Love above all (Stud and Fem)

Chapter 1: Break down

I swung my door open and after my two-week long business trip the familiar smell of fresh chamomile immediately made me nostalgic. The scent and the breeze from my fountain gave me tranquillity. I stood near the fountain; where I was directed to a calmer state like the first time, I took a breath of fresh air; it felt like I’d been away for longer than I was.
“Catherine! I'm home” I said excitedly waiting for her brittle voice to respond with “Your Grace”, she watches too much Game of Thrones if you ask me.  There was no response. I put my luggage down and inspected the house for their presence, I searched in the kitchen, my office and the guest rooms but there was no sign of her or the children. Without demur I smiled at the thought of their faces. All those long days without their morning kisses and hugs was sedate and it would all end. The house was oddly quiet and my voice echoed back to me when I called out their names again.
After two weeks of travelling, sleepless nights, working for hours on end trying to create concepts, waking up at 5am to finish proposals; I was hoping to be welcomed home by my beautiful prince and princess. I needed to give them all the kisses and hugs they missed. I sharply walked upstairs to go check if they were possibly in their rooms or mine but still no sign of them.
Walking into Jody’s purple butterfly themed room made me nostalgic to the first time I held her inside the room. I was apt to welcome her to her new home. I was consumed by her smile and eyes that glistened so brightly and pure, her tiny fists clenched and placed under her adorable chin. She was wrapped in a violet coloured blanket. Euphoria was an understatement of how I felt.
My trance abruptly occluded when I stepped on a stuffy toy; the favourite tea party guest Dora The Explorer thrown on the ground like an uninvited guest. I picked her up and thought how precious this fluff is to her; she takes it everywhere even in the toilet.
I abruptly took my purse and hastily looked for my phone to call Catherine.
Catherine’s phone rings
“H. hi” Catherine said in her brittle voice, she sounded even shakier than usual.
“Hey Catherine, are you okay? where is Darren and Jody?”  I asked concerned
“I'm-...” She got cut off and I heard a piercing scream in the background
“Hello, Hello Catherine.. What's going on??...”
End of call
I was obscure and disturbed. Why were there screams and why did Catherine sound so tremulous? Where did Jody go? She would never leave her toy. My heart was pounding and I started to shake, I held my hand to stop the shaking but it got worse. The possibility that he came back for me or even worse my children gave me a panic attack. I erased the thought as fast as it came and placed myself on the edge of Jody’s bed with nothing on my mind but my children and where they could be.
He can easily strip her innocence as he did with me; robbing her of her childhood and her innocent years. Then I thought about my Darren and what could happen if he laid his dirty eyes on him and saw his own reflection.
My first impulse was to run, to run out and scream their names louder than my diaphragm could bare. I wanted to run to wherever they were and protect them from him. I grabbed my car keys and hastily walked to the car and jumped in. I started the car but immediately heard a clicking sound that made me burry my head in my hands, uncontrollable tears were showering down my cheeks and I pushed myself out of the car with the little strength I had. I jumped into my other car and sped off with tears blinding my eyes. My endeavours to fixate on the road was slowly failing. I saw children playing at the park, convinced it was my own I drove closer only to be disappointed but proceeded to check on my cousin who only lives a block away. I smiled when I parked outside her house and saw that her house lights were on but quickly disappointed to find she wasn’t inside when I rang the doorbell a few times with no respond, and immediately multiple scenarios kept playing in my head.
She is always inside her house because she works from home but she doesn’t answer her phone nor is she here so where else can they be? 
I was back at the house after two hours of searching. Not once have I stopped thinking about Darren and Jody.
“It’s because you went on the smaller rides!” I heard a soft voice protest “Shut up!" said another. I was familiar with the racket.
I rushed downstairs to see the door opening but I was a wreck; my hair was messy and I had no shoes on. The cologne from earlier was untraceable with my eyes red from all the crying I walked as fast as my legs could carry me.
“Mommy!!!” Jody ran in my direction and I picked her up squeezing her chest to mine, thanking the universe for this reunion. I held her so tight and I smiled for the first time in hours. When I looked up, I saw my big boy, Darren with a huge bright smile waiting for his turn “Hey ma” he said gently hugging me. “Where have you been all day?” I said rigidly turning to Catherine who was closing the door behind them. I saw frowns appear on both their faces. “Why don’t you guys go upstairs, I’ll be up there in a few to give you two a bubble bath okay?” I was irresponsible to raise my voice even when it wasn’t directed to them. “Yessss!!!” they both yelled excitedly, I hugged them again and watched them run upstairs. “Hey Mam are you okay?” Catherine asked putting packets of candyfloss and chocolate bars on the kitchen counter “You had me worried sick! Where were you!? I thought... I thought” I paused; trying to hold back tears overwhelming emotions won this time and tears kept running down my cheeks. “I'm so sorry... I took the children the amusement park and they didn't want to leave. When you called, my battery died, I'm so sorry” she apologised impetuously. “Don’t you ever do that again, I need to know my children’s whereabouts at all times, okay?”. “Understood, uhm they had a good time but it would have been better if you were there” She was overcompensating and I felt regretful for having called her out like I did, especially in my children’s presence. “That was a lovely gesture Catherine but please, always keep in contact when you take them out of the house.” She nodded in response. “Can you please make a warm dish for me and the kids to eat. Let me go see how they are doing” I said walking upstairs.
Catherine is undeniably an amazing helper but her impulsive decisions are concerning. If anyone harms them in any way, they will have me to deal with and I can be very unpleasant. When I saw their little faces, my heart was at peace nothing else mattered anymore.
“Jasmine, are you okay” I stopped in my track and it all came back again.  I wanted to tell her that I’ll never be okay, that no trained doctor could help me heal that I’ve been running and I will keep running as long as I live.
“I’m okay”.