Tough Love (Book 2)

15. Jealousy

~Leon Kelly~

I looked at the girl, laying asleep in my arms. I looked at the tv and the Barbie movie which was still playing. I turned off the tv and the DVD player. I left her on the couch as not to interrupt her slumber. I took off her glasses and placed them on the table so we wouldn't have any accidents.

I went to brush my teeth then had a shower. I was getting dressed when I heard Sydney's panicked voice coming from the living room. "Uncle Leon?!"

I was quickly putting on my pants when i heard her call me again.

"Uncle Leon?! Where are you?"

"Syd? I-I'm here," I called zipping up my pants and doing the button.

I rushed out the room to see her darting into the extra room. I followed her in to see her trying to open the wardrobe as I heard the sound of breaking glass in the distance.

I finally understood what was going on. She was having a flashback. The sound of glass breaking must've triggered it.

"Sydney?"

She didn't hear me. She was hyperventilating as she struggled to get the locked wardrobe door open. Tears flooded her face, desperation clearly evident.

I grabbed her shoulders and spinned her around so she would face me. I got down on one knee so I was her height.

"Syd? Look at me."

"Uncle Leon... are they- are they back? Are they gonna kill me?" she cried trying to break free.

"Syd... no one's here to hurt you. It's just you and me. Those men are never coming back."

"B-b-but I heard a-"

"Sydney... calm down. Take a deep breath."

"They're gonna hurt me!" she screamed trying to back away.

"Shhh... look at me-"

"No!! They're coming!! I have to go! Let me go!"

I held her to my chest and sang her a song. "You can count on me like 1 2 3, I'll be there, and I know when I need it, I can count on you like 4 3 2, you'll be there, cause thats what friends are s'posed to do oh yeah, oh oh oh ohh, oh oh oh ohh, yeah yeah..."

When I finished the song and she was finally calm, I broke the hug and looked at her. I wiped her tears and asked her, "You alright?"

She nodded.

"Okay. I need to finish getting dressed, then we'll have breakfast, and then after my meeting with my boss we'll visit Zee. Okay?"

She nodded.

"Alrighty."

I went to get dressed while she brushed her teeth and had a bath. While she was getting dressed I was making pancakes. We had breakfast. I did the dishes while she watched some tv. When I finished I went to get my phone and her bag.

"Syd? Lets go."

She turned off the tv and was approaching me.

"Your glasses," I reminded her.

"Glasses?"

"On the coffee table."

She looked over her shoulder and I could swear she was staring at the glasses for a whole two seconds. She looked at me again, confusion plastered on her face. "What glasses?"

"Your glasses child!"

She looked over her shoulder again and it clicked. "Oohhh! My glasses!"

I rolled my eyes as she went to get them and put them on. "Lets go."