Paradigm {Complete}

{Burning}

>>>

Toni's POV

My hands trembled as I clutched my phone..
the officer's words echoing in my mind.
My heart raced, each beat pounding in my chest like a war drum. I had sent Tatiana to Georgia, hoping that Keri would instill some discipline in Tatianna's rebellious self. Never in my worst nightmares did I imagine this outcome.

Kenny and I had immediately drove to Atlanta when Tatianna called, although the weather was bad we made it just in the nick of time.
We had to bring Kensley and Kenji and they went straight with Tamar and we brought Kaiya to her mother. The rest of the kids were on their own for now.

The hospital room was cold and sterile, the beeping of machines a constant reminder of the fragility of life. Tatiana laid on the bed, her face pale and gaunt,
tubes and wires snaking around her small frame. Seeing my daughter like this made my heart shatter  into a million pieces.

"How could he?" I whispered to myself, my voice cracked. "How could Keri do this... to his own daughter?"

A police officer stood at the foot of the bed, his expression stern but sympathetic.
"Mrs. Edmonds, we need to take Tatiana into custody for questioning. We understand this is difficult, but it's necessary."

"No!" My voice rose, filled with a mixture of anger and desperation. "She's just a child!
My child! She needs to come home with me!"

The officer shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we have procedures to follow. We need to ensure her safety and gather all the information we can."

My vision blurred with tears. "She's been through enough! I don't give a damn what you say,
I'm taking her home so she knows she's safe."

The officer glanced at us as we walked back in. "Mrs. Edmonds, I understand your concern, but we need to proceed with the questioning."

I took a deep breath, feeling Kenny's reassuring presence beside me.
"Can I stay with her? Just to make sure she doesn't feel alone?"

The officer hesitated, then nodded.
"You can stay, but please, let us do our job."

I nodded, squeezing Kenny's hand before letting go and approaching Tatiana's bedside. "Sweetheart, I'm here. Mom is here and so is Kenny..your dad..he's here Tati" I whispered, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Everything's going to be okay."

Tatiana's eyes fluttered open, and she looked at me with a mix of confusion and fear. "Mom?"

"I'm here, baby," I said softly, fighting back my tears. "The officers just need to ask you a few questions, okay? But I'm right here with you."

She nodded weakly, her eyes closing again. The officer stepped forward, his voice gentle. "Tatiana, can you tell us what happened?"

Tatiana's voice was barely a whisper.
"I... I didn't mean to. I just wanted to make him stop..." She began to cry.

The officer leaned in closer.
"It's okay, Tatiana. Take your time."

Kenny stood by the door, his eyes never leaving us. His presence was a silent promise of support, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this fight. Kenny didn't have to say much for me to know how he was feeling. I knew he was upset to see his daughter like this and I also knew he was pissed the hell off.

Tatiana's voice trembled as she spoke.
"He was so angry. I tried to run a couple times but he caught me. This time I just wanted him to stop..."

"Do you remember his name by any chance?"

"Marty."

"Did Marty do anything else to you? Besides beat you"
The officer asked as he wrote down in his notepad.

Tatianna's eyes filled with pain.
She nodded and put her head down.

I felt my heart break all over again.
"It's okay, sweetheart. You're safe now."

The officer nodded, jotting down notes.
"Thank you, Tatiana. That's all for now."

As the officer stepped back, I leaned in and kissed Tatiana's forehead.
Kenny walked over, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Tatianna we're gonna get your the help you need."

We let Tatianna rest some more because we knew that there would be more questioning from officers and the doctors would come in and do lots of exams on her.
I just couldn't do it anymore.

Kenny, sensed my rising hysteria and he gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "Toni, let's step outside for a moment."

"No, Kenny!" I quietly shouted, pulling away from him. "I'm not leaving her!"

Kenny's eyes were filled with concern,
He talked me into leaving the room for the next few minutes so I did and we went out to the hallway.

Once we were in the hallway, I collapsed against Kenny, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I failed her, Kenny. I sent her to that monster. How could I have been so blind?"

Kenny held me tightly, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "You didn't know, Toni. None of us did. Right now, we need to stay strong for Tatiana."

I nodded, wiping her tears. "I just want her to be safe. I want her home."

"We'll bring her home, Toni," Kenny said softly. "But we need to trust the process. The police are here to help."

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. "Okay. For Tatiana, I'll do whatever it takes."