Consequence by Shelly Crane Read Free Book Online

“Mrs. Jacobson?” he prompted.
    I fingered his dimple again. “Yes, Champion. I hear you.”
    He took my mouth in a painful plea to stay safe above all else. It was hungry and aching and rough, while still being my sweet Caleb that worried. He cupped my neck and dragged me against him, his lips taking mine one at a time, even as he moved his hands to press and caress my back under my shirt to soothe me, fill me with his calm and touch as much as he could before we had to do this and be on our own for this fight.
    Then he stood with me in his arms and took one long last pull from my mouth before pulling back. “I could stay here all day, but—”
    “Ava,” I answered. “I know.”
    “I am so in love with you,” he groaned against my lips, his forehead to mine. “Everything is going to be okay. You’re here for a reason. This is happening for a reason. Don’t be scared. I believe in you.”
    “I believe when you believe.” I gripped his neck hard with my arms. “I love you, too.”
    He kissed me once more before setting my feet to the floor. “Let’s see the kiddos before we leave.”
    I nodded and felt my eyes sting. “Don’t say anything to make me cry. I don’t want to upset her.”
    He brushed my cheek with his thumb with a sad smile. “Okay.”
    When we got downstairs, everyone was waiting. The rest of the family had gone to get ready and then brought their children back here so they were all together safely. I knelt in front of Ava and she looked up at me. “You’re leaving now, aren’t you?”
    “Yes, baby. We’re going to help some people with some bad men.” I had a thought. “Ava, have you…have you had any weird dreams or anything lately?”
    “No, mommy. Not unless us putting Rodney in an all-girls boarding school across the sea for always stealing my dolls and making them his GI Joe prisoners counts.”
    Caleb snorted while Gran’s cackle held nothing back. I smiled at her. “Well, I think that’s probably valid.” I hugged her to my chest tightly and tried with everything in me not to cry. “Listen to Gran, okay? And be nice to Rodney. Y’all just play and wait for us to come home. We’ll be back before you know it.”
    “Why are you crying? What’s wrong?”
    I squeezed my eyes tight. My perceptive girl. I felt Caleb’s hand on my shoulder as he bent down next to me.
    “Hey, give Daddy a hug.” He took her from me and I swiped my eyes discreetly. “Mommy just hates it when people hurt other people. We know that, right?” She nodded. “So Mommy and I are going to help somebody. You stay here and help Gran, okay?”
“Okay.” She looked down. “Will you be back before bedtime?”
“I hope so.”
    “Will you sing to me now? In case you don’t make it back in time for bedtime?” Her big blue eyes that matched her daddy’s looked up at him and I knew he’d sing a hundred songs if that’s what she wanted.
    He tucked her under his chin and rocked her a little, out of habit, as he leaned back with her and sang “I’m Yours” by Jason Mraz. They did the doo-doo-doo-doo’s together like they always did. I ached so much in my chest as I watched them. I turned away so she wouldn’t see me getting worked up. It wasn’t that I didn’t have faith in Caleb or myself or what we were or our people…it was just that she was our daughter.
    Gran’s arms came around me from behind. I didn’t have to look to know it was her. I could smell her perfume. “It’s going to be all right, pretty girl.”
    “Is it?” I glanced back at my little girl who Ashlyn told me was in danger somehow. “What if we’re playing right into their hands? What if by leaving her today, I’m abandoning her like my mother did me and she’ll be stuck without me forever?”
    “You know that’s not what you saw.”
    “I’ve changed my visions before,” I countered.
    “For the good. For the better. You have your gift for a reason. Ashlyn wouldn’t have come to you and told you just to