22. Elle
Sitting on Gisele’s verandah, I had a good view of the hive of activity that was currently happening across the road. Miracle was tucked against my side, her little arms wrapped around my tummy and mine around her shoulders. My shirt was wet where her face was laying on my chest, she had not moved since Georgina walked me from my house planting me on my sister’s porch, giving me Miracle knowing that I would in no way leave my niece crying and upset. It was the worst ploy to keep me away from my house, but I understood why mum did it.
We made sure nothing about Dutch’s death had been mentioned around Miracle, the fact she knew he was dead was more than enough, I hated that I saw what happened to my beautiful little man. Right now, what I needed most was my niece.
Stroking her hair, my heart ached with every shake of her shoulders and every tear that soaked my shirt. Dutch meant the world to Miracle, as much as he did to me. Our sleepover nights together involved, Dutch, Miracle and me in my bed. What were we going to do without him now.
Keeping my eyes trained on my dad and Jami, who were talking with their backs to me and their heads close together. My dad’s body language didn’t bode well for the situation, or who had broken into my home, trashing it beyond imaginable, ruining every stick of furniture, shredding cushions and anything fabric. My fridge had been upended, all its contents stomped on and smashed. Not one electrical appliance was salvageable, my clothes and personal items ruined. Nothing was left.
Nothing.
I shivered remembering hearing Jami telling dad how incredibly lucky it was that I spent the night at my parent’s house the night before. Miracle was staying over because Gisele and Jami had gone out on their first proper date. If you could call a meal at the pub bistro a date. I decided to hang with her, telling dad not to worry about going to get Dutch as he had been sick earlier that morning, throwing up his breakfast and I thought it better for mum’s carpet he stay home.
I regretted that decision now. Not giving into dad’s insistence, he didn’t mind going to get my beloved dog. One thing I didn’t regret was staying at my childhood home instead of taking Miracle home with me, which I had considered doing and even mentioning to my parents and getting talked out of it because Miracle had wanted to paint in Gigi’s art room.
Thank God, thank God, thank God.
“I got you chickee,” I crooned, doing my best to keep my voice from quivering with my silent tears. It annoyed me that I was crying, annoyed me that this was happening, but it made me furious that someone could be so cruel to kill a defenceless little animal. Destroying a little girl’s feelings, showing her the ugliness in the world we as a family had always kept from her. Wasn’t the fact she couldn’t talk and was the town’s gossip enough for her to deal with. Now this.
With her arms tightly wrapped around me refusing to me go, Miracle couldn’t answer me, so instead she nodded her head, giving me a tiny squeeze.
Jesus how was this going to affect her. I wasn’t so much worried about me, not yet. Once everything calmed down though, I had a feeling a massive breakdown was coming my way.
Oh, joy and rapture.
I was going to need my sisters when that hit.
Finally, my dad turned around and his gaze found me straightaway. His blue eyes were dark, and his face was ravaged as he took in Miracle on my lap. I knew exactly what he was thinking.
Miracle and I could have been there.
Don’t. I mouthed to him, not wanting his mind going where it didn’t need to go. I knew I had no control over anything my father did or what he was capable of, but for right now he needed to focus on his granddaughter.
“Come here,” I said loud enough for him to understand but not enough to startle Miracle. Jamison was in full detective mode, not letting anyone walk through my home until he had done a check and taken photos for evidence. It was lucky for us all that he was in town, and it hadn’t happened the week before when he had gone back to Gracefield. I shuddered at that thought. The minute I called Claudia, she got on the phone to him, and he was there within minutes, barking orders, walking the perimeter of my property. It didn’t escape me that the first thing he did was check in on not just me but Miracle. He and Gisele might be new, and still beginning but he understood the bond Miracle had with animals, his own included. It also didn’t escape my attention the way he kept Gisele in his sights, even when he was huddled with Jock, Josh and Ryan, his eyes scanned over to Gisele every few minutes.
It was one bright moment in a dark day, seeing a man care so deeply for my little sister and her daughter.
Dad walked quickly across the road, not even bothering with the gate just vaulting over it and running up the path and steps.
“Hey Ellie girl, how is our little Miracle?” Dad asked dropping to his knees in front of us, bringing his hands up one on my knee and the over covering Miracle’s back. If I hadn’t been paying attention, I would have missed the tremor in the hand on my knee.
“You okay daddy?” I asked worried for my father. If anyone in the family, you could depend on to be strong it was Jock Blessing.
“Not even a bit, sweat pea, not a fucking bit,” he answered me, his voice anguished.
Gutted.
“Hey, daddio, nothing happened to me or to our girl. Concentrate on that, okay? Let Jami take care of everything else.” I said softly, then deliberately forced Miracle against him, letting her go so he had no choice but to grab her.
“I need to stretch my legs,” I told him truthfully, plus I needed to go see my sisters and mum. Georgina was acting strange, as in she wasn’t yelling and screaming for bloody murder instead, she was standing off to the side of my fence going from watching my sisters to watching me. That was more frightening than having my house trashed.
Well, nearly as frightening.
Leaning down to give Miracle a kiss, watching her hands what she was saying making my heart ache but not with hurt.
“Love you to pieces and back together again too, my beautiful angel,” I whispered back to her, giving her another kiss just to reassure myself she was here and still with us.
Thanking the universe for things not being worse.
I also needed to go talk to Jami.
I knew I had my suspicions who was behind this.
My guess he had the same person in mind too.