40 Something - Safety by Shannon Peel

Author:Shannon Peel
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: women, womens fiction, chicklit, contemporary, series, novella, 40 something

Rose

I’m home. Safe. Home is safe.

I never realized how safe I felt at home, until now.

I can hear the kids upstairs. They are safe inside these walls. If I could, I’d never let them outside. The world is filled with Craig’s and worse, Mansons, Dalmers, and Bundys. They are out there waiting to strike on vulnerable girls, like my daughters.

The stats don’t lie. Girls are vulnerable. They are harassed, raped, kidnapped, abused, exploited, and murdered. Why couldn’t I have had all boys?

I love my girls. I love them all. This world is just too dangerous for them.

I can’t stand still. Energy pulses through me and I need to move. I clean. I tidy. I do the laundry. I work. I’m vibrating, an uncomfortable feeling is overwhelming me.

“Kids.” I yell. “Kids.” I want to see them make sure they are safe. “Kids.”

“Ya mom?” Aiden, my sweet boy comes down.

“Go get your sisters. I want to talk to you guys.”

“Are there cookies?”

“Yes. I’ll give you all cookies.” He obeys.

“What’s up hun?” Gus asks me.

I hug him. I pull myself close into him. I feel safe. I am safe. We are safe.

“Seriously hun. What’s wrong? You’re shaking.”

Gus pulls away to look down into my face. I can see his concern for me and I pull him close again. Wrapped in his arms I am safe.

“Life. I guess. Today reminded me that the world isn’t safe.”

“It’s safe.”

“But –“

“Look. That guy’s an asshole, plenty of those around, but he isn’t dangerous. Just a bully.”

“Charlie was right about Sophie not staying here.” I say.

“Probably for the best. We don’t need to be inviting trouble in.”

“What’s this about trouble?” My dad asks.

“Oh just talking about how Charlie was right about Sophie not staying here.” I say.

“Well, Charlie knows about these things. Do you have any iced tea?”

“Here dad I’ll make you some.”

I fill the kettle and put it to boil. Best to keep busy. Doing things takes my mind off my problems and helps to settle my nerves. I wipe the counters, re-organize the items that are displayed on it for easier access. I grab my favourite glass pitcher, a couple tea bags, ice from the freezer and a frozen concentrated lemonade container.

If something happened to one of my girls. I’d be devastated. The world is a scary place. There was that teenager in the next town over who was raped. Did they ever catch the guy? I read somewhere that one in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, or is that three in four? Oh my. This world is getting so dangerous. It’s not as safe as when I was a teenager. How can I keep my girls safe?

“Howard what time is it? Shouldn’t we be getting home?” My mom asks.

“Mom. When we were teenagers did you worry about us?”

“Of course dear. I still do. Every mother worries about their children.”

“No. I mean. Was it dangerous out there in the world?”

“Yes. It seems to have gotten worse. But there were still bad things happening when you were a teenager and when I was.

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