When the police arrived, Cade gave them an efficient and thorough rundown of what we knew. He described the getaway vehicle and indicated which way the robbers had headed.
Proving that I was suffering from a bit of shock, I dumbly started to point out that he had promised he wouldn’t share any of these details. Luckily, it dawned on me before I spoke that he had been willing to say anything to get them to leave us behind. Since he was the one that had retained his wits throughout the dangerous situation, I let him speak for both of us.
“Their trail is getting cold,” he reminded the cops, seeming willing to give advice to both sides.
“We’re going to need you two to come down to the station to make statements,” the pudgy cop that was smoking a cigarette informed us. I silently longed for some kind of habit that would instantly calm me without the health risks of smoking.
“We will be happy to do that first thing tomorrow,” Cade responded sternly. “Today has been incredibly stressful, and we both have family members we need to reassure that we are safe.” It was so nice to have someone else looking out for my well-being, even if it was only for a brief moment. I was used to advocating for my Nana and taking care of everyone else. This new sensation of having someone watch out for my best interest was intoxicating.
The officer seemed uncertain if he should let us leave, so Cade gave him a gentle reminder. “Don’t you have bad guys to capture?”
The cop gave one brisk nod, evidently having made his decision. “I expect you to both be there bright and early tomorrow morning.” He pointed at us to enunciate his order as he dropped his cigarette on the road and snubbed it out with his shiny black shoe.
“Of course,” Cade confirmed, and I nodded my agreement.
As soon as the cops were gone, Cade turned to me and said, “Let’s get out of here before they realize they should have immediately hauled us in for questioning.”
I nodded my agreement and rounded the SUV to get in the passenger’s seat. Once inside, I buckled in and commented, “You have an uncanny ability to get people to do exactly what you want.”
He turned his intoxicating blue gaze at me after starting the SUV. “We’ll test that theory when I finally get you alone later tonight.” He waggled his dark brows suggestively at me.
I burst out with laughter at his outrageous insinuation. “Dream on,” I told him, shaking my head, even though his naughty innuendo gave me a secret tingle way down deep inside.
“Oh, I am,” he promised as he shifted the SUV into gear and headed back towards the bank.
The last place I wanted to go was that blasted bank, but I knew he must be desperate to see his daughter. Now that the urgency was over with, it occurred to me that he had left her to save me. “Did you leave Cammie alone?” I didn’t mean for it to sound as accusatory as it did.
“A couple of bank employees promised to look after her.” He didn’t seem perturbed by my overly critical tone. “She’s probably desperate to know if we’re okay, though,” he worried.
It touched me that he had implied that his daughter would be worried for both of us. I doubted that was the case, but it was nice to be verbally included in their little family, even if it was only for a moment.
The area around the bank was blocked off and news crews and looky-loos were swarming. Cade parked as close as he could to the center of the action and then we walked the rest of the way. He was tall enough to scan the crowd over most people’s heads, so it didn’t take him long to locate his daughter.
Cammie broke into a run as soon as she spotted her dad. She slammed into him and wrapped her tiny arms around him in a bear hug. He picked her up and twirled her around. I couldn’t stop the happy tears that trickled down my cheeks as I watched their tiny family’s happy reunion.
Not wanting to intrude, I swiped the back of a finger beneath each eye and turned to quietly leave them to catch up on the events that had transpired since they were separated.
“Wait!” The little girl shouted. I was surprised to find that she spoke so clearly.
When I turned to see what she wanted, she ran to me, stopping just short of slamming into me as she had her father. Knowing that she must want to tell me something, I kneeled down on the sidewalk to put myself at her eye level.
Looking into my eyes she lifted her fingers up by her lips, almost like she was going to blow me a kiss, but then she did the sign for “Thank you.”
I started to respond by scooping my hand around in the “You’re welcome” sign, but Cammie blocked me by throwing herself into my arms for a warm hug. I was touched that such a young girl realized the magnitude of what had transpired.
“You’ve raised a lovely young lady,” I smiled up at Cade over the girl’s bright red hair.
When Cammie pulled back she was signing faster than I could comprehend, but I did pick up the hand gesture for ice cream. I deduced that she was inviting me to join them for ice cream and quickly moved my fist up and down, like a nodding head, to indicate to her that yes, I would love to go with them for a frozen treat.
Cade thanked the woman who had watched Cammie in our absence, and then the three of us set off towards their SUV. As we walked, I explained that I felt a little too shaky to drive yet anyway, so this excursion worked out perfectly. Cade’s hands moved quickly as he relayed what I was saying into ASL.
“We have one stop we need to make first.” Cade signed as he spoke, so Cammie and I could both easily understand what he was saying. At my questioning look, he responded without making me ask. “I’m assuming you would like to see your Nana?”
It was like the man could read my mind. I responded by enthusiastically nodding both my head and my wrist to indicate that yes, I wanted to visit my Nana.
Weaving our way in and out of the crowd proved to be a bit challenging, so Cade lifted his gangly daughter up onto his hip to carry her and then he tossed his free arm around my shoulders.
I silently wished that I could freeze that one moment in time. It felt like I had a family of my own where I was cared for and belonged. That snapshot moment of my life felt like absolute perfection. If only it could have lasted.