Trauma of the Forest (Meadema)

~ Chapter 78: The Sacrifice ~

Two weeks later

27 weeks pregnant, two weeks had passed here in the police shelter, two weeks without a trace of those men. How? How could it be that those stupid men, who had forgotten for a moment that a phone could help them find their identity, were suddenly so smart? How could they have escaped from the police? Not once, not twice, but just 3 times? And all this while those men were simply walking around freely and they themselves were locked up here, while the roles should actually have been the other way around.

Today seemed to be another hopeless day, a Saturday without any fun, without any physical activity, just spending it alone in the cold room again. Viv was already awake, very early, because it was still pitch dark outside and the clock showed that it was only 6am, but she was awake anyway. She felt the baby in Beth's belly slowly waking up too, she felt very carefully some kicks against her side, against which Beth had laid her belly. Beth herself, she had been so far gone in her sleep since those tranquilizers, that almost nothing could wake her up.

Viv lay down on her side, a little lower than she was before, and very carefully placed her warm hand under Beth's t-shirt on her belly and started whispering. 'Hey little one, are you awake too? Doing your morning stretches in mommy's belly? Or maybe are you going to sleep for a while too? Then we can try to get mommy to sleep as long as possible, so that she has lots of energy and is very strong for when she helps you into the world in a few months. I love you so much little one'.

Then she slowly came up again, to Beth's eye level and carefully placed her arm around Beth. 'Hmmm baby, you're so sweet'. Viv felt Beth's arms being wrapped around her body, whereupon she tightened her grip on Beth a little and helped her to lie comfortably against her. 'I love you liefie. Try to get some more sleep, it's still early'.

Viv didn't even have to say it, because before she had finished her last words, Beth's deep breaths and soft snores could be heard again. She pressed a soft kiss to Beth's forehead, placed her hand on Beth's belly to help calm the baby down, and then closed her eyes for a moment. It was those little moments, so intimate with her family, when it felt like nothing was happening at all.

Three hours later it was Viv again who opened her eyes first, Beth again the one who was still sleeping. With her own phone lying on the table, she decided to scroll through Instagram on Beth's phone, hoping that Beth would be able to sleep a little longer, knowing how much energy Beth needs on a day where they never really know what will happen..

She enjoyed watching social media again, no more that fireball, no more that devastation, of course still all kinds of sad messages that came by, but more the normal, almost self-evident messages. But also a flood of families, skating, sledding, families who all spent time with their loved ones during these winter days.

She couldn't help but think about how this will be for her in two years, when they have a toddler who can just walk with whom she and Beth can play in the snow, with whom they can walk on the ice. On the other hand, it also gave her sad feelings, because now, enjoying the winter with their own family, wasn't possible, while they certainly needed it so much now.

And then suddenly, a video call came on the screen, from June, Beth's mother. Viv frowned, of course they called their parents regularly, but at this time? This was new, this didn't quite make sense. With Beth still asleep, she decided to pick up the phone herself. 

The image she got wasn't exactly the image she expected, not that big smile from June that they normally get on the screen, not the enthusiasm with which she normally greets them. 'Hey June, Hey Rich, are you guys okay?'. There was a pause on the line, a bit too long according to Viv.