Chapter 35

Loraine sat at the beach, watching Tyler play with two children around his age belonging to her new friend Leah. They chased after the water as it went back into the ocean then ran from it as it came in small waves. She loved hearing his shrilly laughter, his eyes wide and sparkling with uninhibited joy as he played. She still couldn’t believe he was the same little boy who was afraid of both sand and water just a week ago.

Tyler had been apprehensive about stepping out of the house until Loraine carried him with Ruiz and Melody as escorts, both promising to protect him if something went wrong. When she sat down on the white sand, he’d lifted his legs to make sure he didn’t touch any of it until Loraine coaxed him to do so. When he was comfortable with that, she wadded in the water, still carrying him. He’d wrapped himself tightly around her as he cried, his fear so tangible it shook Loraine to the core. He’d cried for his daddy then and Loraine