Mixed Direction

Chapter Thirty- Two: Shattered Glass

 {Perrie's POV}

Hope is the only thing stronger than fear. We've all heard the saying. We all understand what people mean when they say it, but we don't actually understand it until we feel it. You can believe in the words, but can you believe in the emotion? Pain is real, but so is hope. 

We constantly hope for an outcome that we want, or one that we want for other people. Sometimes that outcome might not be the best outcome for you, but it is the one that you know is the right one. We also hold onto the tiny bit of hope that bad situations will turn out like they did in the fairy tails we read when we were young. 

Where everything is suddenly resolved and the prince saves his princess, allowing them to both embrace one another and share a passionate long awaited kiss. For children they are perfect. Even for adults, fairy tails are perfect. But perfect isn't real, there's no such thing. 

Life is real. We learn through pain and through hope who is going to help us, who is really going to stick around. We grasp at what we can because we were created to survive. We were given our lives because we are supposed to live them. 

But why do we always hold onto hope, even when it's hopeless.....

The knocking at the door makes me stop stacking plates into the dishwasher and stand up right, drying my hands with the tea towel and then placing it down on the counter. I close the dishwasher up slightly and then walk around the corner, heading across to the entry hall and stopping before the front door. 

Who would be knocking on the door in the middle of the day on a Friday? All the others can get through the front gates and they don't knock, they just barge on in. Unless... No, he wouldn't knock. It's his own home, and it hasn't been a week yet. 

My stomach starts to churn and I feel sick, thinking about the fact that in a few moments when I open the door I might be face to face with him. What the heck would I say? Do I want him to be on the other side of the door. I'm not mad at him, but that doesn't necessarily mean I want to see him. Except, part of me is hoping that it is him, just to know that he's okay. 

I reach out to the handle and wrap my hand around it, turning the knob and pulling the door towards me, coming face to face on the door step with a woman. I just look at her, confused at how she got this far up. Mind you, I hate those front gates so much I just leave them unlocked most of the time. Who's going to come in? 

"Hi! Perrie," the lady smiles and I nod, still trying to work out whether I know her or not... she looks familiar, but I can't be sure. "Emma, remember, from the other day at the hospital. The social worker, is this a good time?" The lady reminds me and I feel my cheeks flush red, embarrassed that I forgot her in only three days. 

"Sorry, yes," I nod my head. I also forgot about the fact that she told me that she would be around to ask me questions within the next couple of days regarding the adoption of Henry. "Please, come in," I step aside and Emma walks in, allowing me to close the door. 

As she takes off her shoes I walk back towards the living area, kicking stuff out of her path as she follows behind me. The house isn't messy, there's just random stuff lying in odd places- like normal. 

"You have a nice home," Emma compliments as I offer her a seat at the dining room table, moving Ellie's home reading folder and books out of the way, clearing some space for her. I also move the high chair that is next to her and place it next to the other one, so it's not right next to her head. 

"Thank you," I reply to the comment. "Would you like a cup of tea, coffee, water?" I offer. 

"Water is fine, thank you," Emma gives me a warm smile. She is one of those people that you feel comfortable with just by her outer self, let alone the kindness of her inner self. Emma is a very kind person inside and out.