The Magic of the Forest

three

    Adeline screams, terrified of being held by a stranger who reeks of alcohol and musty sweat. She finally gets handed back to her babysitter, not quite her dad but not unfamiliar to her. Ben holds her like he doesn't know how, the same way as he always does despite Olivia showing him over and over. "Just put her up for adoption, baby," Ben begs her. "She won't remember this anyway. How can she miss someone she's never known?" Olivia refuses over and over, "She's MY baby, Benjamin. No one else's. Just mine. " Then Olivia goes to work, unaware of the damage that's coming. As she arrives at work, sweaty from walking from The Shack and forgetting deodorant, she asks her boss to let her run home. She nods graciously, knowing her hectic home situation. 

"You have twenty minutes, if that's not enough we can work it out. But I need you, Olivia. You're our lifeline." Olivia quickly smiles, grateful to have a manager so forgiving, then rushes home.

    She runs as fast as she can, and when she hears Adeline's wailing, her blood runs cold. "What could've happened? I just left half an hour ago!" Her eyes sting like fire as they well up, tears threatening to race down her cheek. When she gets close and sees Addie being passed around by a strange crowd of men drinking and smoking, she screams. "Benjamin, what is going on?! I trusted you! You need to leave, you and your dreadful friends!" Ben walks up to her with his arms open, stumbling through his drunken stupor. "Aw, c'mere little Olivia. There's no danger here, Amber is perfectly safe." Olivia's face contorts into a vicious scowl that makes Ben step back in fear. "Her. Name. Is. Adeline." Olivia whispers so faint she was almost silent. Her palpable rage is enough to make Ben sober up, despite how drunk he is. "Olive, honey, we can fix this! There's no one who will love me like you do, please don't leave me," he begs.

    Olivia's heart begins to soften, thinking of his night terrors that make him scream all night and wake up with deep, purple bags under his sunken eyes. The way he can't watch television with her because he's scared of the people inside. The days when he's so medicated he lays in bed like a zombie, not even able to eat, drink, or go use the restroom without help. She starts feeling scared, wondering how he'll get by without her to keep him safe. "Okay, Ben. But we need rules, you can't just do whatever you want. We have a baby to take care of and I expect you to help me out. Send your friends home and bring Addie inside, it's too cold out here for her. Just help her sleep and keep her safe. If you need anything, my phone ringer will be up," She says with a forgiving tone. She hopes her sweet Adeline will be okay while she goes to work. Ben doesn't know what'll happen but he wants to believe it will all be okay. If he knew the near future, he wouldn't send Olivia to work and his friends home. But he has no idea.

    The Shack isn't the home intended for Adeline and Iris to grow up in. It originally has four rooms: two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen/living room. It's the perfect place for a small family, but on this night, after Benjamin sends everyone away for the night and promises to look after his and Olivia's child, that beautiful home will turn into bones and ash. After Olivia kisses Ben and Adeline goodbye for the night, she races to Saint Raphael's expecting a normal shift. Ben scoops up Adeline and cradles her in his arms in a protective way, his heart melting into a soft puddle of love for his little family. "I'm so sorry I put you in a possibly dangerous situation, honey, I won't let it happen again," he says gently to her, trying to be as quiet as possible. As he walks through the front door of their house, she stops crying, and he strokes her hair carefully, not wanting to disturb her as her eyes begin to close. He tiptoes into the living area and settles into a purple corduroy armchair, delicately rocking back and forth. He grins as he watches Adelines eyelids flutter and he suddenly feels a rush of love for her like he never has before. This is his baby girl. "No more fear, Addie baby. You're my daughter and it's my job to protect you. You'll never be in danger again." He whispers as he drifts off to sleep.