Chapter 4 - Nathan’s Last Request
That night, Lily and Owen ate grilled cheese in a quiet conference room at the airport family-services office while James sat nearby in shirtsleeves and Marco made calls from the hallway. The children had stopped trembling, but they still moved with a caution that broke something inside him. They apologized when offered juice. They asked if they should leave crusts to save money. When Lily knocked over three crayons from a plastic cup, she whispered sorry four times before anyone could answer.
Children told the truth in habits before they ever said it in words.
James asked careful questions and learned just enough to understand the shape of the past year. After Nathan died, Rachel sold most of his personal belongings, dismissed their longtime babysitter, moved the children twice and repeatedly told them they were expensive. She left them with strangers, called them “baggage” when she thought they were asleep, and threatened to send Owen’s teddy bear to the trash if he cried at night.
But the most important information came from something Owen said almost by accident while fighting sleep.
“Daddy said Aunt Hannah would come if Miss Rachel ever got tired of us.”
James looked at Marco. “Did Nathan have a sister?”
Marco was already checking the digital personnel notes casualty affairs had forwarded. “Yes, sir. Hannah Cole. Elementary school counselor. Springfield, Missouri.”
James closed his eyes for one second. Of course Nathan would have made a backup plan. Of course Rachel would have ignored it.
Two hours later, James was on the phone with Hannah Cole. He identified himself, explained only the essentials, and then had to stop speaking because all he could hear on the other end was a woman trying not to break apart. When Hannah finally found her voice, it came out ragged. “I’ve been trying to see those babies for over a year. Rachel kept saying they were sick, traveling, asleep—something new every time. Then she blocked my number.”
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James looked through the glass at Lily asleep with her head on Owen’s shoulder. “Can you come to Chicago?”
“I’m leaving now.”
