Chapter 201 A Bawling Child She finally got to let out the chestâ
wringing breath she had been holding in since Blissâ death. She had felt itâ
the puppy pushing its face close to hers, whimpering with her as she sobbed.
It was consoling her. She imagined that was what Bliss would have done too.
Deirdre cast her eyes to the ground. The storm clouds that had seemed to be permanent on her mien faded, and Brend an was the sole witness of her subtle transformation.
While he managed to observe Deirdreâs change, he was blind to his own. The trademark severity in his
visage had softened into meek, wistful joy.
They walked for a while until, suddenly, Deirdre stopped. Brendan almost lost her, but he paused and turned
around. âWhatâs wrong?â
She scanned her surroundings with a frown. âA childâs crying.â
âA child?â Brendan was a little surprised. They were at the fork of a busy street flooded with couples an d office workers going about their day. There was not a single child in sight.
âCould it be some kind of hallucination?â
âNo, Iâm sure of it!â Deirdre bit her lip. âItâs definitely the sound of a kid crying!â
Her senses had adapted to the disadvantage of her sight through evolved hearing acuity. âIt sounds mu ffled, but itâs definitely nearby!â
Brendan perused his surroundings until, finally, he stared at the car next to them and inhaled sharply. A
babyâabout a year old at mostâwas locked inside. She was bathed in sweat as she bawled, her skin an unnatural shade of pinkâred.
âIn here! A babyâs locked in a car!â He described the situation to her.
Deirdreâs anxiety turned into panic. She leaned close to the window and heard the babyâs cries amplify.
She could tell the child was running out of strength, and her face paled. âI donât think the baby could hang in there much longer, Brendan! Do you see the parents around?â
âNo.â Brendan removed his cardigan and wrapped it around his elbow. He motioned to Deirdre, telling h er to step aside, and hurled a jab at the window.
Deirdre could tell how hard the window was based on the resulting sound. Her heart skipped a beat. âC- Canât we find a brick or something? Youâll hurt your arm!â
âThereâs no time.â
All Brendan saw was the baby and how⦠young she was.
Their unborn kid would have been about the same age as she was had heâ¦
God. His fecklessness had caused a young life to die before. He would not forgive himself if he let the s ame thing happen again in his life.
He gritted his teeth, aimed at the center of an emerging crack, and rammed his elbow against the window a few more times. Finally, it ca ved under the pressure, and the babyâs muffled cries blared at them like a shrill call for help.
Brendan picked the baby up and passed it to Deirdre. âThe air inside this car must have been running l ow,â he remarked.
âThe child was starting to have trouble breathing, which is why she was bawling. You calm her.â
Deirdre brought the child close to her chest gingerlyâalmost a little frightfully. Strangely enough, the baby stopped crying as soon as she leaned her head against her bosom. She began to drool in groggy fatigue.
Brendan was trying to cover his bleeding arm when he saw them. The color in his eyes died a little as hi âIs she?â Deirdre echoed, her shoulders slumping a little, just like her spirit. âMâMust be a coincidence. She must be tired after crying for so long. Honestly, though?â She laughed selfâ
deprecatingly. âSheâs a brave baby, isnât she? Didnât even burst into tears after seeing my face.â
Brendan furrowed his brows. âWhatâs wrong with your face? Itâs still beautiful.â
They both stiffened.
The corner of Deirdreâs lips went up ever so slightly. âWhatâs the matter with you? You havenât been actin Or rather, he had not been acting like Brendan Brighthall.
Brendan would be hardâ
pressed to mention his nightmare, nor would he have the courage to confess to the whirlwind of conflicti