Page 15 of Rome for the Holidays
She felt the tears fall free, and she sobbed against Jackie’s shoulder.
Jackie hugged her tightly, “You are safe now. You are home.”
Harper wanted desperately to believe that.
She just hoped she didn’t do anything to mess it up.
Jackie showed her to a room after she stopped crying, which had a large bed, soft blankets, and looked inviting with the colors of the room.
There was a desk in the corner, and she wanted to sit at the desk to see if she could put the letters together from Vincenzo.
Harper walked over to the desk, putting her box on it, then looking over her shoulder at Jackie.
“C-can I u-use this?”
Jackie nodded, “Everything in this room is all yours. You don’t have to ask. Plus, through that door is your own bathroom.”
Harper’s eyebrows raised. “I-i,” she didn’t know what to say.
Jackie smiled, “I will let you settle in. You are safe here Harper. Nothing will hurt you here. You can lock the door if that helps you, and we won’t be offended. I know this will take some time to get used to, but I promise you are safe. Get some sleep if you can, it will be better in the morning.”
Harper nodded and watched as Jackie and Joey walked out the door, shutting it behind them.
Harper walked over to it, flipping the lock, then sliding down the door. She looked around the unfamiliar room and over at the box of her precious letters and pictures that were now ruined.
This night had changed everything for her. She pulled her knees to her chest and started to cry.
Crying so hard, she had to do what she could to muffle her sobs against her knees.
She wanted to write to Vincenzo, to tell him everything that happened, but she didn’t’ want to worry him either.
He could do nothing for her. And she hated that.
Harper got off the floor slowly, her face wet with her tears and her breathing labored.
She sat on the edge of the perfectly made bed gingerly.
The mattress was soft, the blanket fluffy and warm and Harper lay back, taking a few deep breaths to calm herself down.
She would be okay. She had to be. She was away from Lola now. She knew that she never had to be with her mom again.
Shutting her eyes, Harper let sleep overcome her as much as her racing thoughts would allow, and when she woke, dawn was barely breaking on the horizon.
She got up from the bed, making certain it was as perfect as it was the night before and walked over to the desk, sitting down at it, pulling the box to her.
She didn’t want to look at the damage again, but she wanted to fix what Lola ripped apart.
She needed Vincenzo’s words.
She opened the box and let out a tiny sob.
She pulled the pieces of the letters and pictures out, not knowing where to start.
A knock sounded on her door, and she turned, walking over to it, unlocking it, and opening it slightly to see Jackie smiling at her.
She was wearing Harry Potter footie pajamas that had a hood, which was covering her head, and she was smiling at her.
Harper opened the door a little wider when Jackie said, “How did you sleep? You are up early.”
