Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88841 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
When I asked where she’d heard it, she said she made it up because Addie loved to hang all over everything, like a spider monkey. And she was shocked to learn I called her the same name.
“Have fun at the beach. Build me a sandcastle.”
“Bye!” Addie waves as we head out.
We’re almost to my car when I get a text from Julian, asking about a budget report I promised him. Realizing I never saved it so I have no way of grabbing it from the cloud, I throw the diaper bag into the car and then run back up to my office to send it to him.
I’m walking back to my car when I see Kira and Violet walking toward their SUV. They’re too far, so I don’t bother calling out to them. I strap Addie into her car seat and then round my vehicle so we can head home.
I put the car in reverse and start to back up when I notice the SUV is driving in the wrong direction. There’s only one exit, yet Kira is heading toward the top of the garage.
My first thought is that she must’ve gone in the wrong direction by accident and she’ll make her way back down soon, but as I sit and wait to see her vehicle drive by, it never appears.
Afraid something is wrong and not wanting to leave without knowing they’re okay, I drive up the same way they went, circling around the four-floor garage. By the time I get to the third floor, I’ve convinced myself I was seeing shit and she left, but when I arrive at the top level and find her SUV parked in the corner, I know I wasn’t mistaken. Now, the question is, why the hell is she parked up here?
I pull in next to her SUV, and leaving my car running so Addie has AC, I get out to make sure Kira’s okay. Only instead of finding her in the driver’s seat, she’s sitting in a folding chair while her daughter is lying on the ground on a blanket.
“Hey,” I say, making my presence known. “Are you …” My question trails off when I notice the back seats are lying flat, and there’s an air mattress spread out across the entire area with a couple of pillows and blankets.
Kira’s eyes widen in shock, and she immediately stands. “What are you doing here?”
“Hi, Ryder!” Violet says, waving to me like it’s perfectly normal for them to be hanging out at the top of a parking garage. It’s then I notice she’s not just lying on the ground, but is also coloring in a coloring book.
“Is Addie with you?” Violet asks.
“Yeah, sweetheart, she’s in the car,” I say, glancing at Kira, who looks a mixture of horrified and embarrassed. “You want to go say hi to her?” I suggest, my eyes not leaving Kira’s.
“Mommy, can I?” Violet asks.
“Yeah, that’s fine,” Kira chokes out.
As soon as Violet is out of earshot, I step toward Kira, praying what this looks like isn’t what it actually is.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Kira says as if she can read my mind.
“No? Then, tell me what I’m looking at.” I point toward her vehicle. “Because it looks like you’re living out of your vehicle and using the Kingston parking garage as your temporary resting spot.”
“Okay,” she breathes. “That is what you’re looking at, but it’s not forever. I’m so close to getting enough money to rent a place. Please,” she begs, tears of desperation filling her lids, “you can’t tell anyone. If they find out, they’ll take her away from me.”
“Kira,” I say, closing the gap between us, “I can’t possibly let you and that little girl of yours sleep in your SUV.”
“Yes, you can,” she rushes out. “Please, just pretend you didn’t see us. Get back in your car and drive away. We’re okay. I’m not a bad mom.”
Her words crack at the end, along with my heart. How could I have spent the past month talking to this woman and not known she and her daughter were homeless?
“I swear, it’s only for a short time,” Kira sobs. “It’s not permanent.”
“Hey, hey.” I pull her into my arms, and even though she’s freaking out, she lets me. “It’s going to be okay.”
I don’t know what I’m going to do to fix this, but there’s no way I’m letting her handle this alone.
“I’m so close,” she cries into my chest. “She’s taken care of, I promise. You can’t turn me in. She’s my entire world. I’m all she has and …” She hiccups the last part, and I pull back so I can look her in the eyes.
“Shh,” I say, wiping her tears. “I’m not taking her away from you. I know you’re a good mom. I see the way you care for my daughter and yours. But I can’t let you guys live in your vehicle.”