53

Abel

Lana lay in my bed, her hair concealing half of her face, the cuts and bruises on her arms, knees and feet bandaged and taken care of. Cozy in my arms, beneath the sheets. She'd stirred up early, but now lay quietly.

“Erin is my sister, Abigail's best friend. She's been a close family friend ever since my sister passed.” She had her back to me, so I couldn't see her face. I stroked her upper arm and shoulder gently. “Abigail left her in charge of her little son, Damien. Erin works as a cashier in a big supermarket downtown, but Damien's daycare is closer to her house. When she got there to pick him up yesterday, he was gone. The daycare matron had fucked up, releasing Damien to someone who claimed to be his father.”

For a brief moment, Lana didn't move. I thought she'd fallen asleep, and wanted to shake her shoulders when she turned her head to look at me, and shifted herself so she could lie on her back and stare up at the ceiling. I kept my arm over her waist, my hand closed p