"Maya, we're at Grandma's house. Wake up, little sleepyhead."
Austin gently roused her, looking every bit the loving father. Maya rubbed her eyes and climbed out of the car, beaming.
The second my feet hit the ground, my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law grabbed my arms and pulled me toward the house.
"Maya, come inside with Mom. It's warm in there."
My daughter obediently reached for my hand. Just as I was about to grab her, Austin cut between us.
He scooped her into his arms and pointed at the waiting children. "Maya, didn't you always want to play with Tommy? Look—he and the others have yummy snacks for you."
Lollipops. Spicy strips. Potato chips. All the things I never let her eat. Her eyes lit up instantly.
When I reached for her again, she pulled back. "Mom, I don't wanna go inside. I wanna play hide-and-seek with the big kids."
"It's cold out. If you want to play, Mom will come with you in a bit."
My mother-in-law smiled. "Xinxin, you can't baby Maya so much. Country kids walk to school alone by five. Spoil them too much and they'll never grow up."
Her words opened the floodgates. All three sisters-in-law chimed in, taking turns to persuade me. Hearing the exact same lines from my past life, my lips wouldn't stop trembling.
"Mom, I'm not cold. I wanna play hide-and-seek with Tommy."
Maya's arms were already full of snacks. Austin produced a scarf and hat, bundling her up. "Go on, baby. Have fun."
I watched my daughter walk out the front gate with that group of kids. My heart pounded against my ribs. My phone stayed silent. No messages.
What if this time, even after everything I'd done, I still couldn't save her?
"Xinxin, stop staring at your phone. You don't visit often—chat with Leah and the others."
My mother-in-law called Austin to help in the kitchen. The three sisters-in-law stuck to me like shadows, watching my every move.
"I need the bathroom."
Clutching my stomach, I grabbed my phone and headed for the toilet. Daisy followed. "I'll come with you, sister-in-law. The outhouse takes some getting used to."
It was an outdoor pit toilet. Daisy waited on the other side of the wall.
"I'm here. Found Maya."
When that message came through, the knot in my chest finally loosened.
"Wait—here's a map I drew from memory. Stay put."
This time, I was going to find out exactly who wanted to hurt my daughter.