divine, calum hood

winslow's new protector.

"I did some digging."

Calum looked up from his Macbook that was on his desk, sitting in his office during the after hours of his shift as he watched some bullshit show his girlfriend showed him.

"What's up?" Calum looked up, hitting the pause button on Netflix.

"I looked into Winslow's record. After Jackson Stoker came in and was acting like a stuck up, pardon me, son of a bitch, I got curious." Luke said, sitting at the other end of Calum's desk. "I found the basics. Her full name, birthday, biological parents, where she was born, vaccinations — like I said the basics."

"Mmhm," Calum nodded.

"Her mom, Evie, died in childbirth 3 years ago, but that was after she had given up rights to Winslow. Hain, her father, was her primary care taker until she was 6." Luke read from the piece of paper, "He apparently left her at the doorstep of a police station a month before her birthday. She was recorded in 20 different foster homes in the past 10 years. They moved her to California after being in Texas for her whole life, at 13. She's been in 3 since she turned 13."

Calum pursed his lips. "20 different ones?"

"Yeah," Luke blew out a breath. "Winslow reported 6 of them for abuse, no one believed her — but get this, each one at least a year after she reported them, have been charged for child neglect."

Calum scoffed. "Fucking foster system."

"The other ones just—" Luke paused to put up quotation marks. "—didn't like her."

Calum frowned. "She seems like a sweet girl."

"She is." Luke nodded. "A nurse told me she had handmade each one a letter because she felt like she was being a burden."

A frown appeared on Calum's face once more. Winslow Hawksley was far from being an unlikeable person. From their interactions, she seemed like a sweet girl.

Back in Winslow's room, the teenager was standing in the bathroom while in front of the mirror. Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks as she examined the bruise on her cheek.

She had been trying to fill out paperwork for Jackson for the past 2 hours but she couldn't get herself to finish through the unwanted tears.

"Snap out of it," She told herself, wiping the tears. "You're fine. Breathe."

Winslow had been in so many foster homes during her life, and each one might've been hell but in a home environment. It was getting upsetting — why had no one wanted her?

"Honey?"

Winslow instantly snapped out of her negative mindset, turned around faster than anything, and saw a lady in scrubs standing there. She blinked.

"Yes?" Winslow mumbled.

"Hi, love." The nurse said softly, "I'm Dr. Woods. Josephine Woods. I'm just here to check up on you. Are you hungry or anything?"

Winslow shook her head softly. "Nope. Thanks."

"Are you okay?" Josephine asked gently, her eyes softening. "I've been through something similar to your situation. If you ever need an understanding hand, I'm here for you."

Winslow hesitated. Took a deep breath. "Can I ask you something?"

Dr. Woods instantly nodded and Winslow left the bathroom and went to sit down on the window ledge where it viewed out to the city. Josephine sat next to her.

"How do I...." She froze. "Stop feeling."

She began to feel choked up.

"H-How do I stop feeling like he's still... there?" Winslow mumbled. "I just. I still feel him. Like it was 20 minutes ago, and I want it to stop."

Josephine seemed to think for a very long time. Thinking of the right words to tell this 16 year old — a tough thing to think about.

"It doesn't go away for a while." She finally said, meeting Winslow's eyes. "I will tell you that. But I will set you up with the therapist of this hospital to help you through this. His name is Dr. Irwin. He's very good at what he does."

Winslow bit the inside of her cheeks and smiled softly, "Thank you."

Josephine nodded. "I want you to know that he is never ever entering this room. He won't even set foot into this hospital. I won't let him. Dr. Hemmings, Dr. Hood, and Dr. Irwin will not let him."

Winslow took a deep breath. For some reason, that is what she needed to hear. A vow that the man who ruined her life for a long time won't ever come near her.

"Thank you." She finally said.

That night, Josephine did not go home. Before planning to leave, she found Winslow silently panicking in the bathroom while trying to strip off all of her clothes — which Josephine realized that she felt suffocated, from the man who ruined her, and soothed her.

She laid in bed with Winslow for a very long time.

Josephine would not let this little girl feel like she had no one.