Locked Away (Ianthony)

Chapter 17 *Anthony*

"Please hurry... Daddy's dying." Hailie said coming back upstairs. "And Papa's sad."

"Hailie, go to the stairs... Don't look baby." I said, turning my body to hide Ian from her sights. She did what she was told and walked away. I looked down at Ian. He was growing paler and paler by the moment. "Please God, don't take him too. Please don't take my Ian away from me too." I whispered, tears falling over his chest. The bleeding stopped but I refused to let go. I didn't want to think that it meant he ran out of blood to cycle through his body. Soon enough, paramedics were rushing into our small bathroom to get Ian out and into a hospital. I answered all of their questions and they took him away, leaving me with Hailie and our case worker.

"Anthony, this is not a safe household for Hailie to be in anymore... Hearing that she found her father trying to commit suicide and was the one to call sends off chilling alarms. I notified the board and she can not be in this home while they over look the case." She said. I shook my head and looked at her. I looked at Hailie, confused as to what this all meant. I sighed softly, knowing I couldn't fight facts.

"Please, Linda, give me five minutes to change and let me at least talk with her..." Linda looked at the both of us and nodded, going downstairs. "Hailie, I want you to wait in your room for me, okay?" I asked softly. She nodded and went there while I changed. Then I met with her. I sat her on the bed and I kneeled down in front of her, looking into her beautiful blue-grey eyes. I smiled softly as she sat up slight to speak.

"Papa, what's going to happen to Daddy?" She asked softly. I sighed and looked at her.

"I wish I could tell you sweetheart... But we need to talk real quick... Daddy did something that makes us sad. And is also makes Linda scared. It makes all of us scared." I sighed. "You're going to be staying with another family. One like ours."

She looked at me. "One that's happy or sad?" She asked, so confused. I couldn't bear this. She didn't need to worry about this...

"One that's very happy. But you'll be back with us in no time. Linda wants to make sure this is a good place for you to be, ok?" I asked softly. She looked down, crying. "Hey, bud. No. You'll be ok. We'll all be ok." I hugged her tightly. We started to pack her things. She picked out things she wanted to take with her. She picked her favorite blanket, her teddy bear, and pictures of us. I even put two small bottles of cologne labeled "Daddy" and "Papa" so she'd remember how we smelled. I helped her change and we walked downstairs with her things. Linda took her bag, starting to walk away.

"Come on Hailie..." She said softly. "Let's get you in the car." I hugged Hailie tightly for the both of us.

"Hey, don't forget these." I smiled softly, giving her an Eskimo Kiss. She smiled sadly and I gave her a small kiss, as she walked away. I had a small bag left for her. Linda walked back in. "Here's her schedule, and her favorite things. She loves being read to. Her favorite book is one full of nursery rhymes at bedtime, and she loves for them to be acted out. She can't sleep without her night light, and she's allergic to Red 42 dyes... Please, please bring her back to us..." I said handing over that bag.

"If there's even an us to bring her back to." Linda said walking out. I followed her and watched them drive away. I walked back inside and closed the door. I looked at the house. I wanted to call out Ian's and Hailie's names as if they were there. I wanted to scream and cry and throw things. But I've done that for years. I went upstairs and looked at the phone. Bloody. I walked into Ian and my room. I glanced into Hailie's room. Empty. The pups seemed to finally wake up and they whined, looking for Ian and Hailie. I sat on the stairs, crying. Waiting for the phone to ring about Ian... Waiting to fix what I'd broken again.