“Oh, I’m sorry,” Jack said, lifting Aubrey into his arms apologetically, not noticing the woman. “I told her that there’d be no swimming today and she seemed to take that as an invitation to go bug the entire population.”
He looked down at her with a small, sad smile before he saw her and his smile dropped. He fell silent, staring at her with disbelief.
His eyes flashed and he turned away from her and started back the way he came. “You don’t get to know. Goodbye.”
She placed her hand on his shoulder. "Jack Curnow, don't you turn away from me." Her voice had an air of persistence. "I need to know that way I can be informed of if I need to run away again, which is something I am not willing to do."
“Leave us alone,” he almost growled, turning away suddenly. She would have never seen his eyes so fierce, not aimed at her. “You don’t get to make any demands. Leave us alone.”
She hesitated, looking hurt for a moment. "If you really think I would have left like that without reason then you sure are thick! And suddenly it's my fault that I would rather my family be safe, rather than torn apart or killed? Fine! Go!"
His eyes were cold and sharp and he held Aubrey protectively to his chest. “You know, I would have understood if it were just me. We talked about it. I understood that one day you would realize that you deserved more.” His voice was terribly quiet and Aubrey looked up at him, worry in her sky blue eyes. “But you left her. You left her. You figured that you were better off without her and you left. And now you come back because you’ve realized that you lost something important and you’re trying to make me feel badly for not letting you back in. This is my daughter. I’ve had to keep her safe for the last ten months, which, in case you forgot, you missed.” He shook his head and Aubrey sniffled, clinging on to Jack’s shirt. He shook his head and turned away to leave. “Leave us alone. You’ve done all the damage you can do here.”
"Knox would have found you," she said quietly, unsure if he would even listen. "That's why I left. Not your stupid assumptions."
He didn’t seem to hear her as he hurried off. Aubrey watched Avice over Jack’s shoulder, her large eyes filled with tears as she reached for her mother.
Jack sat on the couch, a bottle in hand as he fed his daughter. It had become somewhat of a ritual for them and he would generally talk to her as he worked, but today, he had nothing to say. Elyse came into the room, frowning when she noticed the silence. “Tuck? What’s the matter?”
He looked up and shook his head. “Nothing.” Elyse frowned before walking over to the door and opening it.
In one swift movement, Avice pulled her into a headlock, pressing a sharp knife to her throat. Her eyes were merciless as she spoke in a quiet, deadly voice. "Time away made me remember life isn't just handed to you, huh? I know you may be happy now, but it's going to be torn away, just so I can repay the favor. Now, you're going to call Jack out here and tell him the truth, okay? If you lie, I'll cut out your tongue. Try anything else, and it'll be your hands."
