What Lurks Beneath the Surface ✔️

chapter twenty-nine

A/N: This song is dedicated to Grandpa Geoffrey and Clementine 😭💔

"Evangeline, come here."

I close my journal and follow Grandpa into the bright hospital room. On the bed, I see Alyx. I've only met her a few times, but I like her. She always gives me candy.

In her arms is a tiny baby girl wrapped up in a light pink blanket, which seems to swallow her whole. I step closer, eyeing the little creature carefully. Although swaddled tightly, pieces of wispy orange hair peek out of the covering.

"Why does she have a baby?" I ask Grandpa.

Chuckling, Alyx says, "This is my baby, silly."

"When did you have a baby?"

"A few hours ago. Would you like to hold her?"

"Um, okay." I lean toward my grandpa and whisper, "How do I do that?"

He furrows his brow. "Do what, Vange?"

"Hold a baby."

He lets out a loud belly laugh before pulling out a chair for me to sit on. My eyes follow him as he takes the doll-sized creature out of Alyx's arms and carefully places her in mine.

Her little head rests against the crook of my elbow. I don't move, terrified that if I do, I might drop her.

"What's her name?" I inquire.

"Clementine," Alyx answers. "I thought it was fitting because of her hair."

I stare down at Clementine. She opens her eyes, which are green like mine. I smile at her, and she moves her lips, as if trying to smile back.

"Hi, Clementine," I coo.

"I think she likes you," Grandpa comments.

"How can you tell?"

"She cried when I held her. She's perfectly calm with you."

"I'm kinda nervous," I admit.

"Don't be. You're doing great," Alyx praises me.

Clementine closes her eyes again, her chest rising and falling with each sleepy breath. I try to look away, but I'm unable to. This little girl has me mesmerized.

"I think you two are going to have a really special relationship," Grandpa says, resting his hand on my shoulder.

I stroke the infant's soft cheek. "Yeah, maybe we will."

"Clem!" Sweat clings to my skin as I sit up, struggling to fill my lungs with air. "Oh, god, Clem."

Tears blur my vision. That was a happy dream. Reality, however, is much more disheartening.

Grandpa is in the hospital while he recovers from his massive heart attack. He had a complete blockage of a coronary artery—one that had been forming for months. It explains so much: the dizziness, the fatigue, the chest pain. I knew he was unwell. I should have forced him to go to the doctor.

And Clem has been missing for three days. Three. Fucking. Days.

An amber alert was issued. Cops all over the state are searching for her. I've hung so many flyers with her face on it that I could tell you how many freckles are on her nose—the answer is seventeen.

With each passing day, hour, minute, our chances of bringing her home decrease. I'm already starting to lose hope. What if we can't find her? What if I never see my little sister again?