*Mon Seulement Amour (My Only Love) -[Chapter 2]

“Will someone grab the door please,” Jackie called out as she handed a wet plate to her husband for him to dry.

“We’re busy,” Brian’s voice called back from up the stairs. Jackie set down her own towel before turning to the doorframe of the kitchen.

“Her son is beautiful honey,” she continued on to her husband. “And she’s such a wonderful Mom…”

“Are you getting to door or not?” Brian’s voice yelled as the doorbell continued to chime.

“Hold on a second,” Jackie called back. “She’s grown into this beautiful woman.”

“I’m sure she has,” Harold agreed as he set down the plate he’d been wiping dry. “Go get the door sweetie.” Jackie nodded as she took off her apron and tossed it to Harold.

“I’m coming,” she called out as the doorbell chimed incessantly. “I’m coming,” she muttered as she unlocked the door and pulled the door ajar slightly.

“Hey Jackie,” Camille’s tear stained face and voice thick with emotion greeted. “You said I could come by when I needed you, I need you now.”

“Camille,” Jackie gasped as she pushed open the screen door and ushered Camille, who was juggling a sleeping Braden and an armful of bags, inside before closing the door behind her. “Sweetie,” she whispered as she took Braden from Camille’s arms and held him against her chest.

“I don’t know what to do anymore,” Camille cried as she allowed the bags to fall to the floor. She ran her hands through her hair as she walked past Jackie. “I never thought my life end up like this but I know I can’t live like I am…I didn’t have anywhere else to go.”

“It’s okay,” Jackie reassured. “We want you here if you’re not safe.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about anymore,” Camille sniffled as she pointed to Braden. “It’s him, Eric can touch me all he wants but tonight he went after my son. I’m not gonna let that happen.”

“Of course not,” Jackie agreed lightly. Camille reached out and took Braden from Jackie’s arms.

“He heard me screaming at Eric, begging him to stop and he got scared. He started screaming and Eric went to go back into the nursery, I stepped in front of him and he threw me down the stairs thank God. If I hadn’t been able to step in front of him I don’t know what he would have done,” Camille sobbed as she set her right hand on the back of Braden’s head. “And downstairs I could here him screaming and I just wanted to run up there and hold him but I couldn’t get up there, I just wanted to hold him and I couldn’t get to him.”

“It’s okay,” Jackie whispered as she closed the gap between Camille and herself. “Camille how long has this been going on?” Camille scoffed as she closed her eyes and rested her cheek against Braden’s head.

“Forever,” she whispered. “I’m tired of hiding my bruises, I’m tired of having to take my son to some cheap motel to insure that he will be able to get some sleep.”

“Mom who was it?” Brian’s voice called out from the top of the stairs.

“Jackie I don’t want them to see me like this,” Camille whispered. “Please!”

“Just somebody that was trying to sell me something sweetie,” Jackie called back as she motioned for Camille to go into the kitchen. “How’s the writing coming along?”

“Great,” Brian responded as he began descending down the stairs.

“What do you need?” Jackie asked.

“I just wanted to get some water,” Brian responded as he walked toward the kitchen. Jackie set her hands on Brian’s chest and pushed back to the stairs.

“I’ll bring it up,” she offered.

“I can do it,” Brian laughed.

“Honey I rarely ever get to wait on you boys anymore just let me do it please,” Jackie pleaded lightly. Brian stared at his Mom for a moment before slowly nodding his head.

“Okay,” he agreed before turning and making his way back up the stairs. Jackie let out a breath before turning and making her way into the kitchen where Camille was sitting down at the table, Harold sitting right beside her.

“What are we going to do about this?” he asked softly.

“We’re going to clean her up and give her a place to stay,” Jackie responded simply. Camille shook her head back and forth as she stood.

“I don’t want to put you guys out,” she argued. “I don’t want to burden you with this.”

“Just tell us what you us to do to help you,” Harold stated. “We want to help keep you safe.” Camille bit back on her trembling bottom lip as she eased Braden into Harold’s arms.

“His diaper bag is in the foyer, it has milked that I’ve pumped and clean bottles,” she explained. “His clothes are in my car, along with his medical information…birth certificate all of that. I need you to let him stay here with you for a little while.”

“Camille no,” Jackie argued.

“I need to go back and clean things up, see if I can salvage anything that is left in my relationship with Eric,” Camille insisted. “I need to make sure that if Braden ever comes back home with me that he will be okay.”

“Let me come back with you,” Harold suggested. Camille shook her head back and forth before taking Jackie’s left hand within both of hers.

“Please,” she pleaded. “From one Mother to another you know what its like to want to keep your children safe, please…please.” Jackie looked into Camille’s wide tear filled eyes before nodding slowly.

“On the condition that you stay here for the night,” she stated. “In the guest house. You need some sleep, get it here.”

“Thank you,” Camille choked out before throwing her arms around Jackie’s neck and crying into her shoulder. “Thank you.”

“Okay,” Jackie whispered as she rested her hands on Camille’s back. “He’ll be safe here Camille, I want you to be safe while you’re not here do you hear me? You can come back here anytime. Don’t let it get so bad that you can’t get out.”

“Let’s get her cleaned up,” Harold suggested.

Camille eased Braden into the bassinet she’d brought with them when they’d left the house before picking it up and making her way from the guest-house to the back door of the main house. As she slid open the house door Camille blew out a breath before stepping into the warmth of the home.

“I will come back,” she whispered to a sleeping Braden as she made her way up the stairs and to Jackie and Harold’s room. She slowly opened the door and made her way to the bed where she set the bassinet down before getting onto her knees.

“I’m going to come back,” she promised. “Soon too, I promise sweetheart. Until then be good for these people, they’re very nice people. I love you so much, my little boy I’ll miss you every second that I’m away. I love you Braden and if for some reason I don’t get to come back, remember that Momma will always love you,” she finished as she wiped away tear that fallen from her right eye then set a soft kiss on Braden’s forehead. She set a note she’d written prior to entering the house on top of the blue blanket that she wrapped Braden in before tip toeing out of the room and closing the door behind her. She rested her forehead against the door and kissed the tips of her fingers before allowing them to fall to the white door.

“Please take good care of him,” she whispered before turning away and quickly making her way out the front door.