He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Maybe if I stayed in the bathroom long enough, she and the world would age and forget about me.

I couldn’t stay in the bathroom forever. But the water helped.

It was enough to quiet everything down to something manageable. And by the time I stepped out, wrapped in a towel and a little more composed, I didn’t feel like I was about to combust anymore.

I sat on the edge of my bed and picked up my phone. There was someone I needed to check on.

The call rang twice before she picked up.

“Daisy?”

My shoulders softened instantly.

“Hi, Mum.”

“How are you?” she asked, and just like that, the world shifted.

“I’m okay,” I said. “How have you been?”

There was a small pause.

“I’m managing,” she replied gently. “Things are a bit tight, but… I’m coping.”

That word.

Coping.

It always meant more than it said.

“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, getting emotional. “I haven’t been able to send anything yet. I should be getting paid at the end of the month, and then I’ll-”

“Daisy.”

I sighed.

“You’re doing enough,” she said. “Don’t stretch yourself thin trying to fix everything at once.”

I swallowed.

“It doesn’t feel like enough.”

“It is,” she insisted softly. “You’re working. You’re studying. You’re trying. That matters.”

My throat tightened.

“I’ll still send something when I get paid,” I said.

“I know you will,” she replied. “Just don’t forget to take care of yourself too.”

We spoke a little longer, about small things, safe things.

Then…

“Goodnight, Mum.”

“Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you.”

“I love you more.”

The call ended. And for a moment, I just sat there. Still.

The tears came without much warning this time. And they weren’t dramatic or overwhelming- just enough to sting.

I sniffed lightly, wiping at my face before it could become anything more.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify