Better Together: A Laurinah Adoption Story

Chapter 3: Panic Room

"Where should we start?" Lauren asked. 

"Let's just..." Dinah started. "Tigers!" Violet screamed, taking off in the direction of the tiger enclosure. "...Let her head the way," Dinah finished with a small laugh. The couple held hands as they followed the energetic child around the zoo. She seemed to be having a blast. They had seen tigers, monkeys, elephants, bears, gorillas, otters, giraffes, sea lions, aquariums, reptiles, and more. 

As it grew later in the day, Dinah and Lauren began to notice that the zoo was becoming more crowded and it seemed to them that Violet had taken notice too. She had stopped excitedly running around in front of them and was instead clinging to Lauren's side, holding onto Dinah's hand. 

"I think we should take her home, baby. It's getting to be too much for her with all of these people around," Dinah suggested. Lauren nodded, taking ahold of Violet's other hand. 

"Come on, love, let's go home," Lauren spoke softly. Violet gave a slow nod and let Dinah and Lauren lead her toward the exit. Unfortunately for them, they had walked all the way to the back part of the zoo and had at least a 10-minute walk through a sea of people to get back to the entrance they came in. They started their walk and all was well until about 5 minutes in when Violet stopped moving completely, clinging onto Dinah's leg. Walking through the sea of people had simply become too much for her and she could feel herself starting to panic. 

"Baby girl, we're almost out," Dinah cooed, rubbing the small girl's back. Violet soon began to let out uncontrollable cries into the material of Dinah's pants and her breathing became rather unsteady. Violet shook her hands, trying to regain feeling in them as she cried. Dinah picked the distraught girl up and held her securely, swaying side to side with her, and sharing a worried look with Lauren. Lauren smoothed Violet's hair gently before looking up at Dinah. 

"Come on, let's get her out of here. We're almost out now," Lauren suggested. Dinah nodded and the couple started moving toward the exit once more. Within another 5 minutes or so, they had finally made their way out of the zoo and back to their car. Now, to calm Violet down. Lauren unlocked the doors and opened the driver's side back door for Dinah, who sat down facing out of the car with Violet on her lap. 

The poor girl was hyperventilating by now and had sent herself into a full-blown panic attack, sobbing and letting out little hiccups into Dinah's jumper. Lauren reached over and lovingly played with Violet's hair. 

"Shhh, tranquila, mi amor. You're safe, baby doll," Lauren cooed. Dinah rocked the small girl gently on her lap, attempting to soothe her. 

"I I I c ca-" Violet hiccuped. 

"Shhh, you're okay. you're safe. We can breathe together," Lauren whispered, tucking a stray hair behind Violet's ear. 

Lauren took Violet's shaking hands in her own and breathed slowly, "In... out. In... and out," she whispered. Dinah breathed along with the pair. After breathing with Dinah and Lauren, Violet managed to get a decent hold of her breathing and rubbed her eyes with her fists, sniffling. 

"That's it, sweetie," Lauren said with a smile as she wiped away Violet's leftover tears. 

"Why don't we go home and cuddle up on the couch? We can watch movies and eat some ice cream. How do you feel about that, Vi?" Dinah suggested. Violet gave a small smile at the thought and nodded her head. 

"Okay, baby girl, let's go then," Dinah told their little girl as she stood up with her in her arms. She placed the now calm child in her car seat and buckled her up before she and Lauren got up front and started the drive home. 

*Time Skip to after they are home*

Lauren selected Finding Dory on the TV and got all cuddled up with her wife and Violet. As the movie started they all dug into their chocolate ice cream. The trio had watched a few movies and was currently watching Moana. Dinah had fallen asleep on the couch and was snoring slightly. Before Lauren and Violet knew it, Moana was halfway over. 

Then, all of a sudden, Violet's chest and throat began to feel tight. She felt like she had forgotten how to swallow. She got that familiar numb tingling feeling in her face, hands, and legs as she felt her eyes burn and began to cry. Lauren heard the small whimpers coming from next to her and looked down, her eyes softening at the sight before her. Violet was crying, clutching her chest, and rocking herself back and forth. Luckily, Lauren had a lot of experience with panic and anxiety attacks because of her own anxiety. She got down in front of Violet and rubbed her arm softly. 

"Hey, Vi. Can you hear me?" Lauren asked. Due to how badly she was hyperventilating, Violet couldn't talk, so she only nodded. 

"Sweetheart, come here... You're alright. Everything's okay," Lauren cooed, outstretching her arms towards the small girl. Violet practically fell into Lauren's arms, sobbing more than she was hyperventilating now. 

"Shhh..." Lauren whispered, standing up and bouncing Violet gently in her arms while she rested her head on her shoulder. The motion seemed to soothe the girl fairly quickly. Violet whimpered slightly in Lauren's arms. Lauren carried Violet to the kitchen and fixed her a bottle of almond milk, quickly warming it. She carried Violet back to the living room and sat down on the couch with her, getting her situated in her arms to give her the bottle. 

Lauren was relieved when Violet eagerly accepted the bottle and her eyes began to flutter closed as she drank. The sleepy child soon gave way to her exhausted state, leaving Lauren to fall asleep sitting up and holding her. 

*Time Skip*

Glass-shattering screams awoke both Dinah and Lauren from their slumber on the couch. They both looked around and, to their horror, did not see Violet anywhere in sight.