UNBROKEN

SEVENTY SIXTH INSTALMENT

After returning home that night a little more than tipsy I went straight to bed. I thought about Russ and how nice it was to have someone paying attention to me but I also thought to myself that there was no way I was getting in to another relationship as all they brought were heartaches.

The next morning when I got up I rushed over to get Ava. I told my friend about Russ but they I wasn't interested. She told me to take it one day at a time and see where it led. Advice I intended on taking. Ava and I returned home not long after and spent some girl time together. Later that day Tatt came home from his job and I prepared dinner for us all.

Just as we sat down to eat the phone rang. Tatt answered the phone and turned to me and said

"it's Russ!" With a confused look on his face which wasn't surprising as I hadn't told him about Russ. I walked over to the phone and we spoke for a little while about nothing really when he asked

"Emily, would you like to go out with me a little later tonight?" I went quiet and then replied.

"Sorry Russ I have to be here for my little girl" I hadn't told him about Ava as I didn't even give him my number let alone tell him I had a daughter. This didn't stop him.

" that's ok she can come too" he replied.

"Sorry Russ I really can't it's cold out and I don't want her out in the cold she has not been too well lately" I was trying to get out of it and I didn't know why.

"Emily, I can watch Ava. You go and have a night out" Tatt interrupted. I gave Tatt a glad but that was it Russ had heard Tatt and wouldn't take no for an answer after that. He arrive about two hours later.

We went out and had a coffee then to a movie. It was really lovely and still Russ didn't try anything. When the evening finished and Russ pulled up in my driveway he said

"I had a great night Emily" he then leaned in and kissed my cheek. I pulled away and said

"I did too thanks and I'll speak to you later". I didn't invite him in or say anything more. I was pushing him away without even knowing it.

The next day was extremely hot and as Ava didn't have school I decided to go visit Tina. Ava hadn't seen her in a while and loved her dearly. When we got there we wet T-shirts put them in the freezer and let them set only to take the out and put them on. It was one way to cool down for a little while.

After doing this for some time Ava out of the blue said

"Tatt touched my pippy" (Pippy is what Ava called her lady parts). I nearly fell over and I looked at Tina then at Ava and said

"Ava you shouldn't say things like that if it didn't happen" without a tear in her eye she replied

"He did Mummy" I didn't know what to do I say there stunned. I then picked her up and told Tina I was going to the Police station. She didn't bother changing we just rushed out to the car and speed off to the police station. When we got there and I explained what Ava had said the officer said

"take her Fremantle police station as there is a child safety area, they are better prepared for this" so we packed Ava into the car and off we went to Fremantle...