Grey , Lita and Knives ’ mouths fell open , unsure how to answer . While Grey could believe Old Man was a father , even he couldn ’ t believe the bastard had told his young daughter what he was doing in the basement !
Their silent replies were enough for Tabitha , however , because she nodded again , her pillow crinkling loudly . For the first time since they ’ d entered , an expression broke onto her face . It was sorrow . “ I knew it . He said the three other people were criminals the prisons gave him , but I didn ’ t believe him .”
“ Where is your dad , anyway ?” asked Knives . They looked behind them onto the landing , as if expecting him to be there . “ He said he was going to get groceries .” “ He left you here by yourself ?” “ It ’ s not a big deal ,” Tabitha replied . “ I ’ m ten years old . Besides , I ’ m used to it . Daddy can ’ t leave anyone else with me . Not since Mommy went to Heaven .”
Ten years old ? Grey thought . She doesn ’ t look like it . He cleared his throat again and asked , “ Why can ’ t your dad leave you with anyone else ?”
Tabitha ’ s sorrowful expression deepened . To Grey , it was ten times — no , a hundred times sadder than her father ’ s face when Grey and the girls had first met him . And he ’ d looked like the saddest man in the world back then .
“ I ’ m sick ,” she answered . “ Daddy says nobody else would be able to care for me like he does . I ’ m too delicate .”
She lifted her arm into the air , and her pillow made that crinkling sound again . Wait , her pillow ? That sounded like her whole damn arm !
Grey let go of Lita ’ s hand and went to Tabitha ’ s bed . She moved her arm closer to him . Grey noted how
84