They squeeze each other so tight, and I am right there behind them, wrapping my arms around both of them.
This is where they belong. Both of my girls are here, and they're right where they belong.
Everything slows down at that point, and the wave of relief that hits me is so profound I almost fall asleep on my feet. Something tells me tomorrow is just going to be sleeping.
As we're standing there, we watch a handful of cops drag Neil out of the building and shove him into a cop car.
His nose is still pouring blood, and an EMT comes by to help plaster on a bit of gauze.
I only wish I could have gotten in a few more punches before he was put inside the squad car.
But at least we're here. The three of us are together. And Neil is going away for a very,verylong time.
“I’ve got you, girls. I’ve got you right here.” I squeeze Hazel and Jade. “And I’m going to take you home.”
THIRTY-SIX
Hazel
Neil was arrested two days ago. Neil was arrested two days ago and placed in jail with so much mounting evidence against him that the officer told me it would be basically impossible for him to get out.
And after those 48 hours, I still can't believe this is where we are. An exhaustion so heavy it feels like I'm walking through concrete has stuck with me since we left that warehouse.
The first place we went was the hospital, of course. The doctors needed to check out Jade to make sure that she was okay.
They insisted on looking me over as well, but I only had a slight scratch on my neck from the knife and a mild concussion again from where Neil smashed my head into the ground.
It wasn't nearly as bad this time. I wasn’t unconscious.
Still, Easton was around us, hovering over Jade and me like a protective Papa the entire time. We were allowed to stay in the same room, and I was so grateful.
I couldn’t be away from Jade or Easton. I just couldn't.
We're home now. We were released since everything was okay, and I know I'm supposed to go back to our regular routine to make life normal again, but I don't know how to do that.
I still can't believe that Neil is probably going into a much more secure facility and for a much longer time.
I'll testify against him again if I need to, but everybody is trying to keep that possibility to a minimum. They know how hard it was for me the first time.
We're just sitting in Easton's house, and it's quiet. The security system has been fixed again, and I know Easton feels terrible about how it failed in the first place.
Ifeel terrible because I went out to that warehouse.
I know it was reckless. I know that I should have told Easton and told the police. But I was terrified that something might happen to Jade.
I love her so much, and my first instinct was to do whatever I could to keep her safe.
Easton has been good about reminding me that it wasn't my fault, that I was doing everything for the right reason, even if it was pretty reckless.
He's also been very good at reminding me that Jade adores me and she's home, we're both home.
I got her settled in bed last night when we got home from the hospital, and it felt familiar. She was nervous to fall asleep, which I understood, so both Easton and I crawled into her bed again, and we lay there with her until she finally closed her eyes and her breathing leveled out.
When it felt like we could, we slipped out of the bed and back into Easton’s room.
He held me in his arms the entire night. I didn't even need to ask. I fell asleep, hearing the sound of his heart pounding beneath my ear, my head on his chest.
I didn't have any dreams last night, and I'm grateful for that, but I don't know how long that peace is going to last.
