JR SWAT 4: JunIor AdVocates

Chapter 15: Finding yourself

Several minutes went by. The group moved to a seating area just outside of the hospital emergency waiting room entrance. Chen was still in shock, while both girls sobbed quietly. Hondo kept Leyla close to his chest, standing besides the bench, where Kelly and Luca sat. The older officer kept his arm around Kelly's shoulder, while the girl kept her head down. Deacon and both ladies chatted quietly, while Tan explained the situation to Calvin.

Suddenly, Leyla moved, pulling herself back slowly. Hondo noticed and immediately straightened up, to allow her to stand comfortably. She sniffed and sobbed softly.

"Leyla. You ok?" Hondo called, staring at her.

Sniff. Sniff. Leyla raised her head up, revealing a damp face with teary eyes. Her expression was that of defeat and despair. She was crushed.

SSSSCREEASSSSHHHH

"Baby! Leyla!" a woman's loud calls were heard, coming from the nearby sidewalk.

CLACK CLACK CLACK

Nobody had noticed that a car had stopped besides the sidewalk and a woman had gotten out. She wore a bright green headband, which held back a head full of curls. The woman clearly had been crying, as her makeup was completely ruined. Now, in the silence of the night, all that was heard was the sound of the heels hitting the ground as the woman raced towards the teen. The teenager immediately recognized the woman's voice and turned. Both raced towards one another and began to sob in each other's arms.

"Momma! No!" Leyla cried.

"I'm sorry, baby! I'm so sorry!" the lady replied.

The crowd stared as mother and daughter wrapped each other in a long hug. The lady held on, and kept talking to the teen, trying to bring comfort with her words. After some seconds, she placed both hands on the teen's shoulders and pulled away slowly.

"Baby, it's gon be alright. Ok?" the lady said, as the teen nodded. "Let's go home."

Leyla couldn't respond, as she was speechless. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. So, she nodded in response and began walking to the car. Hondo took a step forward and leaned, noticing someone was in the driver's seat of the car in the curb some twenty feet away.

He recognized the lady with the green on her head from the bombing incident in school. Although he'd never cross words, even when Leyla and Kelly were rescued from the drug house a couple of weeks ago, he'd heard about her. As a matter of fact, recently he went to visit old friends from his hood and ran up to Miss Hope, the lovely old lady that owns a salon close to where he grew up. She'd heard of Leyla's mother and her shop, since it was one of the most popular spots for the younger crowd. She described the women to Hondo as "lovely woman, but terrible temper. She's been lucky enough to not be victim of the break ins happening in that side of town, but only coz even criminals don't wanna deal with her flare!"

"Wait for me in the ca'. I'll be right there!" the lady whispered.

Leyla nodded and began to walk slowly to it, head down, still sniffing and sobbing. The lady turned to the group and stared at Kelly.

"Kelly, baby?" she called, getting Kelly's attention. The teen was still sitting next to Luca in the bench, "You got a place for t'night or you wanna stay with Ley?"

Sniff. "Yes, ma'am. I wanna stay with Leyla."

"Well... go on now!" she responded gesturing to the car.

The crowd watched quietly as Kelly nodded to Luca, who responded with the same gesture. He then stood and walked towards the lady. They hugged and soon the teen made her way to the car.