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HUDSON
This is not how I envisioned meeting her parents for the first time, and feel like I am in the way. I ease my way out of the room to give them some time alone to speak with Laurel.
“Honey!” my mom yells from down the hallway. “I brought you some coffee.”
She has been a trooper since the incident, and I don’t know what I would do without her. Besides caffeine, my mother has been keeping me positive about both of them, and my mind out of the gutter. Things have been tough. Finding them on the floor unconscious really ripped my heart out. The awful things that went through my mind killed me. Thankfully, they are both awake now, and their injuries will heal. Yet, all I can think about is what’s going to happen next?
I know I say bad things are constantly happening in the world, but these two have been through enough. Nothing else needs to come their way and they might not like it, but I will be very protective of them from now on. I feel like I have to do to keep them out of harm’s way. I’ll be following Drew’s case and incarceration to make sure I know if he ever gets out, so I can keep an extra close eye on them.
“So, did their parents get here yet? I can’t imagine what they are going through.” Her arms are enclosed around me, almost in tears. “No matter your age, you’re my baby. If something were to happen to you - I’d lose it.”
I hold her tight. “Her parents got here just a little while ago. They are inside now with Laurel. Haven’t been to see Lacey yet. You want to go with me to see her?”
She nods, and follows next to me, hands in mine.
One thing about her, she has always been very nurturing like a true mother should be. Even through some of my toughest times, she never stopped rooting and helping me get where I needed to be. Yeah, she has pushed me in the past, but only to make me realize things I am too stubborn to see.
Lacey is sitting up in the bed, watching tv. Leo is sitting next to her. The bruising and swelling makes it hard to look at her, just because she looks so fragile and beaten. I hate seeing her like this. “I come bearing a visitor.”
“How are you, darlin’? They keeping you medicated to help with the pain?”
Lacey’s hand teeter totters. “I guess. Thanks for coming. Are my parents here yet? Not ready to see them. What if they have a heart attack? I mean, look at me…”
My mother replies, “Honey, they are going to cry, but other than that, don’t think they are going to leave your side for a while. As a parent, I wouldn’t.”
“I’m going to leave you ladies and steal Leo for a minute. We’ll be back,” I say, flicking my head to the door at Leo. We have some things to discuss, and he would have more details than I can get at this point.
After we make it outside, and Leo lights up his cigarette, we begin talking about Drew. He must have some more information by now. “So, I know Drew is locked up, but I’ll need updates. Like when he has court - which I’m sure Laurel and Lacey will be including in for putting him away. I just want to make sure he has no chance of getting to them again.”
“Believe me, I want to protect Lacey from him, too. Seeing her like this, and knowing how independent and spunky she is, just breaks my heart. She’s trying to hold it together for people, but I know she just wants to break down.”
Lacey and Laurel are more alike than they think, but this traumatic event didn’t just happen once but twice for Lacey. It makes sense that it is having even more of an impact emotionally on her than Laurel. It can cause her to lose faith in the justice system for not keeping him longer, and of course letting her know that he was getting out beforehand, not the day of.
I know Leo is going to be very supportive when she gets released, which leaves me with time to focus on getting Laurel better. She isn’t going to have to lift a finger. Work is busy, but I can work from home if need be and have calls forwarded to my cell phone for the time being.
Is it bad I don’t feel comfortable leaving her at home by herself? It’s not that I don’t trust that she will be safe, but a part of me wants to help take care of her.
Leo and I head back upstairs and go our separate ways to see the girls. I didn’t want to be too far in case she needs anything, so I pull a chair outside the room and have a seat. Emails are backed up, so a couple minutes are taken to check and reply, so I’m not getting too far behind.
“Hudson…” Robert says, catching me off guard, so I put my phone up.
“Yes, sir.” I stand up and give him my full attention.
He extends his hand, “I really just want to thank you for being there for my girls… means a lot that they have someone watching after them in our absence. Especially, after what I did, giving Drew her address. I feel so stupid.”
“Sir, you couldn’t have known he would do something like this. Laurel can’t believe it either. All we can do is make sure he never gets the chance to do it again.”
Robert nods and puts his hands in his pockets as Kasey walks out.
“Alright, can you take me to Lacey now?” she asks.
“Of course, just right down the hall this way,” I say, ushering them behind me before opening her door. “Your parents are here.”
It takes a moment before words are spoken, and I can understand. Lacey is more bruised in visual places than her sister.
“I’m okay, guys. Looks worse than it is,” she says, looking down at the bed. “Come give me a hug.”
Both her parents slowly walk to her side and easily engulf her.
“This is Leo. He’s my boyfriend you haven’t met,” she says with a smile.
He stands there, extending his hand to her father, and then hugging Kasey. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Things are going to start looking up for these girls. Leo and I will make sure of it.
