The Eye of a Hurricane

Lin

It probably wasn't necessary, but I checked on Pippa frequently throughout her nap. I didn't disturb her; just poked my head in to make sure she was still okay. I'd been feeling that wave of protectiveness constantly. I didn't want to let her out of my sight.

The police contacted me while Pippa was sleeping to let me know they'd caught John. That was a relief. He was being charged with assault. They'd told me that he had no prior criminal record, so his bail was set at a relatively small amount, $10,000. At the moment, he was still in jail.

I thanked the officer and said Pippa might call back later with more questions. I didn't want to wake her.

The girls were being good about staying quiet. It wasn't a problem for Isabel, who was perpetually quiet, but it was a challenge for Luna. I let her play on the iPad for an extended period of time because it kept her pretty quiet. Soon, she was getting antsy. She started jumping on the couch.

"Luna," I said in a warning voice. She giggled and bounced on her knees.

"Can we go to the park?" she asked me.

"I want to wait for Pippa to wake up," I told her, not wanting her to wake up alone to an empty house.

"Can't Isabel take me?"

Isabel was responsible, but she was still only twelve and they hadn't lived in New York City very long. I didn't feel comfortable sending them off by themselves.

"No, sweetheart," I told her. "Be patient. We'll go in a bit."

She sighed loudly and collapsed onto the couch. Pippa appeared a few moments later, having put on some comfy yoga pants, slippers, and a sweater. I stood up and opened my arms.

"You're looking better," I told her, pressing a gentle kiss to her cheek.

"Can we go to the park now?" Luna asked excitedly.

"Luna, chill!" Isabel told her. "She just got up."

"We can go in a few minutes," Pippa told her. "Have you been cooped up all day?"

I rested my hand at her lower back as she walked to the couch. Before I could remind her, Luna bounded onto my lap and she put pressure right on my wound. I gasped loudly, but suppressed the scream that wanted to escape my throat.

"Luna!" Lin chided her, picking her up off my lap immediately. My hand went to my side and I breathed in deeply. Lin set Luna down next to me on the couch. "Remember, Pippa's belly hurts. We have to be very gentle."

"Sorry," she told Pippa sweetly.

"It's okay, Luna," she assured her, forcing a smile. We didn't want to scare her. I hadn't told the girls how Pippa had gotten her wound, just that she'd hurt herself. Obviously we didn't want to alarm them.

"Luna, why don't you go find your shoes and I'll take you to the park in a few minutes," I told her, sitting next to Pippa. I put an arm around her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," she assured me. "The pain's pretty much gone now."

"Do you need more meds?" I asked gently.

"Not now," she told me. They'd given her a Class C drug, which could be addictive. It was best not to take them unless she needed them.

I nodded and took her hand. "The police called while you were asleep," I told her gently. "They picked up John and charged him with assault."

A wave of emotions seemed to cross her face, including relief. "He's in jail?"

I nodded. "For now. His bail is $10,000, which he hasn't posted yet."

She rubbed at her temple and I could sense her mind spinning.

"He'll be out by the end of the day," she predicted, looking at me worriedly.

"You're gonna be fine," I told her. "I'm not gonna let you out of my sight."

"You can't be with me all the time," she told me. I had to admit it wasn't realistic.

"We'll get you protection if we need to," I said. "Would that make you feel better?"

"I don't know," she answered. Everything was still overwhelming, I'm sure. "They'll call if he posts bail?"

"Yes," I told her, praying that the call wouldn't come. From what I'd heard, he was fairly well-off so I imagine he wouldn't have a problem posting bail.

Pippa closed her eyes and I rubbed circles on her back. "Try not to think about it. Just focus on getting better. And let me wait you hand and food."

She smiled at that and I pressed a kiss to her lips. Pippa was pretty fiercely independent, but I wanted her to let me help her.

___

I took the girls to the park, letting Pippa have some peace and quiet. We brought back Starbucks, with a french vanilla latte for Pippa, which she gratefully accepted. Soon, I cooked dinner as Pippa played Candy Land with Luna. The apartment was slowly starting to fill up with kid stuff. My parents had bought several board games for the girls, as well as more toys.

After the kids were in bed, I ran a bath for Pippa. She wasn't supposed to let water hit her wound directly, and this seemed like a perfect idea. After she'd been in the tub for ten minutes or so, I knocked and let myself in. The candles I'd lit for her flickered as the aromatherapy bubbles did their magic.

I knelt down next to the tub and grabbed a washcloth, gently moving it over her body. She kept her eyes closed as I carefully helped her bathe, skipping over her stitches. When it was time to get out, I helped her stand and wrapped her up in a towel. I guided her to the bed where she slipped on her panties and a nightshirt.

"Let's get your wound dressed," I told her as she laid down. I grabbed the gauze and tape from the cabinet and sat down next to her on the bed. She pulled up her shirt and I dabbed her wound dry lightly. Truthfully, I loved doing this. It seemed so intimate. My fingers delicately pressed the gauze to her wound, taking care not to press down too hard. When I had finished, I kissed her forehead and gathered up the materials.

I climbed into bed beside Pippa, letting my arm drape over her stomach, careful not to touch her stitches. She sighed contentedly as I nuzzled my nose into her neck as we cuddled.

We stayed that way for a good half hour and I thought she had fallen asleep. I gently and slowly began to ease away so I could get a few things done in my laptop, but her eyes fluttered open. She turned onto her good side, facing me. Our noses touched.

"Stay," she requested softly. I smiled and settled in.

"Always."