CHAPTER SIX:The Promise

Roberta's POV

The sitting room was too warm. Ziva and I had come out to wait for Jace. Ziva sat beside me on the couch, her legs swinging, her hands folded in her lap like she was trying to be small.

Jace walked in at ten o'clock.

His tie was loose. His shirt wrinkled. Dark circles carved his eyes. 

He looked stressed and broken.

He stopped when he saw us. His gaze moved from me to Ziva and back. Something in his face cracked.

"Roberta." His voice was hoarse. "Please. I'm begging you. Please save Nolan.”

He moved toward me. His knees bent. He was about to kneel.

I caught his arm. "Get up."

"I'll do anything. Anything. Just—" He swallowed. "Nolan is getting worse. The doctors said if we wait any longer"

"Ziva will do it."

The words came out flat. 

Jace froze. "What?"

"We've decided. She'll do the transplant."

He stared at me. His mouth opened. Closed. "You mean that? Are you serious right now?”

"I don't want to." I looked at Ziva. "But she does."

Jace turned to his daughter. He knelt—not all the way, but low enough to see her face. Then he did something I had never seen him do.

He lifted her.

His arms wrapped around her small body. He pulled her off the couch and held her against his chest. Her legs dangled. Her head fit under his chin.

Ziva's whole face transformed.

Her eyes went wide. Her mouth opened in a smile so bright it hurt to see. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held on like she'd been waiting her whole life for this moment.

Because she had.

"Daddy," she whispered.

He kissed her forehead. "You're such a brave girl, Ziva. So brave. What you're about to do—you're going to save a life. Daddy is so proud of you."

She buried her face in his shoulder.

I watched them. My husband held our daughter like she mattered. Like he had always wanted her.

He didn't. He wanted Nolan. He was just grateful someone was saving his son.

But Ziva didn't know that.

Jace set her down gently. Then he turned to me. His hands found my shoulders. His voice dropped low.

"Baby. Thank you."

Baby.

He had stopped calling me that for years. He must be really desperate to save Nolan.

He pulled me into a hug. His arms were tight. His chin rested on my head.

"I'll be better," he murmured. "I promise. I'll be the best husband and father. After this, everything changes."

I stood still in his arms. I didn't hug back.

"When the surgery is over," I said, "I want the divorce papers signed."

His body went rigid.

I stepped back. Took Ziva's hand.

"Come on, baby. Time for bed."

We walked upstairs. I didn't look back.

***

Ziva's room.

I tucked the blanket around her. Kissed her forehead. She caught my wrist before I could pull away.

"Mommy. Are you and Daddy really getting divorced?"

Her eyes were already wet.

"Yes… Ziva, I can't live with Daddy anymore.”

She blinked. A tear slid down her cheek.

"I don't want you to be sad, Mommy."

"I won't be sad. I'll have you."

She nodded slowly. "Okay. But let's save Nolan first."

I brushed the hair from her face. "Okay, baby."

"Will it hurt? The surgery?"

"You'll be asleep. You won't feel anything. When you wake up, there might be a little pain. But just for a little while."

Her face shifted. Fear flickered behind her eyes.

"Promise me I'll be okay."

I took her small hand. Squeezed.

"I promise."

She closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed. Her hand went slack.

I sat there until I was sure she was asleep.

Then I picked up my phone.

Fourteen missed calls. All from Millie.

My finger hovered over her name. The phone buzzed again.

"Millie."

"Oh my God." Her voice was breathless. "I've been calling for hours. Is it true? Are you really letting her do it?"

"Yes."

Silence. Long enough to feel heavy.

"Millie?"

"I'm here." A pause. "This isn't fair, Roberta. Not to her. Not to you.”

"I made the choice. Ziva made the choice. She wants to save him."

"Jace is heartless. You know that, right? He's using both of you."

I leaned my head against the headboard. "My bigger concern is the tramp who had a child for a married man and expects the wife to hand over her daughter as a donor. Can you imagine the audacity?"

Millie said nothing.

"Millie? You still there?"

"Yes. I'm listening." Her voice was strange. "The... the other woman. Whoever she is. She must really want to save her son."

"She should have thought about that before spreading her legs for someone else's husband."

Another pause. Longer.

"Just be careful, Roberta. Take care of Ziva. Kiss her for me."

"I will."

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Millie."

The call ended.

***

The next morning.

Jace had come by at dawn with documents. Consent forms. Release waivers. He said the hospital needed them signed in advance.

I signed without reading.

Strange, I thought. Shouldn't we sign these at the hospital?

But I didn't ask. I just wanted it over.

I packed Ziva's favorite blanket. Her rabbit. Her iPad for the drive.

She wore her pink dress—the one she called her "Hello cutie."

"You look beautiful, baby."

"Daddy will see me," she said, twirling. "He'll see how brave I am."

My chest ached. I smiled anyway.

Jace arrived at nine. He played with Ziva in the living room—tickled her, spun her around, made her laugh until she couldn't breathe.

She was glowing.

He's never done this before, I thought. He's never been a father to her.

But I didn't say it. I let her have this.

"We should go," Jace said. He grabbed his keys. "Car's outside."

We filed out together. Ziva climbed into the back seat. Her iPad glowed in her hands. Her blanket was tucked beside her.

I reached for the passenger door.

Jace stopped me.

"I forgot something." His face was smooth. "Important documents. They're on my laptop. Can you grab them?"

I sighed. Rolled my eyes.

"Ziva, Mommy will be right back. Okay?"

"Okay, Mommy." She didn't look up from her game.

I turned. Walked back inside.

There were no documents on his laptop. 

I frowned. Checked the drawer. The study. Nothing.

I walked back outside.

A black SUV was parked behind Jace's car. Irene's car.

I stopped.

Four men in suits climbed out. Two grabbed my arms. One opened the back door of Jace's car—where Ziva sat.

"Mommy?" Her voice was small. Scared.

The man reached in. He didn't hurt her. He just took her iPad. Took her blanket. Buckled her in like he was her chauffeur.

"What is this?" My voice came out wrong. "Jace?"

Jace stepped out of the driver's seat. He looked at me.

*You'll only make it harder for her. Stay home and wait. My mother and I Will handle thus.”

"Are you joking?” My voice rose.

Irene's window rolled down. She didn't smile. She didn't frown. She just looked at me like I was a piece of furniture being left on the curb.

"You're not coming, Roberta."

"No." I tried to pull free. The men held tight. "Ziva—Ziva, baby—"

"Mommy?" Her face pressed against the window. Her small hand flattened on the glass. "Mommy, why aren't you coming?"

I couldn't breathe.

Jace got back in the car. Started the engine.

"Please," I screamed. "Please don't take her without me. Please—"

The car pulled away.

Ziva's face stayed in the window. Her mouth moved. Mommy. Mommy.

The SUV followed.

The men released my arms. I fell to my knees.

The cars turned the corner. Disappeared.

I sat on the cold concrete. My hands were empty. My chest was a hole.