Chapter 3 - The Scent of Navy Blue
The sound of rushing air broke the stillness.
A blur of navy blue fabric vaulted into the kitchen.
Carol didn’t run; she collided with the space.
Her blazer slipped off one shoulder. The stark white of her blouse contrasted violently with the dark fabric.
Her bare feet slapped against the cold floor, splashing through the orange juice.
She didn't look at the mess.
She didn't look at Eleanor.
Her eyes, wide and completely black with dilated pupils, locked onto the red welt on Caleb’s cheek.
Her jaw locked. A tendon in her neck popped out, rigid as a steel cable.
She threw herself downward.
Her knees slammed into the marble. The impact echoed, but she didn’t wince.
She wrapped her arms around the small, shaking body in the blue t-shirt.
She tucked his head under her chin, burying his face in the hollow of her neck.
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She became a wall. A shield of navy blue and bone.
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