Madison's Journey

Part 6: Tobin's POV

Tobin's POV

As Christain and I are getting ready for bed I once again knock on Madison's door to check on her, and once again I do not get a response.

I poke my head in and just like a few hours ago, I don't see her. 'Don't tell me she's still in the closet.' Her dinner plate is sitting next to her on the floor of the closet.

"Tobs, where'd you go?"

"Madison's room."

Christain comes in and meets me at the doorway to the closet.

When she sees the small girl her hand goes over her mouth to stifle a gasp.

I pick up her plate, "We're going to have to get her appetite up."

Chris nods in agreement, "I knew this was going to be hard for us and for her, but I don't think we understood how hard this is going to be."

"I know, we'll just have to make sure to be here for whatever she needs and continue to be here no matter what."

I hand the plate off to Chris and bend over to gently pick up the sleeping girl, 'She is way too light to be healthy.' Struggling slightly I'm able to get the sleeping girl up onto her bed without waking her.

Heading out of her room we quietly close the door leaving the child in total darkness. Chris immediately hugs me burying her face in my neck.

"She thought I was going to hit her earlier," I share with my girlfriend.

"What?" She asks, jerking away in shock.

"Ya, I tried giving her her plate and she flinched back. She was already curled into a ball in the corner of the closet. I feel like we are going to find her there a lot. Anyway, she was crying. She's traumatized and she's scared." I pause, "All I want to do is take away her pain and make it better."

Christian smiles at me, "I think that's what being a parent is."

"I think we're all going to be ok."

"Me too. Me too."

The next morning
Madison's POV

When I wake up I am laying on the bed. 'Did Tobin or Christain put me here? Why would they do that?' I climb down off the bed but don't leave the room as I don't know if I'm allowed to leave the room. 'Mine as well get ready for the day.'

I change into a new outfit and brush through my hair.

When I'm done I sit on the bed and wait for Tobin or Christian to come and get me.

It's a little over an hour later when Christian knocks on the door. I don't say anything and let her just open the door and come in.

"Hey," she greets, way too happy for eight o'clock in the morning. "You want to come down for breakfast? Tobin's making pancakes."

I nod my head and follow her downstairs.

When we get downstairs I see Tobin at the counter flipping pancakes. Christin walks into the kitchen and grabs something out of the pantry and the fridge.

"Ok Madison," she says seriously. "Chocolate chips or blueberries?"

I let out a small laugh, "Ch-ocol-late ch-chips, p-please."

"She speaks!!" Tobin shouts causing me to jump in shock.

"Alright then," Christian says, handing me the bag. "Take as much as you would like."

When Tobin gives me my plate I top the pancakes with a handful of chocolate chips each.

"What do you want to drink?"