Broken (Endurance) by April Thomas Read Free Book Online Page B

walked out and headed to a campus park where they took a seat on a bench. Uriel awoke the moment they sat, and took to chasing his imaginary friends around the nearby tree.
    "How do you feel?" Max asked.
    "Good," Mei replied.
    "I'm sorry I was so rough with you," Max said, looking at her apologetic
    "Don't be. I know you love me. The truth is you were right.  I shouldn’t have put off tending to it.  You never know how things will turn out these days. It could have become a bad infection if I hadn't gone today."
    Max pulled her close and kissed her. "It's going to be real hard sleeping alone tonight."
    She nodded and allowed his tender embrace to sooth her.  "Max, we did call Dad to let him know we got here safe, didn’t we?" Mei said suddenly remembering the promise to call.
    "I'll call him later. Stop ruining my moment," Max said with a teasing nibble to her neck.
    Mei giggled and quickly glanced around for Uriel.  In a heartbeat she was on her feet.  “Uriel!”   Her eyes wide with fear, she circled the tree he’d been running around.  “Uriel!  Where are you, baby?”
     
    Max jumped up to join her, his own shouts of his son’s name drowning hers. They looked at each other, gesturing to look in opposite directions for him. Mei ran right as Max ran left.
    Mei looked through the bushes and behind the hedges murmuring to herself, "He couldn't have gotten far.  He couldn’t possibly be far." A few seconds later , she heard Max calling her name.  Her heart pounding and tears already working their way to her eyes, she ran in the direction of his voice.
    “Uriel.” She wanted to laugh through the tears that spilled over her cheeks as she came upon Max standing over the grinning little boy.  She ran to her son who was sitting in a mound of dirt, contentedly playing and completely oblivious to his parents’ frantic search. 
    "He’s covered in dirt," Max said, picking him up and hugging him.
    "And he’s never been more beautiful,” Mei said through her tears.  “Thank you, Jesus. He is all right."
    She wrapped her arms around her husband and son, relief momentarily overwhelming her before the guilt set it.  How could they have let him disappear like that?  She kissed her son’s head and promised to keep a closer watch on him. "Max, let me clean him up and put him to sleep. Go back to your dorm and get some rest."
    "Yeah, I think I’ll do just that.  I'm so tired I can barely see straight." Max yawned and handed over Uriel.
    She kissed Max goodnight and watched him walk to his dorm before turning to find her own way. While Mei walked, she mumbled sweet baby words to her son.  Caught up in the joy of his smile, she didn’t notice Samuel Peters’ approach.
    "Do you need some help?" Samuel asked.
    Mei stopped at the sight of him.  "No, thank you," she said, resuming her stride.
    "Remember me?  I’m Samuel Peters, I’m a sophomore here." He extended his hand.
     
    Mei ignored his outstretched hand and kept on walking as if she hadn’t heard him. The guy gave her the creeps and she wanted nothing to do with him. She could read him and his intentions a mile away. He was obviously unfazed by the fact that she was married, and seemed conceited enough to actually believe she’d leave her husband for him.
    She turned the corner that led to her dorm room. When Samuel jumped in front of her, stopping her from going any farther, Mei rolled her eyes and readjusted her baby bag and Uriel.
    "What do you want?” Mei growled.
    "You." His gaze was as bold as his statement.
    "Look, you seem like a very nice guy,” she lied.  “But I'm happily married and, as you can see, my husband and I have a child. I’m sure there are hundreds of single, childless women on this campus, so go bother them." Mei stepped around him and continued to walk to the stairs.
    "You’re too young to even know if you’re with the right person," Samuel shouted.
    Mei didn't even waste her time giving him a response. She knew in her