My Pace

Chapter 48

Anabelle's POV
Ariella wandered into my room. She was crying. She ran up to the bed. Holt picked her up and put her in the middle of us.

"H-he's gonna get me!"

Holt started rubbing her back.

"No one is gonna get you Ariel."

"Come here."

She laid down and started hugging my arm. I wrapped it around her.

"It's okay."

She curled up into a ball.

"I'm scared!"

"I know. I know."

"You're okay."

Me and Holt, stayed up for a while to make sure, she stayed asleep.

"She should start therapy."

"I've been thinking about that for a few days now."

I woke up and saw, she was snuggling with Holt. He was still sleeping too.

Awwww!

They look so adorable!

I grabbed my phone and took a picture of them. Holt woke up.

"Morning."

"Good morning. Is she still sleeping?"

He looked down at her. He moved hair out of her face.

"Yeah. She's still sleeping. I'll stay here for a while so, she can sleep."

Holt's POV
Anabelle walked away. Ariella opened her eyes.

"Hi daddy."

"Hey sweetie. Did we wake you?"

She shook her head.

"Can I go back to sleep?"

"Yes. Only for a little bit. Are you hurting?"

"No."

"Hey Curran? Can you come here?"

"Yeah. I'll be right back."

I got up and walked out of my room. Anabelle closed the door.

"What's wrong?"

"I just got a call from a detective."

"Oh no. What happened?"

"They want Ariel to testify."

"They seriously wanna traumatize her all over again? No. No way. You seriously, cannot be considering this."

"I-I don't like it either. I-it has to happen though."

"Ana, no. It's what? 7 am? It's too early for this shit."

"That's what, I said. They're really pushing this. I got threatened with a subpoena."

"A-are you kidding me? Is it just us?"

"No. I talked to Alice's mom. They got a call too."

"See? That's the other thing. We can't let her find out. We can't even say it!"

"I-I know. I know. Maybe, we should just say it."

"How the hell, are we supposed to explain to a 5 year old that, her best friend is dead?"

"Ali's dead?"

I looked and saw Ariella. She started crying.

"Oh no."

I picked her up.

"Yeah...you're right. She's not gonna do it. She can't."

"Thank you."