silent

36

• LORENZO •

My mother convinces me to leave some of Amalia's stuff here, so if she comes to stay again—"when" was the word she used—she won't have to pack so heavily again.

     My daughter clings onto my hand as I walk up the stairs with her to collect the things we are bringing back. I smile when I think of what happened a few minutes earlier.

Dad!

That's the first time she's called me that.

She leads me to her room and opens the door. She's holding Petal, who she sets down on the bed when we walk inside.

She then turns around and wraps her little arms around my waist. My heart warms as I hug her back, planting a kiss in her hair. She looks up at me and smiles, and she looks so adorable that I can't help but grin.

     "Guess what." She says, her voice small.

Still, the sound of her voice makes me happy.

"What?" I reply.

She sends me a disapproving look. "You have to guess."

My lips tilt up into a smirk. "Okay—"

She interrupts me before I can finish, giddiness radiating off of me in waves. "I get to do another solo." She tells me, a small, proud little smile on her face.

"That's amazing, baby." I tell her. "Are you excited?" I ask, to which she nods hastily. I smile. "I'm proud of you."

     She blushes.

     I kiss her forehead. "Let's get going home, and I can make you some ice cream to celebrate." I tell her. She nods, smiling, though I notice she looks a little pale.

•

After thanking my parents for taking Amalia in, we leave. She's tired, and I don't think she feels better, despite how much she's reassured me. As I pull up to my house, rage replaces the warmth in my heart since I reunited with my daughter. She's half asleep in the passengers seat, so she doesn't notice when I turn the ignition off and climb out of the car, circling it and lifting her up once I open her door, careful not to wake her.

I unlock the door and walk inside, Amalia on my hip. She leans her head on my shoulder and yawns as she falls fully asleep, holding Petal to her even in sleep. I kiss her cheek and make my way upstairs, walking to her room. I open the door and pause.

Elijah is sleeping on Amalia's bed. He lurches up and stands when I walk in. "Shit," he laughs a humourless laugh. "This is embarrassing."

     My eyes soften as I walk over and set Amalia under the covers, placing her dog beside her. She snuggles into the blankets immediately, and I bring the covers up to her chin before leaving, Elijah walking nervously next to me.

     When we get out into the hallway, I turn to him. I'm surprised when my voice comes out calmly. "What the hell happened, Elijah? I'd expect that from everyone else, but you? Amalia trusted you."

     He scratches the back of his head nervously. "It's embarrassing." He says, almost sadly. When he realises I'm waiting for more elaboration, he sighs. "I think I got drugged or something, but it's not that big of a deal. When I went up to see Amalia a girl stopped me. I was gonna go back down and ask someone else to check on her, since I was tired, but I passed out on the couch after I got her to leave my room and walked downstairs."