Ocean Eyes - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 3)

Chapter 34

Maddie's POV

I bring Caroline's box of things in, and frantically set it on the floor in the living room.

Caleb looks at me confused, "You okay?"

I look at him, "No."

I go into the kitchen, and he follows me.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

I put a hand over my mouth, then turn around to face him, "I know."

"Know what?"

"Who did it."

"What?" His eyes widen.

"I know who took her from us," I start to cry.

"How? What? Who?"

"I was getting her stuff at the school, and Julia came up to me."

"Julia?"

"Caroline's best friend. She told me she saw the car and she knew who it belonged to."

"Well, who did it belong to?" He asks.

"Her uncle," I breathe out, "her uncle Jace."

Caleb's POV

I don't know what to say. I go back into the living room, and quickly pick up Caroline's yearbook that came in a couple days before Halloween. I flip through it quickly and find her class' page. I skim down the names, and sure enough find 'Julia Cowan'.

"Jace," I breathe out.

I throw the yearbook down, and get my keys.

"Caleb? What are you doing?" Maddie asks.

"I'll be back."

I get in my car, and drive, well, speed, to Jace's house. I see his car in the driveway, and pull in beside of it. I look over his car, examining it, closely. Then, I notice something stuck to the front right side of his car. It's a small piece from Caroline's costume.

I take a picture of it, then the whole car, before getting back into my own. I go back to the house, and find Maddie sitting on the couch, a hand on her chest. She seems to not be breathing well.

"Maddie?" I rush over to her.

She breathes out, "I'm okay."

"No, you're not. You're not breathing good."

"I just need to calm down," she says, tears filling her eyes, "my mind is racing."

"Okay, just take slow deep breaths."

Eventually, she calms down, and I hug her close. She sighs, "I'm okay, now."

"Good," I say, letting out a breath of relief.

"Where'd you go?" She asks, "Jace's?"

"Yeah," I answer.

"What'd you do?"

I pull out my phone and show her the pictures. A few tears go down her cheeks. I wipe them away, "he did it."

"Yeah," she cries.

"Just wait until I see him out," I mumble.

"Ow," she quickly puts a hand on her stomach.

"Maddie?"

"Ah," she breathes out.

I hold her hand, tightly. Eventually, she feels okay. But I can't help but blame myself. I think to myself, that me going to Jace's made her too upset.

"I'll be back," she says.

"Okay," I say.

I go upstairs and check on Allison, who is surprisingly asleep. I go back downstairs, and Maddie rushes out of the bathroom.

"Caleb," she says.

"What?" I ask, nervously.

"I'm bleeding," she cries.

"Come on," I go over to her, quickly, "Allison's asleep," I go upstairs and wake her up, "Allie."

"Mmm," she stirs.

"Come on, baby," I get her shoes.

She sits up, "Where are we going?"

"Hurry and get your shoes on," I tell her.

She slips them on, and we go downstairs. We get in the car, and Allison falls asleep again in the backseat.

"Caleb," Maddie cries, "it's happening again. Just like last time."

"Try to stay calm," I say, nervously.

"What if we're losing our baby, again?" She asks, "not again."

"Just have faith that everything is okay," I give her hand a squeeze.

We go in, Allison walking sleepily beside of me. Finally, they get Maddie in. We wait for the doctor, and Allison falls back asleep in the chair that's in the room. I stand beside of the table Maddie is sitting on. Eventually, the doctor comes in.

"I was cramping, and then I was spotting a little," Maddie tells her, when she asks.

"Well, it was only a little. So that's good," she tells her.

"I'm scared, because this is what happened last time.." Maddie cries, "when I lost.."

"Try to stay calm," the doctor tells her, "lean back for me," Maddie lays back, and the doctor glances over at Allison, who is still asleep, "she's precious."

"Caleb," Maddie whispers, and I take her hand.

"Just try to stay calm," I tell her.

We see our little baby on the screen, and then the doctor tries to find the heartbeat. After a few minutes, she looks at us nervously.

"Why can't we hear anything?" I ask.

The doctor only looks at me, and then back to the screen, moving the instrument around. I look over at Maddie, who is still squeezing my hand, her eyes are shut tight, and her face is tear stained.

"I can't seem to find the..." The doctor starts.

"What?" Maddie asks, quickly, opening her eyes and looking at her, "the heartbeat? Were you going to say the heartbeat?"