Page 71 of Until the Ink Dries

She gave a soft smile before recounting the events to me.

“They weren’t harmed, but both are emotional right now. Tierra is in the wind. Benjamin feels like he failed to protect Charlie and it’s weighing heavily on his heart. They’ve been staying with us for the last couple of days.”

I felt the tears swelling in my eyes. While I knew I couldn’t have protected either of them, I hated that I hadn’t been there to at least just… be there.

“Oh, honey don’t cry,” Mrs. Davis said, pulling me in for a hug.

I couldn’t help it. My heart was more invested in this than I realized.

“I need to see them,” I said, pulling away and swiping the tears. “I know you don’t know me, but?—”

She shook her head. “It’s fine, baby. I sense you need this just as much as I think they do. We actually live right around the corner. Two streets down. Third house on the left. The one with the tire swing in the front yard.”

“Thank you,” I whispered. I turned to Aunt Lilith. “Can you tell Shirah where I am?”

“I got you, baby. Go get your man.”

She and Mrs. Davis giggled at that. I hugged them both before sprinting from the kitchen and out the front door like a woman on a mission.

* * *

It didn’t take me long to get to the Davis home.

The news and that walk sobered me up real quick. I took the time to check my emotions because I didn’t want to walk in crying and shit. I just knew that moment traumatized Charlie’s fragile child psyche. My heart hurt for her. To have a mother that didn’t want her come in and do what Tierra did was heartbreaking.

As I turned onto the street, I noticed Benjamin’s car on the curb. Walking past it, I made my way up the driveway, then up the front steps. After taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell. A few seconds ticked by before the door opened. Benjamin stood there, surprised to see me.

“I was at Shirah’s parents’ house,” I explained. “I uh… I met your mother. She told me what happened. Benny… I’m so sorry.”

There went the tears again. I couldn’t help myself. I rushed to him, wrapping my arms around him. Even if he didn’t hug me back, I needed him to feel that I was here, and I cared. He stood there for a moment before wrapping his arms around me and hugging me tight. The longer I held on, the tighter his hug became.

“I felt so helpless, Willow,” he mumbled into my curls. “I felt like the only way I could protect my baby was to let Tierra go.”

I pulled back and cupped his face. “You did the safest thing you could do in that moment, Benny. You can’t feel guilt for that. You protected Charlie and yourself. There is no blame in that.”

Gently, I stroked his cheeks as I looked into his teary eyes. His mother was right. This was weighing heavily on him, and I could feel it. The sound of beads and little pitter patters came around the corner. I looked behind him to see Charlie holding tightly to a stuffed teddy bear. When she saw me, she dropped the bear and broke into tears as she ran full force toward me.

Benjamin let me go just in time to pick her up. She wrapped her little arms and legs around me, buried her face in my neck, and cried profusely.

“I got you,” I whispered, clutching her to my chest.

I carried her over to the couch and sat down. As she cried her little eyes out, I rocked her from side to side, planting kisses to her temple and cheeks. I did for her what my mother used to do for me when I was upset or distraught as a child. I sang to her.

I wasn’t Mariah Carey or Fantasia, but I could carry a tune when I wasn’t playing around. Softly, I sang “You Were Loved” by Whitney Houston. Her cries slowly began to subside. By the time the song ended, she’d gone limp in my arms and was fast asleep. I could feel Benjamin’s eyes on me. I turned to find him still at the open door, watching us.

I reached out a hand to him. Finally, he closed the door and made his way over to the couch to join us. Taking the seat beside me, I guided his head to my shoulder and linked our fingers. For a moment, we sat in silence.

He reached out and stroked Charlie’s back. “She’s barely slept since it happened. Sometimes, she wakes up screaming for me. She refuses to sleep alone in her bed, so she’s been sleeping with me the last few nights. If I move to get up, she immediately wakes up crying. The shit breaks my fucking heart, man.”

“I know, baby,” I said, kissing his knuckles. “You just keep being there for her, Benny. Being present means the most right now, and I know you’re doing your best.” I paused, choosing my next words carefully. “Have you thought about counseling?”

“Yeah. I think it would be best. She’s barely said a word in days. I have to make her eat. She won’t leave my side for too long. I’m glad she has comfort in me, but I miss my baby, Willow. She was never supposed to see no shit like that.”

He sat up and rubbed his temples. I reached out to stroke his back.

“I’m exhausted,” he admitted. “I need sleep.”

“I could lay down with you,” I offered.

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