I shook my head then started packing. I didn't know how long I would be gone, but I knew it would at least be a week.
I wasn't nearly as good at crime related things and it took over a month for Colby to be taken.
I would be a goner.
I shook my head then zipped up the bag and went back into the bedroom. I turned to go to bed, but was interrupted by screaming and crying in the room next to me.
I frowned and got out of bed, rushing towards the screams.
When I got into the room, Juniper was sitting up, her hands covering her face as she sobbed into them.
"Did you have a nightmare, love?" I asked and walked over to the bed, brushing her hair back. "Sissy." Juniper whimpered and wrapped her arms around me.
"It's okay. Dreams aren't real." I reminded and hugged her. "I miss Colby." She cried into my chest. "I know, love. I miss him, too." I said quietly.
"What if I told you I was gonna go get him?" I asked as she perked up, tears trickling down her plump cheeks.
"Right now?!" She asked as I sighed and wiped her cheek.
"No, tomorrow. I might be gone for a little bit because he needs my help with something, but once I help him we'll come home. How about that?" I asked as she pouted her lip out.
"You're leaving us, too?" She asked as I nodded. "Only for a little while. I have one of Colby's friends coming to hang out with you guys. He's super fun and is bringing his girlfriend. You met them when you were a baby." I said and ran my fingers through her hair.
"I don't remember that." She said with such a serious expression I actually laughed. "Of course you wouldn't, you goofball." I said as she giggled.
"Are they nice?" She asked as I nodded. "Super nice. You guys will have so much fun you won't even know I'm gone." I said as she laid her head on my chest.
"Are we still gonna go to school?" She asked quietly. "Yeah, you'll go to school. Corey and Devyn will take you." I said as she nodded. "Are you gonna come back?" She asked as my heart ached.
"Yeah, sweet girl. I'll be back and so will Colby." I said, not knowing how true that statement was. I obviously wanted to say for sure that we would be back, but the situation I was going into was dangerous.
There were no promises.
"I miss him. I had a nightmare that he died." She said as my heart sank. "He's not dead, love. Dreams aren't real." I said and held her closer, scratching her back. "It was so scary." She said with a shaky voice.
"I know, take a deep breath darling." I hummed, trying to comfort her. It had to be hard to be a five year old dealing with this situation.
Juniper didn't have any parents, and the adult figures in her life were leaving her.
She glommed onto Colby, loving him the most out of all the kids. It was probably impossible to grasp that he left and never came back.
I ended up falling asleep in Juniper's bed with her, since I was exhausted.
"Julia." Sam said as he shook my shoulder, causing me to bolt up. "What's going on?!" I asked with wide eyes.
"Sorry. Uh...are we going to school?" He asked as I shook my head. "No..not today." I said and rubbed my eyes.
"Oh okay..just making sure." He said as I nodded. "Yeah. Not today...I actually need to talk to you." I said then got out of bed, careful to not wake Juniper.
It never failed to amaze me how heavy of a sleeper that girl was but I guess I couldn't complain. It was better to have a heavy sleeping five year old than a lighter sleeping one.
"Am I in trouble?" He asked as I shook my head. "Not at all. Come on." I said then led the way out of the room and towards my room.
"Why is there a suitcase. Are you leaving us, too?" Sam asked as he pointed to my suitcase.
"Do you remember Colby's friend Corey?" I asked as he nodded. "Vaguely. Why?" He asked and cocked his head to the side.
"I have to go help Colby with some stuff so he and his girlfriend are gonna come watch you guys." I said as he frowned.
"We can't just come with you?" He asked causing me to frown.
"I would love that, but you my friend have school." I said and ruffled his hair. "When will you be back? Don't say a week and it be two months. Be better than Colby." He teased, causing me to laugh.
"I don't know when I'll be back but I promise we will both be back as soon as humanly possibly." I said as he nodded.
"Okay, I guess that's fine. Just try to be back before Thanksgiving?" He suggested as I nodded.
"I'll try." I said then gave him a hug.
Sam was a sensitive kid but handled a lot of things really well. He craved family time and loved the idea of us all being together.
He took our father's death the hardest and wanted for us to be a happy healthy family.
Juniper loved Colby and thought of him as a best friend and possible father figure, but Sam needed Colby in his life. He needed a male figure to help guide him in ways that I couldn't.
I didn't like the idea of leaving my siblings, but I needed to do it in order to keep our little family together.
