Chapter 2

The cold wind whipped snow dust down my collar. I pulled my old padded jacket tighter and trudged down the path dusted with thin snow. Liza's cries faded behind me. That little bit of fake concern felt like a needle pricking my heart. I touched my belly. Nestled quietly there was a little life, my only tether to this world now. I hadn't gotten far when the pain surged back, fiercer than before. Leaning against a roadside tree, I bent double, gasping for breath. Black spots danced before my eyes. Snow landed on my eyelashes, melting into water that mixed with the wetness at the corners of my eyes. "Delia?" A familiar voice sounded above me, tinged with uncertainty. I jerked my head up, meeting a pair of eyes filled with concern. The man wore a black down jacket, zipped all the way up, revealing only half his face. But those eyes... I knew them too well. Under the old tree at the orphanage, he'd lean against the trunk watching me practice writing, sunlight catching his eyelashes – that same look. The day he was adopted, he looked at me just like that and said, "Delia, you have to be happy." I opened my mouth, but my throat felt frozen shut. No sound came out. I never thought I'd see him again, least of all like this, at my most wretched. Gavin hurried over, shrugging off his down jacket and draping it over my shoulders. The warmth still holding his body heat instantly enveloped me. "You look awful." His hand touched my forehead, then my ice-cold cheek. The heat of his fingertips made me flinch. "Gavin?" I finally found my voice, hoarse with disbelief. Gavin steadied me, his brow deeply furrowed. "Get in the car first. It's too cold out here." His car, a brand-new SUV, was parked nearby. Settling into the passenger seat, the warm air hit me, and I slowly came back to myself. Gavin handed me a bottle of water, then rummaged in his bag for a chocolate bar. "Here, something to tide you over. You look ghostly pale." I unwrapped it and shoved it into my mouth. The sweetness spread, but couldn't mask the bitterness inside. "How did you recognize me?" He smiled, a complex emotion I couldn't read flickering in his eyes. "I'd know you anywhere." Silence stretched in the car, broken only by the rhythmic swipe of the windshield wipers. Snow continued to fall, blurring the world outside into white. I watched his hands on the steering wheel, knuckles distinct. The same hands that had held mine crossing streets as a child. "And you? Why are you back?" "Job transfer." He said it lightly. "And... to find you." My heart skipped a beat. Find me? He remembered that promise? "Did it take long?" I asked softly. "Yeah." He nodded, his gaze dropping to my swollen belly, his eyes darkening. "You... got married?" My heart clenched. I instinctively wanted to hide my stomach, but he caught my hand. His palm was warm, radiating a reassuring strength. "Don't be afraid. I didn't mean anything by it." He said. "I'm just worried about you." I bit my lip, hesitating for a long moment, but decided to tell him. "No. This baby... it was an accident." He didn't press further, just started the car. "Where to? I'll drive you." I gave him the address to my small rented apartment, far from my adoptive parents' place. I'd moved out precisely to escape the sight of their hypocritical faces. When the car stopped outside the building, I unbuckled my seatbelt and made to hand back his jacket, but he stopped me. "Keep it on. It's freezing." "But you..." "I'm fine." He smiled, opening his door. "I'll walk you up." The stairwell was unlit, pitch black, and reeked of mildew. Gavin went first, lighting the way with his phone, turning back often to steady me. On the third floor, I fumbled for my keys and opened the door. A wave of cold air greeted us. "Come in," I said. He nodded and followed me inside. The place was tiny: one bedroom and a minuscule living room. The furniture was all second-hand, old styles, but I'd kept it meticulously clean. I poured him water, standing awkwardly to the side like a guilty child. "You live alone?" he asked. "Yeah." I nodded. "Thank you for driving me home." "Don't mention it." He stood up. "I should go. Get some rest." At the door, he paused and turned back to me. "Delia, take care of yourself. If anything is needed, just tell me." I nodded, watching his back disappear down the dark stairwell before closing the door and sliding down against it. Tears finally fell, hitting the cold floor, spreading small dark patches. Gavin, you came back too late.