Finding Home

Twice In One Night

"Keep your eyes open... please... stay with me..." I plead holding onto the ambulance stretcher.

Peyton and Tyler's cries drowned out by the sirens. Flashes of color whirl around me, striking my vision. I watch Paisley's barely conscious body going into the back of the ambulance.

"Sir, are you family?" One of the attending ambulance people ask.

If I say no, they won't let me see her and I won't get any updates. If I say yes, I still won't be able to go in the ambulance with her, because there isn't enough room for all of us.

I can't just leave the kids like this either... after seeing what I hate to imagine they saw. Ty's trying to comfort Peyton, but I can see it in his face that he's about to fall apart too.

"Sir?" he asks a little impatient.

"Uhh... yeah, yeah. I am. But they can't come in it can they?" I nod towards the kids.

"Unfortunately, not." He answers more solemnly. The other attending working on Paisley in the back.

The Police bring her out of the house, restrained by handcuffs. Her face is manic and deranged. I don't even recognise the woman in front of me anymore. They put her in the back of the patrol car, the lights still flashing and shinning on the surrounding houses.

Neighbors all stand on their front lawns watching everything. A few old couples dressed in their evening gowns and slippers. They're definitely having a better night than I am right now.

"Where're you taking her?" I ask as one officer walks over.

"Edgewater." He answers briefly moving around to the driver's side.

The hospital twice in a matter of a few hours, I think that's a record.

My body moves absentmindedly, the events of tonight still so surreal. I think I'm in a state of shock or something.

"Mr Woods, we're going to need to get a statement from you and Miss Evans with a guardian or support person present. We'll be in contact very soon." He spurs out like an automated voicemail.

I nod and turn around. The sirens of the ambulance still echoing through the street, though I can't see them anymore. The patrol car pulling out and leaving in the same direction as the ambulance.

How did I let this happen?

Walking over numbly to Ty's and Peyton's tear-stained and blotchy faces, I pull them both into a hug. Crushing their bodies against mine.

Both of them breakdown in my arms, their tears soaking through my shirt. Each teardrop is like a sharp sting of a whip against my skin.

"Shhh... it's over now. You're safe." My voice is low and ready to break.

I can't. I need to be strong for them. I need to be strong for Paisley.

Ty's arms squeeze tighter around me and sobs wreak havoc over his body, shaking with hiccups.

He doesn't deserve to be put through this; to see his sister be treated like that. Peyton doesn't deserve to see any more of that. She's been through enough.

Paisley didn't deserve what happened to her either. She's going through enough with her parents as it is, she doesn't need my bullshit on top of it. No one needs to deal with my shit but me.

Neither Paisley or Ty needs to be in the middle of this and they are. I was stupid to think nothing would happen. That she wouldn't find out one day. It's definitely not the way I wanted her to find out, I didn't even want her to find out.