

Leah's lips trembled and as she opened her mouth to speak, her words were replaced by a grave cry. "Daddy didn't come get me like he promised."

"You don't have to worry about him. He won't be the one taking you to school or picking you up anymore. I'll come get you every day from now on."

She knew that she couldn't blame Leah for feeling abandoned by her and Gunner, but the weight of that guilt was crushing. She had trusted him to pick up their daughter, and now Leah was sitting in the cold, waiting for her.

It was a bittersweet moment, and Audrey couldn't help but wonder if things would ever get better. But as she looked at Leah's tear-streaked face, she knew that she had to keep trying. For her daughter's sake, she would do whatever it took to be the best mother she could be.

"You ready to go, princess?"

Leah nodded solemnly, her head lulling on Audrey's shoulder and her legs wrapping tightly around her waist. As her cries quieted and her breathing became softer, Audrey started her journey home. "You'll be okay, Leah. I promise."

She crossed the field and stepped onto the sidewalk, holding her daughter closer to her body to restore the warmth she had lost after so many hours in the icy weather. Then light snowfall began. Flurries fell from the sky onto the asphalt while some were carried off by the wind.

It would have been a beautiful sight for her to admire if she wasn't so corrupted with vexation for Gunner. All she could think about was how inconsiderate he had been, how much of a horrible man he was, how terrible he was at being the father Leah needed. Would he even care that she was out on the playground for hours? Or that she might have frozen to death if she hadn't gotten here when she did? Of course not, he was Gunner. He was selfish.

Audrey put down Leah on her feet as the apartment came into view and took her hand, squeezing it firmly so that she would know that she was cared for and loved. She didn't bother buzzing their apartment unit and instead used the key in her bag to open the lobby door. Now that they were inside, they felt an uplifting warmth rush to every corner of their bodies.