Chapter 2
After a few seconds, Ryan dropped his hands and said, "Get in. I'll take you to the airport."
"It's fine. I've already called a cab," I said.
"It's here," Ryan said.
He pointed to a taxi pulling up at the entrance.
I was left speechless.
He was always like this, setting everything up so you didn't even get a chance to say no.
I settled Sophie into the child safety seat in the back.
The little one pursed her lips, eyes glistening with unshed tears.
I crouched down and shoved the three sheets of paper into Ryan's hand.
"These are Sophie's care instructions. Just... read them when you get a chance," I said.
Ryan just took them, didn't even look, and shoved them into his pocket.
"Okay," he said.
I pulled out a small first-aid kit.
"It's got all the basics, like fever meds, meds for diarrhea, and band-aids..." I said.
"Sure," he said.
Still uneasy, I bent down and whispered in Sophie's ear, "Sweetie, if Daddy ever gives you a hard time, just give me a call, alright?"
Sophie sniffled and nodded.
Ryan just stood there, not saying a word.
The taxi driver honked impatiently.
I stood up, gave Ryan one last look, and said, "I'm leaving her in your care."
"She's my daughter. You don't have to ask," Ryan replied.
Ryan opened the car door and practically shoved me inside.
As the car pulled away, I glanced back in the rearview mirror. Ryan had opened the door to his SUV, but he didn't get in right away.
He just stood there by his car, tall and silent in the pale dawn, like a statue that refused to move.
I couldn't see his face clearly.
Suddenly, my heart clenched.
As soon as the plane landed, I called Ryan.
His phone was off.
My chest tightened. I hit redial.
Still off.
My mind started racing.
Was Sophie crying her eyes out, and Ryan just lost his patience?
Did he leave Sophie all alone at home and go back to base?
The more I thought about it, the more anxious I got. I kept checking my phone, couldn't sit still for a second.
The meeting started, and my advisor was up front talking, but I couldn't focus on a single word she said.
My mind was completely filled with images of Sophie's tearful little face.
During the lunch break, my phone buzzed.
It was a photo from Ryan.
In the picture, Sophie was sitting at the dining table with a plate of food in front of her.
The veggies and meat around the edge of the plate were arranged into a smiley face.
Sophie was holding a little fork, head down, totally focused on eating.
The photo was not very good. It was kind of blurry, and the lighting was dim.
But I could tell Sophie had cleaned her plate.
She even ate the carrots, which she usually hated.
There was a caption under the photo. [Soldier Sophie Harper completed her lunch mission at 12:05.]
Seeing Ryan call her "Soldier Sophie Harper" made me feel speechless and amused at the same time.
At least half the weight on my heart was gone.
I texted back: [How's she doing? Did she cry?]
It took forever for Ryan to reply.
Ryan: [No.]
Just one word, straight to the point.
I could totally picture him typing that with a poker face.
In the afternoon meeting, I finally managed to focus, at least a little.
During the break, I couldn't help but check my phone again.
Ryan had sent another photo.
This time, Sophie was taking a nap.
She was curled up on his big bed, wrapped in a military-green blanket, with just her little head peeking out.
She was clutching the bunny doll I'd packed for her.
She was out cold, her cheeks all rosy.
The caption had that same familiar military vibe. [Soldier Sophie Harper entered hibernation mode at 13:30. Estimated hibernation time: two hours.]
I sighed. Ryan would never drop the army talk, would he?
I texted back: [Don't let her catch a chill.]
Ryan replied instantly: [Room temp is set at 78°F.]
I stared at the message, and suddenly it hit me.
His place in the family apartment complex had always been empty, and there wasn't even any heating hooked up.
So where was he?
I pushed my doubts aside and decided to ask him about it later.
At eight that night, figuring Sophie was probably getting ready for bed, I factored in the time difference and called Ryan on video.
This time, he picked up right away.
Sophie's little face filled the screen.
She looked like she'd just had a bath. Her hair was still damp, and she was wearing those dinosaur pajamas I bought her.
"Mommy!" she called.
Her voice was all sweet and babyish, her eyes sparkling brightly.
"Sophie, were you a good girl today? Did you listen to Daddy?" I asked.
"Yes! I finished three missions today," she chirped.
She puffed out her chest, looking super proud of herself.
"What missions?" I asked.
"I ate right on time, took a nap, and brushed my teeth all by myself," she said.
She opened her mouth wide, showing off her sparkly teeth.
I laughed. "That's amazing. Where's Daddy?"
The camera wobbled as Sophie turned it to the side.