Second Chances Read Online Free Page B

telling me, Kenzi?” she asked grabbing Kenzi’s hand as she tried to pass.

“He’s so much like my ex-husband and I don’t think I could take losing someone I care about again,” Kenzi replied sitting down next to Helen.

“Are you in love with Shawn?” Helen asked gently as she handed Kenzi her handkerchief.

“It's only been a few days since we met.  I don’t know.  I just don’t want to be hurt again and if I do love him, I’m just opening myself to more hurt, Helen.”

“Love isn’t something that you can give up so easily. His face lights up every time he sees you, and yours too. I never used to believe in love at first sight until you two met,” Helen said as she gently squeezed Kenzi’s shoulders.

“I’m scared of what might happen. I’ve had these feelings before and nothing protected me from the hurt when it all ended,” Kenzi said wiping her eyes.

“What happened?”

“I married my husband when I was twenty-two, right out of college. We had some good times, too many to count. We had a baby girl, named Layla,” Kenzi said as she folded the handkerchief over and over again.

“What happened? Where’s your baby girl now?” Helen asked gently.

“She’s gone, I’m not ready to talk about it. After it happened, my husband and I just couldn’t connect again. We were both so tore up about what happened and eventually we realized we were better separate than together,” Kenzi replied as tears dripped down her cheeks.

“So much sadness for someone so young. Maybe Shawn can help you, love tends to do that. Think about it, huh?” Helen asked gently chucking Kenzi under the chin.

Helen and Kenzi both got up to go up the stairs. Kenzi checked on Molly and then made her way to her room. Her eyes felt gritty and her head was pounding from all the tears.

Helen hadn’t made her think of it purposefully but think of the past Kenzi did. Her eyes finally closed and she drifted off to sleep.

Shawn saw the light go off in Kenzi’s bedroom and he began to pace. They hadn’t talked in a real sense since Layla had been gone. Kenzi was just starting to realize her emotions towards what had happened.

Kenzi had been so happy that day playing with Molly/Janey in the water. It was like she’d forgotten what happened for a short while. Shawn hated to be the reminder of what had happened but they needed to talk about it.

“This isn’t the place to do that, though,” Shawn said to himself as he turned off all the lights and flipped on the television. He fell asleep dreaming about Kenzi with her hair long and dripping wet.

Chapter 6

Kenzi could feel her heart beating fast. She could hear Layla calling out to her in her babyish voice.

“Mama!”

Kenzi ran towards her voice but couldn’t find her. Suddenly, she was back at Farmington Place in the crowded square with Mimi and Danielle for the Independence Day festival. They were all cooing at Layla and laughing as she giggled at them.

“Mama,” she cooed at Kenzi.

“Oh, she said Mama. Is that the first time she’s said it?” Mimi shrieked.

Kenzi nodded proudly. A car accident in front of Farmington Place distracted all of them for a moment. Kenzi turned back and let out a terrified cry.

Layla was gone! All that was left of her was the stroller and Kenzi’s shopping bags.

“Oh, my god! Layla’s gone! Call the police! Call Shawn,” Kenzi screamed as she raced through the crowd looking for her baby.

After looking for hours, Kenzi finally sat down as a police officer told her that they hadn’t found Layla. Kenzi’s shoulders slumped and sobs tore through her body.

Kenzi came awake instantly and she stifled a scream. She hadn’t had a dream about the kidnapping in a long, long time. It still hurt to think about it. The police, the FBI had never found Layla.

Kenzi looked at her calendar and realized that in a few days it would be Layla’s fifth birthday. Kenzi pulled her knees to her chest and rocked