“It’s okay,” I told him softly. “You’re safe here.”
He looked up at me and nodded, giving me a small smile. I smiled back and squeezed his hand reassuringly.
“Let me show you to your room,” Zachary said, breaking the silence.
“Thank you,” I replied.
He nodded and started up the stairs, Thomas and I following behind him. We reached the top of the stairs, and Zachary turned to the right, leading us down a long hallway.
He stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall and pushed it open. “This is your room,” he said, stepping aside so we could enter.
I walked into the room, my eyes widening as I took it in. It was huge, easily three times the size of my bedroom in my apartment. There was a large four-poster bed against one wall, and a sitting area in front of a fireplace.
On the other side of the room, there was a desk and a bookshelf, and a door that looked like it led to a private bathroom. A balcony overlooked the backyard, and I could see a private patio and a beautifully landscaped garden.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathed.
Zachary nodded. “I’m glad you like it,” he said. He turned to Thomas. “And this is your room,” he told him, gesturing to a door on the other side of the bedroom.
Thomas looked up at me, a question in his eyes. I smiled and nodded, giving him a little push forward. “Go ahead, baby. Go and see your room.”
He walked over to the door and pushed it open, his eyes widening as he looked inside. “Wow!” he exclaimed. “Mama, come look!”
I smiled and walked over to him, looking into the room. It was decorated in blues and greens, with a race car bed and a bookshelf full of toys. There was a desk in the corner, and a bean bag chair in front of a TV.
Thomas turned to look at me, his face lit up with excitement. “I love it!” he exclaimed.
I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest at the sight of my little boy so happy. “I’m glad, baby,” I said, kneeling down and hugging him tightly.
He hugged me back, then pulled away and looked up at me. “Can I play in here for a while?” he asked.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was getting late, and he would need to get to bed soon. But he had had a long day, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him no.
“Just for a little while,” I told him. “Then it will be time for bed.”
He nodded, already turning back to the room and all the wonders it held. I stood up and watched him for a moment, feeling my heart swell with love for him.
I turned to go back into my room, only to find Zachary still standing there, watching me. Our eyes met, and for a moment, we just stared at each other.
The next morning, I woke up to an empty house.
I had slept fitfully, my dreams haunted by memories of the paparazzi and the fear that they would find us again.
As soon as I woke up, I went to check on Thomas. He was still asleep, but as soon as I opened the door to his room, he stirred and sat up in bed.
“Mama?” he said sleepily.
“I’m here, baby,” I replied softly, walking over to sit on the edge of his bed. “Did you sleep well?”
He nodded, rubbing his eyes. “This bed is so cool,” he said.
I smiled. “I’m glad you like it.”
He looked around the room, taking in all the toys and books that Zachary had gotten for him. “Can I play for a while before breakfast?” he asked.
“Sure,” I replied. “Just for a little bit, though. We need to eat soon so we can get to daycare on time.”
He nodded and climbed out of bed, already racing over to the toys. I watched him for a moment before standing up and heading back to my room.
As I got dressed, I couldn’t shake the unease that had settled in my stomach. The paparazzi had found us once; what was to stop them from doing it again? And this time, they knew about Thomas.
The thought sent a chill down my spine. I couldn’t let anything happen to my son. I would do whatever it took to keep him safe.
Once I was dressed, I made my way downstairs in search of Zachary. I needed to talk to him, to find out what our plan was. But as I reached the bottom of the stairs, I realized that he wasn’t there.
“Ms. Moore?” A voice spoke from behind me, and I turned to see one of Zachary’s staff standing there.
“Good morning,” I said. “Is Mr. Edwards around?”
The woman – I thought her name was Margaret – shook her head. “I’m sorry, he’s already left for work.”
My stomach sank. He had left without even saying goodbye? Without talking to me about what we were going to do?
“Did he leave a message for me?” I asked, trying to keep the hurt out of my voice.
Margaret hesitated before speaking. “He said to tell you that he would be back this evening, and that you and Thomas are welcome to stay as long as you need to.”
I nodded, trying not to show my disappointment. “Thank you,” I said.
Margaret smiled. “Of course,” she said. “Now, would you like some breakfast?”
“Yes, please,” I replied gratefully. “Thomas and I haven’t eaten yet.”
“Right this way,” she said, leading me towards the kitchen.
As we walked, I couldn’t help but wonder what Zachary was doing. And more importantly, why he had left without saying anything to me.
It hurt, more than I wanted to admit. But I pushed the feeling down and focused on what was important – keeping Thomas safe, and figuring out our next move.
Whatever happened, I was going to make sure that my son was protected. No matter what it took.
When Zachary got home that night, he found me sitting on the couch in the living room, staring at the TV without really seeing it. I was lost in thought, my mind racing with all the things that had happened over the past few days.
I didn’t hear him come in, so when he spoke, I jumped. “Hey.”
I turned to look at him, taking in his tired appearance. His hair was mussed, and there were dark circles under his eyes.
“Hey,” I replied, my voice soft.
He walked over and sat down next to me on the couch. “How was your day?” he asked.
“It was fine,” I said. Then, remembering my manners, I added, “Thank you for letting us stay here.”
He waved his hand dismissively. “It’s no problem,” he assured me. Then, he hesitated before continuing. “I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to talk to you this morning. Things have been pretty crazy at work.”
I nodded. I had figured as much. “That’s okay,” I said.
He studied me for a moment, his eyes searching mine. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice gentle.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts. “I don’t know,” I admitted. “This has all been a lot to take in.”
He nodded, reaching out to take my hand in his. “I know,” he said. “And I’m sorry. I never should have let this happen.”
I squeezed his hand, feeling a surge of gratitude towards him. Even though he hadn’t been there for Thomas’s birth, even though he had missed out on the first four years of his life, he was here now. And he was doing everything he could to make it right.
“It’s not your fault,” I told him.
“Yes, it is,” he disagreed. “If I had been more careful, the press never would have found out about Thomas.”
I didn’t know what to say to that. Because even though I knew it wasn’t really his fault, a part of me couldn’t help but blame him. If he had just been more careful, none of this would be happening.
But that wasn’t fair. I knew it wasn’t. Zachary hadn’t asked for this any more than I had.
So instead of saying anything, I just leaned my head on his shoulder. He stiffened for a moment in surprise, but then he relaxed, wrapping his arm around me.
We sat like that for a long time, not saying anything. I closed my eyes, focusing on the feeling of his arm around me, the warmth of his body next to mine.
It felt good. It felt right.
And even though everything else in my life was uncertain, at least I had this. At least I had Zachary.