Chapter 85
Eighty-Five
‘Okay, kiddo, hat as well,’ Stacey said, passing Ava the pink knitted bobble hat with ears sewn on.
‘Oh, not that one,’ she said, sighing dramatically. ‘That’s for babies.’
‘Well, it’s the only one we’ve got, so you’re putting it on.’
Devon appeared. ‘It’s either that hat or I’m gonna do this,’ she said, folding a cuddly toy on top of Ava’s head and pulling it over her ears. ‘Gotta keep you warm.’
Ava laughed and took the hat from her. It was a welcome sound after the last few days.
Devon must have had the same thought, as their gaze met above Ava’s head. She turned away but not before Stacey saw sadness creep into her eyes.
Stacey forced cheer into her own voice. ‘Righty-ho, are you ready?’
Dee headed out first and put the pink suitcase in the boot of the car.
Stacey settled Ava in the back before joining her wife up front. She squeezed Devon’s leg reassuringly before she started the car and pulled away.
Ava hummed quietly, and Stacey had to marvel again at the little girl’s bravery. She wasn’t sure how she would have handled it all, and she was a grown woman.
‘You okay back there?’ Stacey called over her shoulder.
‘Tickety-boo,’ Ava said, making them both laugh.
As they drove, Stacey’s thoughts returned to two nights earlier, when Bryant had updated her about what had happened and who was responsible. She had instantly called Devon to tell her that Ava was safe.
‘Okay, I’ll pick you up,’ Devon had said.
‘For what? It’s ten o’clock.’
‘To go to her,’ Devon said resolutely. ‘We have to. She needs us.’
Stacey had been on the M5 heading towards Scotland within the hour.
They had arrived, and the little girl had immediately run into their arms. There had been no news on Daniel, and Eric and Donna were finally ready for transportation back to the Black Country.
There had been no question that she and Devon would book a hotel room until there was news of Ava’s father.
They had met Aunt Janine while Ava had been sleeping and told her the whole story. Just as they’d finished, Janine received a call from the hospital and sped away to be by her brother’s side.
She and Devon had simply taken care of Ava.
Now, Devon pulled into the car park and took a deep breath before getting out. Stacey helped Ava out while Devon retrieved the case.
Ava didn’t say a word as they entered the building, but Stacey held her hand gently. Ava knew exactly where they were going.
Devon opened the door to the side room of the hospital ward, and Stacey was relieved to see that Daniel was sitting up today. He still had little colour and was attached to various machines, but his face lit up at the sight of Ava.
‘Daddy,’ she cried, running towards the bed.
Then she stopped short, remembering that she’d been unable to hug him the day before.
Daniel patted the bed beside him. She climbed up and nestled into the crook of his arm.
Janine stepped forward and hugged them both long and hard. Devon and Stacey had enabled her to focus solely on her brother. She’d barely left the hospital in two days.
Daniel had been stabbed twice. One had ruptured his spleen. It had been touch and go in the helicopter, but surgery had saved his life.
They had debated the merits of allowing Ava to visit the previous day, but once he was considered no longer critical, they had all decided it was better for the child to be able to see him.
Despite the pain he was in, Daniel was beaming from ear to ear as he listened to his daughter jabber on about the film they’d watched the night before.
Janine stood between her and Devon, watching the two of them.
‘They’re hoping to release him tomorrow,’ she said. ‘My husband has turned his study into a downstairs bedroom, and the boys are excited about bunking together. I’ve arranged a nurse to come in twice a day.’
Stacey nodded. She’d liked Janine on sight, and she had no doubt that the woman would take care of them both.
Janine reached out a hand to both of them. ‘I don’t know how we can ever thank you.’
‘We can’t,’ Daniel said from the bed.
‘She is one special little girl,’ Devon said.
Janine moved back to the bed and ruffled Ava’s hair. ‘Hear that, pumpkin?’
‘Pumpkin?’ Ava asked, chuckling.
It occurred to Stacey that neither of these adults was related to Ava by blood, but they could be no more of a family if they were.
Stacey knew the moment they’d been dreading was finally here.
‘Okay, kiddo, we gotta get going,’ she said, trying to keep the emotion out of her throat.
Ava climbed down from the bed and hugged Devon first.
‘Gonna miss you, sweetie,’ Devon said with a catch in her voice.
‘I’ll miss you too,’ Ava said, moving across to hug Stacey.
Stacey held her tight. ‘You still got my number?’
Ava nodded as a tear rolled over her cheek.
‘You promise to use it now and again? Let us know how you’re doing?’
She looked to her dad.
‘Of course. They’re your aunties now,’ he said with a grateful smile. ‘We’d both like you to keep in touch.’
After another goodbye, they left the room and headed out of the hospital, hand in hand.
‘How are you feeling?’ Stacey asked once they were back in the car.
‘Didn’t want to let her go,’ Devon said, fighting back tears.
‘Me either,’ Stacey admitted.
They sat in silence for a moment.
Devon spoke first. ‘I feel sad, a bit empty, but elated too. Does that make sense?’
‘I think so. I feel the same way. We’ve loved her and lost her, but most of all we helped her. We did good, wifey,’ Stacey said.
Still Devon didn’t start the car. Instead, she turned in her seat.
‘Babe, could this be a sign? There are so many kids needing love already in the world. Children who have been hurt, neglected, abandoned. Is this what we’re supposed to do?’
Stacey considered the question before squeezing Devon’s hand. ‘Yes, Dee, I think this is exactly what we were meant to do.’