“Yes, that’s what it is, sweetheart. I’m sorry you had to hear what they said in the video.”
Ciela shrugged and looked over at the playground equipment. “Can I take my softy on the slide?”
“Sure, honey. Go ahead.” Noelle nodded. “Just stay where we can see you.”
“Okay!” She skipped off a few steps and then stopped.
She turned around and Duval waited to see what she had to say.
She hugged the stuffed armadillo to her chest. “Come on, Mister King!”
Duval felt like he was standing on a cliff, with his toes over the edge.
He didn’t know what to do. Just because Ciela hadn’t remembered what part he played in her tears, he wasn’t sure how far he could push that envelope.
Duval turned his head and looked at Noelle, hoping she could tell him what to do.
She waved her hand in Ciela’s direction. “Go ahead if you want to, but you don’t have to if you don’t want to. It’s-”
He stood up and turned toward Ciela. “What do you like to play?”
Hugging the stuffed animal to her chest, Ciela looked up at him with a bright grin. “Everything!”
Smiling, he reached out a hand like he used to do with his sister when she was right about that size.
Before he could think twice about it, Ciela tucked her armadillo under her arm and put her other hand in his.
He knew they weren’t home free.
Just because Ciela was fine now, There was a chance that something could trigger her again.
It happened to adults all the time.
And it happened with children.
He helped her walk up the rope ladder to the top of the platform and when she got up there, he asked her if she wanted him to hold the stuffed animal so she could go down the slide.
She looked at him as if he’d asked her the silliest question in the world. “NO! He goes with me!”
Then she hugged the stuffed animal to her chest with one arm while she sat down at the top of the slide.
A moment later, “Wheee!” She went down the slide one arm up the other wrapped tightly around the stuffed animal.
As soon as she got down to the bottom, she stood up and moved right back to the rope ladder to climb.
He kept his hands nearby in case she slipped or missed a step, but she was sure footed and made it back up in seconds. “Let’s go again, Softy!”
He watched her slide down and movement by his truck turned his head.
He saw another F-150 pull up and a suburban.
Duval shook his head.
He didn’t know exactly who’d shown up but he knew who it was in general.
Jack or Dally had probably told the others that he was coming to the park and now a couple of his team had come to the park.
Two doors closed in quick succession and he didn’t bother looking in that direction.