Moving Forward

Part 29

Joy Rossi's POV

"How are you doing?" He asks.

"I've been kidnapped! How do you think I'm doing?!"

"Is our daughter fine?"

"It's not your daughter. She's mine."

"You're wrong Joy. We made her together. But you fled."

"I didn't flee! I saved myself and my daughter!"

"You bastard daughter!" He screams, grabbing my wrist.

"You know I'm stronger than that."

"I think you didn't understand. You didn't suffer enough."

He looks at me in the eyes and smiles. He then punches me in the face. I fall on the floor. I feel blood running down my face and I hear him laughing.

"It missed me so much. Seeing you in pain, it missed me so much."

Then he leaves.

* * * * * * * * * *

Jennifer Jareau's POV

The kids are waking up. In a few minutes, it will be their first chemotherapy session. I'm scared. I know they aren't, but I am.

"Ms. Jareau?" A nurse says, entering the room.

"Yes?"

"It's time. Could you follow me with Hope and Jaeden?"

"Of course."

I turn to them and I open my arms to make them sign to come. I look at them.

"Hey, Sweetheart and Sugar Love, mommy has something really important to tell you. You know you are both sick?"

They nod.

"It's because your bones are sick. To cure them we need to do something that is called 'chemotherapy'. I know it's a big word, but it means that you'll be pricked by a needle that will help your body to cure your bones. You will have to stay calm for a while. Perhaps it sounds scary, but mommy will be by your side."

I reopen my arms and they hug me. I hold them and I follow the nurse. We arrive in a room decorated with drawings of child stuff like butterflies, flowers... There's nobody else in the room. I sit the kids on a chair and the nurse begins with Hope. The nurse disinfects Hope's arm and slowly puts the needle into her arm. Her eyes start to fill up with tears so I walk over to her and I kneel down in front of her, while the nurse goes disinfect Jaeden's arm.

"It's okay Sweetie. Mommy is so proud of you. You know what? Tonight, Daddy's going to bring back your stuffed giraffe. You will sleep with it tonight. Isn't it great?"

She nods.

"Is it still hurting?" I ask, smiling.

She shakes her head no.

"I knew it!"

I get up and I kiss the top of her head.

"Now, you need to stay calm for a while, okay?"

She smiles. I hear Jaeden screaming with pain. I walk to him.

"It's okay buddy. It's finished. Look! It's not hurting anymore, isn't it?"

He shakes his head no.

"What would you want Daddy to bring back tonight?"

"Dodo! Dodo!"

"You want him to bring back Dodo?" I ask, talking about his stuffed dog.

"Dadda! Dadda!" Hope screams.