Empty Spaces

Strawberries Sunday

"So, you and Casey huh?" Was the first thing Stella asked, her eyebrows raised and a smirk present on her face. It had been a common joke in their friends group to tease Sylvie about the obvious crush that she had on Casey. Although Emily and Stella were the only two who knew that the only reason, she didn't pursue it was because of his ex and her best friend.

"Shh!" Sylvie whispered rather loudly, having not checked the room beforehand she wasn't sure if any other crew were in there. "No, not me and Casey. Get it out of your head." 
Stella burst out laughing before she could control it. She had seen the way Sylvie and Matt acted around each other and her previous crush on him. "Oh, come on. You were practically drooling over him during runs last week."

Sylvie's mouth opened and closed, she knew Stella was right and they had previously talked about her crush on Matt, but she didn't want to ruin the amazing friendship they had created since his ex and her best friend had left. "I just, I don't want to ruin things. What if he doesn't feel the same? He could still be in love with Gabby." She sighed, her hands coming up and rubbing her face and pushing her fringe back.

Sylvie's statement caused Stella to laugh again, shaking her head at her obviously blind friend. "Girl, you have no idea."

It was at that moment that Bella came out of the toilet and Sylvie couldn't ask Stella what she meant. Bella looked between the two girls suspiciously putting her hands on her hips. "Were yous talkin bout me?"

The way she spoke caused Sylvie to smile, shaking her head in response. "No sweet, we weren't talking about you. I promise." Sylvie said, sticking out her pinky which Bella locked with hers.

After letting go, Stella left, and Sylvie took Bella over to her locker. She put in the combination as Bella watched before opening the door. "I was thinking maybe we could get you in the shower. Clean you up and get you some fresh clothes?" Sylvie suggested as she took out her shampoo, conditioner and body wash from her locker. It was obvious the girl hadn't had a shower in a while and although she didn't stink, she certainly didn't smell as a small girl should.

"Will you stay and help me?" Bella asked quietly, like she was almost afraid to ask. She was fiddling with a piece of loose cotton on her shirt even when she looked up. She did want to shower but she was scared, this place was still so foreign and there were men everywhere. She trusted Sylvie. Plus, she didn't know how to wash her hair herself yet.
Sylvie smiled lightly and nodded, handing the girl a clean town and showing her the way to the showers. Placing the items on the metal seat row, Sylvie kneeled. Helping the young girl to undress when she showed struggle to remove her top.

Although having no children of her own Sylvie loved them. She had baby sat for most of Fowlerton during her teen age years, so she knew children pretty well. What she wishes she didn't know well was the bruises caused by 'loving' parents, or the ones caused by parents who admitted they were bad. Over her years as a paramedic she had seen a lot of cases, children abused by those meant to protect them, those meant to nurture them. But what she hadn't seen was the bruises left weeks after they had happened. They taught you in school to leave your emotions in the locker room, to drop your patients off at the hospital and that be it. So, when she removed the girls top her hands flew to cover her mouth and tears stung her eyes. Here stood a six-year-old who's ribs were covered in hand mark bruises; no more than a week old.

"Oh baby, what happened to you?" Sylvie asked, more rhetorically than anything. She didn't expect the young girl to answer, the shock in her face evident when the girl began to speak.

"The men, they got mad. Ava wouldn't let them take me, she told them I was her cubby. Not for sale." The last bit of the sentence was said differently, like she was copying what someone else had said. Bella had tears running down her face now, her little fingers came up to her mouth and she began to cry quite audibly.

Sylvie was second guessing whether she should hug her or not, not wanting to frighten the girl. She decided against her thought and reached out, pulling the girl into her lap and sitting herself back against the brick for support. Bella placed a leg either side of Sylvie, wrapping her legs around her back and her arms around her neck, her face burying into Sylvie's chest as she cried. Sylvie let her own tears fall now, as she began to rock with the child. Humming softly as her hand ran up the girls back. "You're okay baby, you're okay. I've got you."

They sat together for ten minutes, only moving to rock back and forth. Sylvie was grateful that no one had come in or looking for them. They needed this time alone, to bond and cuddle, for Bella to let out her emotions and trust Sylvie to hold and protect her. Bella had stopped crying after a few minutes and was just enjoying being held. She waited another minute or so before pulling back from Sylvie and looking at her.

"Shower now?" She asked softly, it was evident in the tiny girls voice that she was tired again but they both knew she needed a shower.

"Yeah baby, shower now." Sylvie helped Bella back up before getting onto her knee's, she helped Bella pull her pants off but left her in her underwear. She figured she could take them off herself while she started the water.

Once the water was on she helped Bella step in. Sylvie closed the curtain and sat down on the seat just in front. "Stick your hand out and ill give you some body wash." She said, uncapping the body wash and squirting some onto the girls hand.

"Sylvie! It smells like strawberries!" She heard Bella exclaim from behind the curtain a smile evident in her voice, it made Sylvie laughed.

"It sure does, it's one of my favourites." Sylvie said as she began to stand, just as she made it all the way up, she saw a small head pop out from behind the curtain. "Don't worry, I'm just grabbing my phone to text a friend."

Sylvie grabbed her phone from the end of the bench and texted Herrmann first asking him if the storm had let up at all and if it did if Cindy could possibly spare some of Annabelle's old clothes for Bella. She then texted Emily and asked her if she could grab a spare size XS Chicago fire department shirt and a jumper too. She then returned to where she was before on the bench. It wasn't long after that Emily returned with clothes in hand.

"Hey! Got your text. I also brought in a pack of kids underwear from the kids drive pile, its unopened. Herrmann told me to tell you that the warning has been downgraded but it's still not safe to travel." Emily said almost out of breath by the end of it, as she placed the clothes down on the bench. Bella poked her head out of the curtain again and smile. "Hey Rockstar!"

"Hi Emily!" Bella smiled, bringing a wet arm out and waving at her. She then turned her head and looked at Sylvie. "Sylvie, can you please wash my hair?"

Emily took that as her cue to leave and waved a bye to them both. Sylvie stood and helped wash the girls hair. Once it was done, she turned off the shower and helped her dry and get dressed. The top had the effect she wanted and was more of a dress on the girl, she put the jumper on her too and rolled up the sleeves.

"Well who's this beautiful new girl in front of me?" Sylvie asked, feigning shock at the cleaned girl in front of her. Bella giggled shyly, turning a little in her spot. It was at that moment that she heard her stomach rumble.

"Must mean it's dinner time huh? Why don't we head to the common room and see what's cooking?" After Sylvie packed away her stuff and put Bella's closed in the wash they stalked off towards the kitchen.

She had thought the day was going pretty well considering, she had no clue how wrong she was about to be......