The Break Up Plan

49: FEBRUARY THIRTEEN

Merry Christmas everyone❤🌲
I hope y'all are having an amazing Christmas despite the situation right now, I wish you all happiness and joy💕

***
I wake up with a crick in my neck and a glance at my phone tells me it's five twenty-six am.

I glance down and Cole is sleeping fitfully, still holding unto me like I'm his last shred of sanity. A tear rolls down my cheek as I finally process what has happened.

Christopher Jackson, the man that abused and killed his own daughter and scarred his son for life is dead. I can't even begin to understand what Cole is feeling. If you'd asked me beforehand what I thought he'd feel, my answer would have been relief, maybe even satisfaction but now I see that it's far deeper than that.

The scar that man has left is too deep and too brutal.

I slowly and gently untangle myself from Cole, settling him down on the carpet. I push myself up, feeling my body ache in protest.

First things first. Thankfully, Cole's blanket is too thick to be ripped apart by hand so I gather it up and lay it over his shivering body. Both his pillows are ripped to shreds so I borrow one from Riley's room and gently place it under his head.

I flinch when his phone starts to ring and I fumble blindly, looking for it and when I finally find it, I leave the room to answer the call.

"Baby? Are you okay?"

"Gabby, it's Bella"

"Oh" she sobs in relief, "thank God you're there, I was so worried, leaving him behind like that"

"Are you okay? What happened?"

She sniffs, "they found him hanging from a shower head in the bathroom" she pauses to collect herself, "I don't understand why it hurts this much"

I bite my lip, "I'm so sorry, Gabby" not that he's dead, but that he left such a terrible scar on the people that he was supposed to protect and care for.

"How's my baby? When we left, he was just frozen, staring at the wall" she sniffs.

I sigh and that's all the answer she needs.

She sniffs again, "Bella, I'll be out here for a few more days, could I ask you a favor?"

"Of course, I'll stay with him" I tell her without missing a beat.

"Thank you, I don't know what happened between you two but-"

"It's infinitesimally inconsequential compared to the fact that I'll be here for him no matter what, you can rest easy Gabby"

She exhales, "thank you, Bella"

I nod, "give my love to Riley and please try to get some rest"

"I'll try. I'll call again soon. Thank you so much Bella"

After I hang up the phone, I head to the bathroom and fill a bowl with cold water and grab some towels. By the time I'm replacing the third towel on his forehead, the sun is peaking in through his curtains and his fever hasn't reduced one degree.

Coles eyes flutter open around six and he's disoriented. He looks up at me, his eyes void of recognition and he slowly tries to sit up.

I help him into a sitting position, placing the pillow between him and the bed so he can rest his back.

I try to get him to focus on me. His beautiful green emeralds are drained of their sparkle and dead eyes stare into mine. I force a smile, "hi"

He blinks.