Chapter 10 - The Aftermath
The silence in the diner was deafening. Jax stared at the folded piece of paper as if it were a live grenade. He slowly moved his hand off the photograph, revealing the face of his much younger self holding his baby sister.
"Elara," Jax choked out, his voice thick with an emotion that threatened to break him in half. He looked at the boy. "Where is she? Where is your mom?"
The boy’s hazel eyes welled with tears, though he fought hard to keep them from falling. "She got sick," he whispered. "She gave me this letter. The state people said I had to go to a home, but I sneaked onto the bus. She told me to find you."
Jax squeezed his eyes shut, a jagged breath escaping his lips. The guilt of abandoning his family decades ago to chase a racing career crashed down on him. He reached out and took the letter, his massive hands shaking.
From her booth, Clara’s heart ached. She knew what it was like to be entirely alone, to run from a nightmare hoping to find a safe harbor. Without thinking, she stood up, walked over to the counter, and crouched down to the boy's eye level.
"Hi," Clara said gently, offering a soft, reassuring smile. "My name is Clara. Have you eaten anything today?"
May you like
The boy looked at her, surprised by the gentle intervention, and silently shook his head.
"Sarah," Clara looked up at the waitress, who was already wiping away a stray tear. "Can we get him a plate of pancakes?"
