Red_Roses_and_Black_Dahlias_-_Macy_T

Once I heard the door close after the officers, I took her head between my
hands, making her look up at me. I couldn’t help assessing her, scared she’d
been hurt in a way I hadn’t noticed before.
“Are you okay?” She gave a small nod and sniffled quietly. Her hands
gripped my wrists as she held on tight.
“I- I thought he was back.” Her eyes wouldn’t meet mine, they were still
wide and staring into nothingness, like she was replaying memories from that
night. “I thought he came back for Val-“ she stopped and looked at me,
panicked, “Valentina!” She dodged me and sprinted out of the bathroom.
I followed her, and felt myself starting to panic when I noticed the little
girl was not on the bed where I left her. Sofia’s eyes were taking in the room,
looking everywhere for her sister. Finally, she spotted her in the farthest
corner from the door, on the floor with her knees brought closer to her chest
and her little hands hiding her face, in a perfect fetal position. She ran to her.
“Fuck” I cursed and walked closer while still giving them space.
I didn’t know how Valentina would react to me, I was tall and broadshouldered,
I had no idea if seeing a big man would trigger her or not right
now. I had no idea what was going through her head but what I did know was
that it would break my heart if she was suddenly afraid of me.
“Rosita, look at me.” Sofia was kneeling in front of the little girl, trying to
pry her hands away from her face to no avail.
Valentina’s little body was shaking like crazy, she was silently crying and
trying to block out the world surrounding her. I felt so useless at that moment,
knowing there was nothing I could do to erase the last half hour from her
mind.
“Porfa, mi amor, mírame.” I didn’t speak Spanish other than for a few
words, and prior to today I’d never heard Sofia use the language either.