The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 416

He pointed to a lane a few yards away. "You can go rest over there. You'll be able to see us just by looking up."

It was a very natural suggestion.

Clara glanced at him. "Alright."

Nettie looked at the family of three and tactfully took a step back, not wanting to disturb the father and son. She hurried to the concession stand to get Clara a cup of warm water, then led her to the nearby lounge chairs.

"You must be Rhys's wife, right? Your little boy is so handsome. He inherited all the best traits."

Clara couldn't manage a smile. She just grunted in agreement and looked at the girl still standing awkwardly beside her. "Don't just stand there. Sit."

Nettie sat down right next to Clara. The moment she settled in, the tears she'd been holding back started to fall.

Clara pulled a pack of tissues from her purse and handed one to her.

Nettie took it, her thanks choked with sobs.

"I'm just so emotional, ma'am. For the past four years, I've wanted to thank Rhys in person."

Clara replied, "He's a police officer. Saving people is part of his job. You don't have to keep it in mind all the time."

Nettie shook her head. "It wasn't like that. During the explosion, Rhys was quite far from me; he wouldn't have been hurt. But he threw himself over me, shielding me with his back from the fire and the collapsing wall. There was blood and fire everywhere. I honestly thought he was dead."

"Then people from outside rushed in and dug us out. I was taken away in an ambulance, and I heard from the other officers who came to take my statement that Rhys was very seriously injured. He was in the ICU for days, and they issued several critical condition notices."

Clara kept her eyes fixed on Rhys in the distance.

He was holding Alex's wrist, helping him push the red bowling ball down the lane.

His posture was straight, his shoulders broad.

But beneath that sweater was the back Nettie had described as a bloody, burnt mess.

Beneath it were the ugly scars that would never fade.

Noah had mentioned Rhys's injuries from that explosion before, telling her that the pulmonary fibrosis he now suffered from was a result of it.

But hearing the clinical description from a doctor was entirely different from hearing the gruesome details from the person he'd saved.

Her breathing grew difficult.

Nettie was still talking.

"I went to the hospital to see him, but it was swarming with police. His family was there, too. They weren't letting anyone in."

"After he was discharged, I had a plaque of commendation made and sent it to the Police Department. But his captain said Rhys wasn't seeing visitors and didn't accept such things."

It was a date seared into Clara's memory.

On that very same day, they had each faced their own life-and-death ordeals.

Clara stared at the scar on Nettie's wrist, her vision blurring instantly.

Rhys had helped Alex bowl a few more times when he caught sight of the rest area out of the corner of his eye.

He saw the redness rimming Clara's eyes.

He said something to Alex and turned to walk toward them.

Nettie was about to leave, but seeing him approach, she once again stood straight and gave him a deep, formal bow.

"Rhys, thank you for giving me a second chance at life."

Rhys stopped and raised a hand as if to help her up.

"It's all in the past," Rhys said, looking at her. "You're still young. Work hard, and that will be the greatest thanks you can give me. Stop crying and get back to work."

Nettie nodded vigorously, then turned to go put away the scattered children's bowling balls.