Chapter 5 - Breathe With Me Mia
I could hear her before I could see her clearly, that thin catching gasp at the top of every breath.
She was right at the edge above me. I saw the pale shape of her beige dress and her bare feet pulled back from the dark, and her hands gripping the floor so hard her knuckles had gone white. The man in the black suit had one hand hovering near her shoulder like he didn't know if touching her would help or make it worse.
"Mia," I said. My voice came out rough from crying. "Hey. I'm right here."
She made a sound that wasn't a word. Just air snagging in her throat. Her ponytail had come half loose and stuck to her wet cheek.
I forced myself to slow down. If I panicked, she would shatter. "Can you hear me breathing? Listen."
Down in that stone space the air was close and warm, and every breath I took echoed a little. I made it loud on purpose. In through my nose. Out through my mouth. I counted in my head so I wouldn't rush her.
"Do it with me," I said. "Breathe in with Mommy. Like this."
I breathed in. I waited. Up above, I heard her try and choke halfway.
"That's okay," I said quickly. "Again. Just a little one. In —"
The man spoke low, almost to himself. "Easy. Easy, kiddo."
I glanced toward him. He was crouched at the side of the hatch, his face tense, looking from her to the bright hall behind them. He was listening for footsteps. I knew the other man had gone. I knew we didn't have much time. But I couldn't hurry her through this.
"Out," I whispered. "Good. Again, baby."
This time she got a full breath in. Shaky, but full. Then let it out in a stutter. I nodded even though she probably couldn't see me well in the dim light.
"Good girl. One more. In with me."
We did it three more times. In. Out. In. Out. Her gasping got wider apart. Her shoulders stopped jerking so hard. The man slowly lowered his hand onto her back, just resting it there, and she didn't pull away.
"I'm here," I said again. "You found me. You did so good."
She sniffled. "Mommy," she whispered. "I couldn't — I couldn't breathe."
"I know. It's scary in the dark. But you breathe with me now, okay? Just stay right there where he can see you. Don't lean in."
He shifted his weight, keeping his body between her and the hall. "She's got you," he told her quietly. "Just keep listening to her voice."
For a second there was only the sound of us breathing together. My wrists ached where the rope dug in, but I kept my hands up where she could see them, open. I didn't want her staring at the bindings.
Then her voice came, very small. "They said you left."
My chest tightened. "Who said that, baby?"
She wiped her nose with the back of her hand. "They said you went away. That you didn't want —" She stopped and breathed fast again. "That you left us for three days."
I closed my eyes for a heartbeat. Three days. She'd been told that while I was under the floor knocking.
"No," I said. I kept my voice even. "Look at me, Mia. I never left you. Do you hear me? I never left."
Above me, the man went very still. I saw his jaw tighten. He heard it. He understood what that lie meant. He didn't interrupt, just filed it behind that restrained, concerned look and kept his hand steady on her back.
"He said you —" Her voice broke. "Nathan said don't cry about it."
The name hit the stone air and stayed there. I didn't react the way I wanted to. I just kept breathing with her.
"Mia," I said. "I need you to promise me something. Very important."
She nodded, tears still sliding.
"Don't go find Nathan right now. Even if you see him. Even if you're scared. You stay with this man, okay? He'll stay with you. Promise Mommy."
She looked up at the man. I saw his dark suit sleeve as he leaned a little closer so she could see his face.
"I'll stay," he said to her. "I'm not going anywhere."
She looked back down into the dark at me. "I promise," she whispered.
"Good," I said. My throat burned. "Say it again slow, so your breathing stays slow."
"I promise," she said again, steadier. "I won't go to Nathan."
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I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. She was still crying, still terrified, but her air was moving. She was with me.
"Stay breathing with me," I whispered. "In — out. That's my girl."
