JANELLE POV
I hold mom against my chest as she weeps for my sister. Detective Barnes left hours ago after telling us the news and letting us know that he would be bringing Chanelle's belongs by tomorrow.
I can't seem to shake my shocked brain awake. I haven't shed a single tear, and I know my mother must think I'm a monster. I feel completely numb. I feel as if I have no emotion to speak of.
Mom finally quiets after another thirty minutes, and I walk her to bed. She doesn't say a word to me, and I don't say one to her. It's like we are both lost in our grief.
***********
(Next morning)"Thank you, Detective Barnes," I say as I take the bag of belongings my sister had in her jail cell.
"You're welcome.....I feel like I need to warn you...when the correctional officers packed her things, they did find some letters addressed to you and your mom," Barns says, and my stomach twists.
I nod, and Barnes give
COLT POVDriving nonstop after playing a game is rough, but thanks to the radio and pack of winter fresh gum, I finally make it to Janelle's mom's house.It's almost one in the morning, and I smell like a guy's locker room, but I refuse to take the time to change or shower. I did take off my shoulder pads and jersey in the truck while driving, but I still have my leg pads on.I park my truck and get out. I don't knock. Instead, I call her phone. I know if it were my sibling, I wouldn't be sleeping."Colt," Janelle answers with a question in her voice."Come outside," I say softly.It takes a moment before she responds, but I figure she would be a little shocked."Okay. Hold on," Janella replies in a whisper.The phone cuts off, and my nerves skyrocket. I slide my phone in my back pocket and wait. I don't know how she is going to react to me just showing up, but I need to check on her. I need
JANELLE POV (trigger warning)"Jal, milk pweez," a small voice says before I feel something poke my cheek. "Hey, little buddy. Aunt Janelle is sleeping. Why don't I help you get some milk okay," a deeper voice says that makes me smile. "Jal, sleep? But why," Heath's little voice asks as I manage to move my tired body into a sitting position. I must have fallen asleep on the couch next to Colt last night. I look towards the kitchen as I hear the fridge open. I stand up and stretch before joining the hunt for milk. "Where are your cups buddy," Colt asks just as I enter the small space. "Cabinet next to the fridge. I will get his breakfast going and his mickey mouse," I say, and Colt gives me a big smile. I grab a few waffles from the freezer and pop them in the toaster we keep on the counter. While they are cooking, I get the Ipad set up and playing Heat
COLT POV "Throw them down the sink right now," I practically growl, and Janelle's eyes snap open. I stare at her in the vanity mirror, and she stares back like a trapped deer. I have no idea how she hasn't realized I have been watching her. I heard her feet when she ran from the kitchen. I saw her sob on her bed. I witnessed her walk as if in a daze to her bathroom. I watched her pour the entire bottle of painkillers into her palm. And I heard her apologize to our Lord. I have never been more hurt and more terrified in my life. If I hadn't been here this morning, the woman I love could have been as dead as her twin sister. My heart and my head are at war. I want to scream at her for ever considering hurting herself. I also want to hug her. I want to cry and tell her how much it would kill me to lose her forever. "Colt, I....," Janelle starts, but I cut her off. "Throw. Th
JANELLE POV (TWO DAYS LATER) "Here, mom, let me," I say as I approach my mom from behind her. She tries to smile at me, but it falls before her lips are even tilted all the way."Thank you. Your sister gave it to me," Mom says softly as I clasp the necklace she has been trying to put on for the last five minutes. "I remember that Mother's day. Chan got you a necklace, and I got you perfume," I say with a small smile to encourage her to talk. She nods before looking down at her feet. I run my fingers through my mother's short brown hair and wait. I know she wants to say something else. "Do you think Heath will be upset later on in life...about not going," Mom whispers, and I shrug. "I don't know....but as his caregivers, we have to look out for him. The weather is bad, mom. Cold rainy........he is better with Shelby. She will take care of him," I reply as I t
JANELLE POV I scrunch my eyes as I try to ignore the pounding in my head. I don't want to wake up yet. I don't want to deal with what is going on in my life at all. I just want to stay here....in blissful darkness. "Janelle, are you in pain," a male voice asks, and my eyes snap open to see who is speaking to me. I immediately relax when I recognize the man speaking to me. "Are you in pain? You were grimacing," Colt's grandfather says, and I sit up slowly. "My head. I have a very intense migraine," I admit in a scratchy voice, and he nods before pressing the call button. While we wait for the nurse, I fidget. I feel uncomfortable sitting here with a man I just met this morning...wait, is it the same day? "Umm. How long was I out," I ask, flicking my eyes towards the relaxed-looking older man? "Almost eight hour
COLT POV (8 DAYS LATER)"Heath, little man....you need your jacket. Don't you wanna go see Auntie Janelle," I ask with a slight plea in my voice.Wrangling a toddler is as hard as they say it is. I swear I have lost ten pounds chasing this kid around this past week, but honestly, it has been a great distraction.He is like a beacon of happiness in a sea of sorrow for Janelle and me. He is constantly laughing and smiling while we both try to hold ourselves together. Elaine's condition has done nothing but deteriorate, and Janelle has done nothing but cry. It is absolute torture to watch her go through this. The only thing I can do is hope and pray for a miracle. But watching the woman I love hurting..... kills me. Women crying, in general, has always affected me...but when it's Janelle. It feels like my major organs are shriveling.Every night when I tuck Heath in, I teach him to pray. We pray for his grandma, we pray for his aunt,
COLT POV (2 days later) "How's the baby," I ask my brother before taking a sip of my iced tea. "Brody is doing great...Shelby is having a rough time, though. I think she has a little bit of the new mommy blues.....but mom and Grammy are helping her. How is Janelle," Curt asks, and I sigh. "Closing herself off. Planning her mom's funeral is pretty easy since Elaine had everything already organized. The only thing Janelle had to do was purchase another plot in the same cemetery since the one that was originally for Elaine was used for Chanelle. But I can't get her to talk or even play with Heath. She just lays in bed with Dakota," I say while keeping my eyes glued to the little boy wrestling with my dad. "She needs a good counselor, bro. Maybe ask mom? Or Hailey? Hailey is like a ball of sunshine. And she knows a bunch about living with a grieving person," Curt says, and I grin."That's a great idea. I'm
JANELLE POV pg 13Watching the man, you love care for a child should be illegal. My ovaries are literally swelling while watching Colt carry Heath around on his hip like he was born to sit there. Their beautiful new bond has my heart melting........but it should be illegal because I am at my mom's funeral.I am speaking with her friends and distant relatives, but my focus is on the two boys in my life. It's as if God is shining a light on them. Forcing me to focus on them instead of the grief I should be feeling. However, I do feel much better after last night. Colt only stopped me long enough to eat last night. The rest of the time, I painted. I poured my soul out for nine hours straight. I feel more alive than I have in three months."I'm so sorry for your loses, Janelle," my mom's ex-co-worker says as she engulfs me in a hug.I hug her back after tearing my eyes off of Colt and smile. He knew exactly what I needed. He knew that painti