Christiana’s POV
I sat on the edge of the hotel bed, the soft comforter beneath me offering little relief from the heaviness in my heart. The room was spacious, elegant even, but it wasn’t home. The kids were playing quietly in the corner, but there was a sadness in their movements, a stiffness that hadn’t been there before. They hadn’t been the same since the fire.
“Mommy, when can we go back home?” Emma’s small voice broke the silence, her wide eyes searching mine with confusion and fear. Ethan stood beside her, holding onto her hand like it was the only thing grounding him to reality.
I swallowed hard, forcing a smile that I hoped would reassure them. “Soon, sweetheart,” I said, my voice soft, as I leaned forward to brush a strand of hair out of her face. “But for now, we’re going to stay here, where it’s safe. We’ll make this our little adventure, okay?”
“But what if the bad people come back?” Ethan asked, his voice trembling. His eyes were filled with the kind of fear that ΠΟ child should ever have to know. My heart broke seeing it, and I wanted to say something that would make it all go away, but the truth was, I didn’t have all the answers.
I reached out, pulling them both into a tight hug. “No one is going to hurt us,” I promised, holding them close. “I’m here, and I’m going to protect you with everything I have. And we have the best people watching over us. We’re safe now.”
They clung to me, their small bodies shaking with the remnants of their fear. I could feel Emma’s tears soaking into my shirt, and I stroked her back gently, whispering soothing words, even as my own heart ached.
“We’re strong, aren’t we?” I whispered, leaning back to look at them, my hands cupping their faces. “We’ve been through so much, but we’re still standing. That’s because we’re a team, and as long as we stick together, nothing can break us. Do you hear
me?”
Emma nodded slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Ethan took a deep breath and tried to put on a brave face, though the fear still lingered in his eyes.
“I know it’s hard right now,” I continued, my voice as steady as I could make it. “But we’re going to get through this. And when this is all over, we’ll have a new place to call home, and it’ll be even better than before. But for now, I need you both to be strong for me, okay? Can you do that?”
They both nodded, a little more confident now, and I felt a surge of relief, even though I knew the road ahead was still long and uncertain. I kissed the tops of their heads, savoring the warmth of their little bodies, the feel of their arms around me. It was moments like this that reminded me of what truly mattered.
“Good,” I said, smiling at them. “Now, why don’t we order something special for dinner? You can have anything you want, just like a royal feast.”
Their faces brightened at that, and for the first time in days, I saw a spark of excitement in their eyes.
“Pizza!” Ethan exclaimed, his voice more animated. “And ice cream!”
“Of course,” I laughed, ruffling his hair. “Pizza and ice cream it is.”
I watched them run over to the hotel phone to place the order, their giggles filling the room. For a moment, it almost felt normal again. Almost.
But as I sat back, resting my hand on my still–healing ankle, the weight of everything came crashing back. The fire had destroyed more than just our home–it had shattered the sense of security I had worked so hard to build for them.
I had lost so many things that night–prized possessions, memories that could never be replaced. But I still had them. My children were safe, and that was all that mattered. No amount of money could replace what had been taken, but I had the means to start over, and I would do it for them.
The hotel room was temporary, a place to regroup and heal. But I was already thinking ahead, planning our next move. A penthouse, maybe, or somewhere even safer, where I could watch over them, where they would never have to fear the dark again. But I wasn’t rushing into anything. Not yet.
“Mommy, are you okay?” Emma’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. She was watching me, her big eyes full of concern.
Chapter 50
“I’m okay, sweetheart,” I said, giving her the warmest smile I could muster. “Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you
two.”
She smiled back, the worry fading from her face. “We’re lucky to have you too. Mommy.”
The doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of our dinner. Ethan jumped up to get it, and I leaned back, allowing myself a moment to breathe. Things were out of place, yes, and the future was uncertain, but as long as I had them, I knew we would be okay.
One step at a time, I told myself. We would get through this. We were stronger than anything that tried to tear us apart. And no matter what came next, I would make sure they were safe. I would rebuild, not just a home, but a life for us all A life where nothing could touch us again.
As the kids sat at the small table in the hotel suite, their plates of pizza nearly empty and ice cream melting slowly in their bowls, a surprising silence fell over the room. I watched them, my heart warming at how they were starting to relax after everything that had happened. But then, Ethan suddenly looked up at me, his brows furrowed in that determined way he had.
“Mommy,” he started, his voice steady and serious for a child his age. “We need to see Daddy,”
I blinked, caught off guard. “Ethan, sweetheart, your dad knows where we are. He’s just.. handling things right now.” I tried to sound casual, not wanting to show how much the mention of Alex unsettled me.
Ethan shook his head, his expression firm. “No, I mean, we need to see him. He wasn’t happy when he came to the hospital. It could tell.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but words failed me for a moment. He wasn’t wrong. Alex had been visibly distressed, his worry and anger barely contained. But the thought of seeing him again, of facing all the emotions I’d been trying to bury, made my stomach twist.
Emma looked up from her bowl of ice cream, her big eyes searching mine. “Daddy was really sad, Mommy,” she said softly. “He needs us.”
I sighed, feeling the weight of their words settle heavily on my heart. They were just kids, but they were so perceptive, so attuned to the emotions around them. How could I deny them the chance to see their father! No matter what had happened between us, they deserved that. And maybe, deep down, I knew they were right. They needed him, and maybe, just maybe, I needed to see him too.
“Okay,” I said softly, my voice betraying the conflict I felt inside. “We’ll see him.”
Ethan’s face lit up with a triumphant smile, as if he’d just won a great battle. “Thanks, Mommy! I know Daddy will be happy to
see us.
Emma nodded eagerly, her earlier sadness replaced with hope. “I miss him, too.”
“I know you do, sweetheart,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. I couldn’t deny them this, no matter how much it unsettled me. I had to put them first. They needed their father, no matter what had happened between us. And maybe, it was time I stopped running from the inevitable.
I forced a smile, trying to keep things light for their sake. “I’ll call him tomorrow, and we’ll make sure you can see him soon, okay?”
“Okay!” they chorused, their excitement obvious. It was bittersweet, seeing them so eager to see Alex, knowing the tension that still lingered between us. But this wasn’t about me. It was about them, and their happiness came first,
As they returned to their dinner, chatting happily about what they would do when they saw their father, I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts a tangled mess. A part of me was still angry, still hurt by everything that had happened. But another part of me knew that this was right. The kids needed their father, and perhaps, we needed to face this together. No matter how difficult it might be.
