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IT WAS A HARD DAY’S night. That was how Jamie felt. The day had been productive, but now she felt emotionally drained. She had pushed, hard and long, and she had finally resolved this ridiculous issue.
She would never have to feel afraid for her children and their safety. And she had done it all by herself. She had followed a hunch, she had done what needed to be done, and she had figured it out.
She had won.
She felt fantastic. It hadn’t gotten her down like before. She hadn’t rolled over and shown her belly. And she hadn’t relied on Alex to stand up and rescue them. He would have done a great job, of course. But it was the fact that it had all gotten to her so badly that she had stopped being a good mother that had really bothered her.
Because she had just wanted to stay in bed. And good mothers didn’t do that. Good mothers got up and fought for what was right. For the safety of their children.
And now Jamie had done just that.
She drove back to the police station with Officer Halloway, who said a quick goodbye before she took Brianna into the precinct to question her further, to get through details, possibly to book her in. Jamie wanted to know if she had to give a report, but it wasn’t necessary. After all, the police had been right there and witnessed everything that had happened.
And in the end, Jamie’s mother hadn’t even had to break her own parole conditions. Jamie had told her that she would have to, that giving her contact information wasn’t enough. But she had only been pushing her mother, seeing how far her mother would go. Seeing if she really was interested in dealing with this face to face, or if she would back out.
Because that had been her final answer, the final test if her mother was involved at all. And it had satisfied Jamie. She was sure, now, that her mother really wasn’t a part of this awful picture anymore.
Jamie still wasn’t sure how she felt about her mother – she hadn’t forgiven her yet and didn’t know if she would any time in the future – but she appreciated that her mother had jumped to help her, and that she really wasn’t involved in any of this again.
That was a good first step, at least.
Just as she had promised, she let her mom know what had happened. She only sent her a text, she didn’t call. Just a few short sentences – Brianna had been taken to the station, and she had admitted to everything.
Jamie’s mother only replied that she was glad, happy to help.
After getting into her own car, Jamie left the station and drove back home. It was time to get back to her family.
The sun was setting behind the horizon by the time she pulled into her street. She waved at the police officer who was parked in the drive, sipping on a cup of Styrofoam coffee.
“How did it go?” he asked, and Jamie wondered if the station had already radioed him.
“Great,” she said with a smile.
“You have a good evening,” he said, tipping an imaginary cap at her.
“Oh, I will,” she said in a breathy voice. Because it was going to be a really good evening.
When she walked into the house, Alex was waiting for her on the sofa in the living room. The kids were all collected on a big blanket on the floor, watching a movie. When Alex looked up and saw her, he literally stepped over the back of the sofa to get to her as quick as possible.
“Oh Jamie,” he said, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms tightly around her. He breathed in deeply and let it out in a shudder. Then he held her at arm’s length and looked her over.
“Are you okay? What happened? Where did you go?”
Jamie chuckled. “So many questions. But everything is going to be okay, babe.”
“What do you mean?” Alex asked.
Jamie glanced at the children on the floor.
“I’ll explain everything when the kids go to bed.”
Alex pulled a face but nodded. Some things just couldn’t be discussed in front of the children.
Jamie walked to them, sat on the floor between them, and ran her hand over Benton’s back where he lay on his stomach, kicking his feet in the air. Lily lay on her side, watching the TV, and Markie had already fallen asleep.
Rosie was fast asleep in her carrier, too.
“Were my angels good?” Jamie whispered.
Lily nodded, turning around to look at Jamie over her shoulder. Jamie planted a kiss on her hair.
“The best,” Alex said deeply.
Jamie smiled and pulled them in place. The kids cuddled against her, happy to have her home again, and Jamie relished being able to hold them close. She ruffled their hair and planted kisses all over their faces, until Benton squealed and giggled.
She absolutely loved being home with her family. And she loved it even more when everyone was safe and sound. For the first time since the whole incident with Markie had taken place, Jamie could say that she was finally at peace. The kids were safe, everything had been taken care of.
Nothing out there was threatening her family anymore.
“I think it’s bedtime,” Jamie whispered after a while of watching the movie together.
Benton and Lilly both whined about it a little, but they didn’t put up too much of a fight when Jamie sent them to brush their teeth. She scooped Markie up from the floor where he was snoring lightly, and Alex stood and carried Rosie to her nursery.
Jamie tucked Markie into his bed, planting kisses on his head, and he moaned softly in his sleep.
“I am so glad you are safe, sweetheart,” Jamie whispered. “I will never let anything happen to you.”
Markie rolled over, stretched, and sighed in response. Jamie smiled and left his room, pulling the door closed a little.
Alex came out of the Rosie’s room where he had tucked her into her crib, and together they walked down to the twins’ room where Benton and Lily were already done. They had brushed their teeth and they were pulling on their pajamas.
Like the team they were, Alex and Jamie tucked the children in, kissing them, pulling the covers up to their chins, and then swapping places to say good night to the other, too.
They made sure the nightlight worked, and then they switched off main light and pulled the door closed as well.
In the hallway, Alex pulled Jamie into an embrace and wrapped his arms around her again.
“I am so glad you’re home,” he said. “I was worried about you.”
“I know,” Jamie said. “But it was something I had to do.”
“Are you going to keep me in suspense all night, or are you going to tell me what happened?” He smirked at Jamie.
She smiled, teasing him. “What if I decide to only tell you tomorrow?”
Alex laughed softly. “I would say that I would tease it out of you, but if I must be honest, I’m so curious, I just want to know.”
Jamie chuckled. “I would never torture you like that. This is serious.”
Together, they walked to the bedroom. On the way, Alex checked all the doors, making sure that everything was locked up. He set the perimeter beams, but Jamie knew for the first time in over the year that it wasn’t necessary.
They were safe.
While they got dressed for bed, Jamie told Alex what had happened.
“How do you feel about your visit with your mother?” he asked after she had told him that she had been to see her.
“You know what? I actually think I’m okay. I mean, I still don’t want to make her a part of my kids’ lives again. And I’m still angry with her to an extent. I mean... Look at what she did to us. And look at how far the repercussions spread. But going to see her wasn’t a nightmare. And I had expected it to be. So that was a good thing.”
Alex nodded. “I’m proud of you. It’s not an easy thing to do. I don’t know if I would have been able to do it.”
Jamie laughed. “Are you fishing for compliments? Because we both know that you would have been able to do it – you are a superhero.”
Alex laughed and shook his head. “I’m definitely not fishing for compliments. I mean, if you want to hand them out, feel free. I won’t stop you. But I don’t feel like a superhero. In fact, today I was just the babysitter. Nothing more. It was all you.”
“Well, let me tell you the rest of it, then,” Jamie said with a giggle.
They walked to the bathroom together and she told the next part of her story around her toothbrush.
“I can’t believe how accommodating Officer Halloway was,” Alex said. “It’s kind of a big deal to break the restraining order, you know?”
“I know,” Jamie said and rinsed her mouth. “She really was on my side more like a friend, this time. At least, until she took Brianna into the police station. There, she was all police officer. You should have seen her in action, practically knocking down the door, using her intimidating voice, looking like nothing could get past her. I have never seen anyone change from soft and gentle to hard and cold like that.”
“I guess we all do what we need to do,” Alex said.
Jamie nodded and they walked to the bed, peeling back the covers and climbing in.
“I can’t believe you did this,” Alex said, pulling Jamie tightly against him. He kissed her deeply, his tongue sliding into her mouth, and she melted against him.
“You’re a fierce mama bear,” he added when he broke the kiss.
Jamie smiled. “I felt like it,” she said. “I don’t know where all of that courage and bravery came from, but it felt good to stick up for my kids.”
Alex kissed her again.
“I’m sorry,” Jamie added, putting her cheek against his chest. “I’m sorry for not letting you do this with me.”
“I think I understand,” Alex said.
But Jamie wanted to explain it, anyway.
“The thing was I was drawing in on myself. Just like the last time. And I was terrified that this would come between us again. I just wanted to put a stop to it as soon as possible. And I followed a hunch.”
Alex stroked her cheek. “And the rest, as they say, is history.”
“Finally, once and for all,” Jamie agreed.
“I’m glad you did this,” Alex added. “I trust you, Jamie. Always. You are the best mother any kid could ever ask for. We have had a rough year and a half. But we got through it together. And you have finally ended this nightmare for us. It means so much to me that you stuck up for our family like that.”
“I should have done it from the start,” Jamie said.
Alex shook his head. “Don’t do that to yourself. You did what you could, and that counts for something. Back then, we were completely floored. Now we knew how to handle it. We are growing stronger every day. Becoming invincible.”
“Parenting is hard,” Jamie said.
Alex chuckled. “You’re telling me. But we’ve got this.”
Jamie smiled and looked up at her husband.
“Absolutely,” she said.
