Jane
"Come with me..." An officer took me out of my holding cell and escorted me down a hill and into a room, where I caught sight of Julia and some other officers.
"Jane.." Julia reached out to me.
"What's going on?" I let out confused. Am I being sentenced?
"Good news, you got bail." She said in joy.
I almost gasped, How?
"Here are your clothes.." An officer handed it back to me, "and, sign here." I couldn't understand exactly what was going on but I signed anyway. The last time I checked I was denied bail because of the circumstances surrounding the case. "Go in there and change."
I went into a room and changed, and after fulfilling all legal formalities I was escorted out of the gates with Julia,
I took in the fresh breeze as I talked.
"Julia, what's going on?"
"Luke made some calls.." She answered, ''I heard about Luke's triumphant awakening, "The doctors won't let him out just yet, so he asked to bring you to him right away, but I'm going to let you decide, where do you want to go?"
"I just want to see my babies.." I told her, that was all I cared about, seeing my kids.
"Okay..." She escorted me to her car and helped me in.
I thanked her and she smiled reassuringly, taking me straight to my babies, I missed them so much, "How are you?" I asked, kissing James in tears, "Huh, Are you okay? Are you eating?" I wiped my tears and took a proper look at him, not minding anyone else in the room, then I looked around.
Mamma and Julia who were standing at the corner, "Mom, where have you been?" James asked.
"Where is Joseph?" I panicked.
"Upstairs, he's been acting really weird, he said he found a gun--"
"James! That's enough." Mamma scolded,
"Baby, stay here."
I got up and ran upstairs to find Joseph. I was afraid this would happen, I was so worried what transpired would traumatize him.
Luke went through a similar situation at that age and I know it did to him, I just can't have my baby go through that.
"Joseph?" I called as I searched for him.
"Joseph?"
"Joseph--"
Suddenly, I heard someone cough sharply, the sound came towards the bathroom, I knocked and stepped in.
"Joseph?" I whispered, walking in.
I sighed, there was no one inside, I turned to leave, when I heard the noise again and reaching for the shower curtains, I opened it and gasp,
Joseph was standing there, drenched in water.
"Mamma..." He cried.
"Joseph!!" I yelped and reached for a dry towel, wrapping it around him. He whimpered and snuffled, "It's alright, I'm here..." I pacified him as I swooped him in my arms.
Then, I carried him into the room and placed him on the bed,
I bit back the tears as I pacified him,
"It's okay baby, it's alright, mamma is here." I dried him and changed his clothes, before reaching for a thermometer.
I checked his temperature, "Mamma, I really am okay.. I promise."
I beamed, cupping his face.
"Don't you dare scare me like that again, what were you thinking? You could have gotten sick.."
"I thought you were going to whip me, mamma."
"And, why would you think that?" I took out the thermometer and checked it, it was below 37.5°C.
I sighed in relief.
"Is Daddy okay?"
I froze for a second thinking of what to say, before whispering.
"Your father is fine.... Joseph." How do you tell a 7-year old that playing with guns is wrong, I never thought I would ever have this conversation with my child, especially at such a young age, "Joseph, what you did was very wrong. You shouldn't have pointed a gun at your father no matter what... Guns are very dangerous, you could have killed him."
"I'm sorry."
"Have you told anyone?" I asked.
He shook his head in response,
"Good, don't you tell anyone, not James or Anty Chante, if anyone asks, you just say, you don't remember....Do you understand?"
He nodded,
"If not they are gonna take me away forever, we wouldn't want that, would we?"
He shook his head and I smiled at him,
I had to make him understand the best way I could because soon the prosecutors would be desperate for answers and they would definitely come for him.
"And, I know you found the gun in my room."
He looked down at his hand.
"No, It was my fault I was careless.. I shouldn't have brought it into the house. But, baby, if you see a gun lying around, anywhere, you don't pick it up, you don't touch it."
"It looked like a toy gun.."
"If you see a gun, any gun at all, You stop, don't touch, run and find a grown-up.'" I said the phrase in a theatrical tone, so he would laugh and at the same time understand how dangerous it is.
He starts to laugh.
"Okay, now say it with me, if you see a gun laying around, You stop, don't touch, run and find a grown-up."
We repeated it several times and until it stuck.
"----Stop, don't touch, run and find a grown-up."
"That's my boy." I beamed at him and he fell into my arms. More tears prickled my eyes, as I held him, I thought I would never hold my baby again,
"I missed you, mamma."
"I missed you more, baby." I held him tighter in tears. The door suddenly swung open and James ran in, jumping into the hug. "My babies, I missed you, so so much." I hugged and kissed my babies. These two were my reasons to live, the reason I smile and hope for another day.
