Page 5 of Saving You

“Yeah, Baby Girl, we can take him cookies.”

She’s so happy she jumps straight off the couch and does a little happy dance.

“What flavour should we make him, Mommy? Chocolatechip? Maybe M&M, I think he’d like M&M. We should make him both!”

I smile as she rambles about cookie flavours.

On Thursday, we go to the store after I pick her up from school and get the ingredients to make two flavours of cookies. We spend Saturday baking. Charlie is so excited to help. She stands on a chair in front of the counter, biting the side of her lips while she carefully measures the ingredients. I hold back a small laugh because she’s so adorable.

Watching her like this, so happy doing something as simple as baking cookies with me, fills me with joy and warms my blood. While the cookies are in the oven, she draws him a card. It’s late by the time both types of cookies are done.

Putting her to bed, she talks excitedly about going to the station and seeing Caleb. I smile at her, happy she’s okay after last Friday’s events and that she’s happy and excited about something. I toss and turn in bed, memories of that day replaying in my mind.

We decide to wait until Monday to drop by the station to see if Caleb is there and give him his cookies. Lily comes by on Sunday, and we do Thanksgiving dinner because neither of us likes the late clean-up the day before we go back to work.

As I make breakfast for Charlie and me Monday morning, she comes running down the stairs so fast I fear she’ll trip and fall.

“Mommy, is it time to go? Can we take the cookies to Caleb?” I can feel the excitement radiating off my little girl.

“Not yet, Baby Girl. We are going to eat breakfast and then we’re going to play outside for a bit. I thought we couldgo to Sammy’s for lunch and could stop by the station on our way. How does that sound?”

“Yay!”

We eat quickly before we head upstairs to get dressed. Going into my closet, I find a T-shirt and cardigan to cover the bruises on my arm, a pair of jeans, and black knee-high boots. It’s October now, and the cool Canadian weather is starting to bite.

Downstairs, I find Charlie waiting for me by the front door. I put her jacket on her, making sure it’s zipped up. I offer her gloves and a toque, but she says no to the gloves, so I tuck them into my purse for later. I grab my jacket, and we head out and towards the park. Charlie makes friends with the other kids quickly and is running all over. I find a bench to the side where I can watch her while I read my book on my phone.

When the other kids are called by their parents, Charlie runs up to me with a huge smile.

“Is it time to go see Caleb, Mommy?”

“Yeah, Baby Girl. We will head home and drive to the station.”

She jumps up and cheers before grabbing my hand and trying to pull me off the bench. I let out a small laugh as I get up, and we walk hand-in-hand back to the house.

The entire car ride, she is full of energy, shimmying in her booster seat as she tells me just how excited she is to see him again.

My stomach tightens as I pull into the parking lot of the station. The last time I saw this man was my lowest moment. I wasn’t able to protect my daughter. She was the one who had to call 911.

What must he think of me for putting my daughter in that situation? He must think I’m a horrible mother, and I can’t blame him because I can agree. Charlie never should have been in a situation to witness that. Derek never should have done it,but I know him. I should have handled the situation better, knowing she was in the house with us.

Charlie’s voice pulls me out of my nervous mind.

“Mommy, I want to go inside.”

Opening my door, I move to the back of the car, unbuckle her, and grab the container of cookies from the backseat.

“Can I hold the cookies? I want to give them to Caleb.”

I smile down at her. “Of course.”

Handing her the cookies, she holds the container with two hands like it’s the most precious treasure in the world. I pull open the door to the station and head to the front counter, where I’m greeted by a woman who appears to be in her early thirties.

“Good afternoon, what can I do for you?”

“I want to see Caleb,” Charlie calls from beside me.

I run a hand over her hair and smile down at her before returning my gaze to the officer. “Good afternoon, we’re here to see Officer Sutton. My daughter wanted to drop something off for him.”

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