Vanished (The Saved Series, A Military Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

kinds of things.
    “Well , what does that mean? Is Abby okay? What’s going on with her? What about the baby?” Eric needed to know she was okay. His mind was racing. He should have called Abby last night, but it had been a crazy week. He had no down time here, as he was still feeling his way around. Commanding this carrier had always been a dream of his, but right now the job was feeling more like an albatross around his neck because it was keeping him from getting to his wife and children. He didn’t like depending on others. Trusting someone else was damn near impossible for Eric.
    “Eric , that’s why I’m calling. Mary-Margaret is there to stay for now. She said Abby seemed fine this morning, but she’s still worried. She said Abby apologized and made some excuse to her that it had to be from being so exhausted after having the baby, but she was fine now. The doctor said people who are sleep deprived do things they don’t remember doing, but he was concerned about Rachel alone in the bath. He seems to think that if she gets enough rest, she’ll be okay.”
    “Well , why is he giving her antidepressants?” he snapped. He could feel the curious gazes on him.
    “ Eric, I don’t know the whole story, but whatever happened, the doctor strongly felt she needed them.”
    “Joe , I need to know my family is going to be okay,” he growled in a low voice. Silently, he was begging, praying, for Abby to be okay, for Rachel, for his son, Charlie.
    “Eric , we’ve got it. We’ll keep an eye on her this week. You should call Abby, though. Talk to her. Your wife holds on to things, Eric, becomes quiet, won’t talk. We know she feels bad, and we’re pretty sure she’s beating herself up. She tries to hide things.”
    “Okay , thanks, Joe. Look, I’ve got to go. I’ll call Abby tonight.”
    Eric stood facing a steel wall, computer, and equipment, holding the receiver for a second. He set it down and wiped his brow, feeling a tremor of worry he hadn’t felt in a long time. He caught the interest of a short, stocky officer lingering behind him. “Get back to your station!” he barked. It should have eased his mind that Joe and Mary-Margaret were there, but he was far from eased as he ran through what an idiot he was. He knew deep down something had been wrong, but he really thought after a week she’d be better. His wife was an amazingly strong woman, filled with love, and Eric decided now would be a good time to call her.
    “I’ll be in my cabin ,” he said.

Chapter 8
    Abby stared at the bottle of orange pills the doctor had prescribed. She could hear Mary-Margaret saying something to Rachel in the kitchen, the clatter of dishes. Noises carried in this small house, through the paper-thin walls. She stared in the mirror at the image staring back at her: pale skin, glossy blue eyes etched with lines. She had felt off from taking the pills the doctor had given her, but it had been no worse than the deep feeling of despair she couldn’t shake.
    S he loathed herself. She wished for some good feeling to return, something to love. She said it over and over in her head—I love my children, I love my husband—but she couldn’t love herself, and she didn’t want some pill, some chemical, adding to her confusion, so she lifted the toilet lid and dropped the next pill in, flushing it away. She told herself she was feeling better. She slept, not well, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept soundly. She’d get through today. She just needed some peace and quiet, and she needed to be free of the guard dog in her kitchen now.
    She pulled open the door and wandered into the kitchen , where Mary-Margaret was holding her baby and carrying a plate of toast to the table for Rachel. Abby wondered when she had started to dislike this woman who had at one time been a friend to her.
    Mary-Margaret looked up. “Hey, you, did you have a good sleep?”
    Abby took the baby from the woman who had spent the last