Loving Her (UNEDITED)

Catilina

   "Kaden your shoes are already by the door!" I yelled out to my son who was tearing the house apart looking for his shoes.

   I poured some food in the dogs food bowls before letting them back inside.

   "Breakfast is ready." I called out, setting their plates on the tables.

   The boys had decided to leave for school early to see if anyone knew where Esme was, Killian and Rylee got an address from Esme's phone so they rushed off to check it out, and I'm at the house with the dogs and the triplets trying to get them ready for daycare so I can go to work.

   The kids come running downstairs and began eating.

   I quickly packed their little lunch boxes and put their stuff by the door. "Do y'all have y'all's drawings?" I asked.

   "Yes mommy." They replied.

   Ten minutes later and we where out the door.

   "Have a good day, I love you my babies." I said as I hugged them good bye.

   "Love you too mommy." The replied before running off.

   I left and pulling into the studio, hoping I wasn't too late.

   "Catilina thank god your finally here. Where's Rylee?" Our manager asked.

   "His daughter is sick so he's gonna record his parts later. I lied easily.

   They don't need to know that his daughter was kidnapped because her dad was in the mafia. How the hell do you even tell someone that without sounding like a criminal?

   "We will just have to work with it I guess." She scoffed.

   We don't really like our manager, she's what they call a raging bitch.

   She flirted nonstop with Rylee when we first met her until she found out he was gay.

   The first time she met Rylee's boyfriend she tried to hoop up with him as well.

   She constantly tells us we aren't good enough and yet we made it this far without her so what is her problem?

   "Let's just get this over with." She rolled her eyes.

   "Me and Rylee actually have a new piece we've been working on so let's try that first and see what you think." I said to Tim in the chair.

   "Sure just let me know when your ready." He replied.

   Tim is nice and respectful and never fails to amaze me with his recording abilities.

   I handed him the paper with the notes on it before walking into the booth and putting the headset on.

   I nodded to let Tim know I was ready and he began the music.

                            ~•~

   "Oh Esme baby are you okay?" I asked, pulling her into my arms.

   She broke down and started crying as she held on to me.

   "It's okay your safe now." I said softly, kissing her head.

   "Cat can I talk to you?" Rylee asked.

   "Yeah." I said before turning back to Esme. "I'll be right back." As I followed Rylee into the hall.

   "She hasn't said a word to me or Darian since we brought her to the hospital, she won't even talk to Kingston and their best friends." He said frantically.

   "You think something happened while she was gone?" I asked softly.

   "I think she needs a mother figure right. Maybe a woman's comfort will help better than all the men crowding her right now." He sighed.

   "I think you're right. And I will not leave her side until she tells me to. And she will talk when she's ready, you just have to give her time to process everything. I can't imagine how much ptsd this is bringing up from before you adopted her." I explained.

   "Jesus I didn't even think about the ptsd possibility." I groaned.

   "Ryls She's gonna be okay, she has all of us here for her. I will sit with her, comfort her, do whatever she needs." I assured him before walking back in the room.

   I sat in the chair beside her bed.

   "Esme honey?" I said softly.

   She looked up at me with teary eyes.

   "Are you okay? Physically I mean." I asked. I don't need to ask if she's okay mentally, I know she's not.

   "She looked like you." She whispered.

   "Who looked like me?" I asked.

   "The lady that was in there with me."

   I looked at her with furrowed brows, before gently taking her hand. "Can you tell me more about her?"

   "She had black hair and green eyes. Bright green eyes like you. And she said she had been there for a long time." She explained.

   "How long?"

   "Thirty years." She said.

   Our conversation was cut short when Rylee came in with the doctor. "He needs to talk to Esme but needs her guardian present." Rylee said.

   I nodded as I got up and hugged her. "Talk to your dad, he really really loves you." I whispered before leaving the room.

   "What'd she say?" Killian asked.

   "She said there was a lady with her that looked like me, that had been there for thirty years." I explained.

   "Aren't you thirty?" He asked.

   "Don't remind me." I rolled my eyes.

   "I'm thirty-one so I win." He said. "I'm gonna make a phone call I'll let you know if I found out anything on the woman." He said.

   "Okay I'm gonna go pick the kids up." I replied.

   "Wait I'm going with you." He stated, walking after me.