The Years Disappeared

The Sacrifice

I carried Leia and Joe through, sitting them on my lap as Bella came in, kneeling by her sleeping sister. "Mommy I'm tired." Joe whined, hiding his face in my neck.
"Ssh, I know baby but daddy needs to just check a few things in your bedrooms, you don't want spiders in there right?"
"No!" Leia protested. "I hate spiders."
"That's because you're a girl!"
"Oh stop this you two, Sara is sleeping."
They shut up immediately, and I kissed their cheeks in gratitude, beckoning over Bella who was biting her nails. I saw my own hand shake before my eyes, wondering why Lindsey wasn't back yet, but knowing I couldn't leave the children alone. Joe seemed to be nodding off on my shoulder as Leia climbed down to sit on the carpet as Bella plaited her hair, his eyes widening as raised voices travelled through the floor from the hall, my heart beating out of its chest.
"Mommy?" Bella asked. I wish I could answer. I wish I did know everything, as little children think their parents do.
"Come here girls, it's fine." Before they could reach me, Sara stirred and I bit my lip. Putting Joe on the armchair as the girls scrambled up to sit with him, I cradled Sara against me, thanking the gods that she wasn't crying. My heart broke as I saw Leia shoving her hands over her ears, Joe copying her. I directed them to sit in the closet, crossing my legs before the open doors, squeezing each of their hands and assuring them nothing was wrong at all, singing ever-so quietly:

Well I never got over those blue eyes,
I see them, everywhere
And I miss those arms
That held me

Leia and Joe grinned especially, as I pointed at their twin sets of startlingly blue eyes, comparable only to their father's. I heard a creak at the door, leaping up to slam it shut until I saw Karen's face peep around it.
"In here! Lock it!"
"I hear-"
"I know. I know." We stood awkwardly for a few seconds, Karen sitting down with the my other children as I tried to cradle Sara back to sleep.

That was until we heard the gunshot.

It rang in my ears and for a moment I still smiled down at my daughter. Then, she began to cry, the others looking terrified as their eyes teared up too.
I need you safe
He had pleaded. I had to do as he asked, all the while wanting to run downstairs to him. "Sara please, Sara my special girl please hush." I whispered with rattled breathes, emotion welling in my eyes as the others still stared in shock. I brought my fingers to my lips as the sounds of someone careering up the stairs could be heard, cautiously handing Sara to Karen as I locked them in, my lip bleeding from my chewing into it as the unknown entity reached the door.
"Ste-Stevie I dialled 911." He hissed through the door.
"Where's Lindsey?" I cried as I flung open the door to find Don, him immediately appearing to be unharmed. I raced down the stairs, almost tripping over myself, finding Lindsey open-eyed but spaced out on the floor, his blood glinting as daylight bled in through the ajar front door; a distorted version of the lavender bushes we'd planted by the porch reflected clearly in the stream that surrounded him.
"I'm s-sorry," he croaked trying to reach for me.
"No! Stay with me baby please, please! The ambulance is coming!" I sobbed, my hands red as I tried to help him.
He opened his mouth to reply as I ripped off my cardigan, compressing the wound on his chest.
"Steph. S-sorry."
I screamed his name hysterically as his eyes rolled back, begging him not to leave me, telling him I forgave him for all of his mistakes. "Help him! Help him!" I bellowed out, Don rushing back down with bandages he'd swiped from the bathroom cabinet, tossing them into my free hand as he pressed the button to allow in the ambulance. "Who did this? WHO?" I shrieked at him.
"My ex-wife, she's a loose canon!"
"I heard men!"
"She sent them, she's a powerful woman!"
"I will kill her. Kill her with my bare hands."
"Lindsey, they're here baby." I assured him, breathing deeply in temporary relief as I felt his heartbeat.
He was soon on a gurney, the paramedics ensuring me of hope as I followed them barefoot. Don stood haplessly in the doorway. "Get out!" I sobbed. "Get out of my house!"