Page 12 of Finding Hope

“Your voice sounds funny.”

“Josie!” Jonathon scolded her, but Shannon shook her head. “It’s okay. See this?” She pointed to her implant. “Without it, I’m deaf. My voice sounds different because I used to not be able to hear myself talk.”

“Wow. That’s cool,” Josie whispered in awe, looking at Shannon’s implant.

The rest of the way inside was quiet and awkward. They walked side by side down the hall to the emergency room. Shannon wanted to ask what exactly happened, but wasn’t going to in front of Josie. The little girl, well not little, was a beautiful child. She had big brown eyes and light brown hair. Tears filled Shannon’s eyes thinking about her child and the fact that that Jonathon didn’t want anything to do with it. She put her hand on her lower abdomen, where her baby was nestled, and tried to keep the tears from spilling over.

She looked to the side and Shannon caught Jonathon staring at her hand-covered stomach. Choosing to ignore it, she looked straight ahead. The ER waiting room was filled with uniformed officers. “Josie, do you want to come sit with me while your dad talks to his friends?”

“Yeah, baby, go sit with Shannon while I find out how your aunt is.” He set her down on her feet and Shannon grabbed her hand. Hand in hand, they went to sit on a sofa against the wall. She pulled out her smartphone and opened Angry Birds and handed her phone to Josie.

Shannon’s gaze followed Jonathon around the room as he talked to various other officers. He looked so tired and she wanted nothing more than to comfort him…No, he was an asshole. She wasn’t doing anything for him.

“He kept p-punching her.” Those soft-spoken words pulled Shannon from her thoughts.

“What, sweetheart?”

Josie stared at her lap, and Shannon could see her bottom lip wobbling. She moved so she was on her knees in front of Josie. “He kept hitting her. She was crying.” She looked up at Shannon with red, tear-filled eyes. Whether she should do it or not didn’t matter to Shannon at the moment. It was clear the little girl needed comfort. She pulled Josie into her arms.

“Shh…It’s okay, beautiful girl. Let it out.” Josie cried into her neck. Her skinny arms were wrapped tightly around Shannon’s neck, but she didn’t care. Shannon moved to stand up, lifting Josie with her, but began to lose her balance. Strong arms stopped her from falling and of course they were his.

He moved them so Shannon had no choice but to sit next to him with Josie still in her arms and on her lap. Side to side, she rocked the little girl. Jonathon stroked a hand over his daughter’s hair. Shannon’s eyes met his and he mouthed the words “thank you.” With a nod, she looked back down at Josie.

“What happened to her, Jonathon?” Looking up, Shannon heard and then watched a heavily tattooed man, who was followed by another tattooed man and woman, coming toward them.

First, Jonathon whispered to Josie that he’d be right back and then in her ear whispered the same thing but added that the man was Tessa’s ex-boyfriend. She watched Jonathon’s retreating back as the four of them made their way outside.

Shannon wasn’t above admitting she was nosy and watched them through the window. Her heart broke to watch Tessa’s ex lose it outside. It was obvious he still cared for her. A few minutes later they came back in and Jonathon sat right next to her again. His scent was comforting, but it made her heart hurt.

Time ticked by slowly and they still hadn’t come out to tell Jonathon how his sister was doing. Tessa’s ex was in the corner with his head in his hands. Everyone was tense, waiting for answers.

“I want Aunt Tessa,” Josie cried over and over again. She was becoming agitated and flew off Shannon’s lap and screamed in Jonathon’s face. “I want her, I want her, I want her.” He scooped Josie up into his arms and stood. The little girl struggled in his arms while she screamed and cried.

He looked down at Shannon with panic in his eyes.

“Let’s take her for a walk out by the pond,” she said as she stood up.

Everyone watched as they walked through the waiting room. Josie’s cries broke her heart, and she reached out as they walked and stroked her hair. Once outside, they sat on a bench by the pond and watched some geese as they swam around in the water.

It didn’t take long before her cries finally quieted. Jonathon looked at Shannon and whispered, “How have you been?”

“I’ve been good. Thanks. You?” Awkward.

“Uh, good until recently. Listen, I want to talk to you about that day—”

She held a hand up.

“Now’s not the time, but you don’t have to worry. I’m not asking you for anything.” Shannon knew he wanted to respond to what she’d just said, but Josie sat up and wiped her face off on her dad’s uniform. “Sweetie, are you okay?”

She looked at Shannon with her big brown eyes shining bright with unshed tears. “I’m tired.”

The three of them made their way back inside and sat back down on the sofa. Shannon noticed that everyone was watching them. She jerked in her seat when she saw that Josie had laid her head in her lap. Not even thinking, she began running her hand over the little girl’s hair and continued to do so even when Shannon knew Josie was asleep. When the doctor finally came out to talk to Jonathon, she told him that she’d stay with Josie.

He thanked her and then disappeared down the hall.

Chapter Seven

Jonathon

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