My Safe Place

Chapter 28

Noticing the 2 policemen at the door, Adam reconnects his hand into mine, bends down to my ear and whispers "don't say anything love."

I nod to tell him I understand. My heart is racing so fast.

Adams men join us in the dining room as my father tells the policemen to come in. All 6 of us take a seat at the dining table which my mother quickly cleared of our plates. Adam and I sit on one side, my parents on the other, and the 2 policemen sit on either end. It is incredibly intimidating. Both of the policemen are staring at me as if in shock I am sitting at the table.

"Celia, these are the men we have been working with to try and find you since the phone call. I knew the second I answered the phone that you didn't run away. I could tell something wasn't right."

I try to form the words in my mouth but nothing comes out.

"Are you ready to tell us what happened Celia?" The policeman to my right says.

"There's nothing to tell." They both look at each other from either end of the table.

"Maybe we should talk to you alone. Would you three be able to give us a minute please?"

"No. She is not being alone with you two." Adam says in an argumentative tone.

"What is your name sir?" Says the policeman sitting next to Adam.

"That is none of your business, sir." He says in a mocking manner.

"Adam." We all look at my mother as she says his name.

"Well, Adam." Says the officer. "How about if I talk to her just us and her mother and you and her father go upstairs. That way she isn't alone."

"No. You don't get it. Im not leaving her side."

"And why is that?"

"Because I don't trust you. Any of you." He squeezes my hand under the table, letting me know that when he said that, he meant anyone but me.

"Celia. How do you feel about that? Would you be comfortable talking to us alone?"

"I would but there is nothing to talk about. I ran away to keep myself safe and Adam helped me. That's it. I don't need to talk to you alone to tell you that." Being back here is starting to bring back my stubborn side that I feel I lost since being taken by Adams father.

"To keep you safe from what?" The officer questions.

"To keep her safe from my father." I look up at Adam, grateful for him answering so that I didn't have to.

"Why did she need to be kept safe from your father?"

"All you need to know is that he is not a good man."

"Okay. Well, Celia, we still need an honest recount of everything that has happened from the second you left the coffee shop until now."

"Well I'm sorry but that is not going to happen."

"Celia, do as the officer's say." My father says.

"No dad. All you all need to know is that I am safe with Adam and that he didn't do anything wrong."

"No one is insinuating that he did anything wrong." One of the officers say.

"Then why are you here?" I say. I really don't like my parents right now. I told them not to call the police yet here we are.

"Because we are all worried about you Celia. Running away is so unlike you and then to get with a guy like him. Something must be going on with you." I can't help the single laugh that falls from my lips.

"Are you serious? You know so little about me mum. You think you know everything but you really don't. I am so much happier with him than I ever was here." Guilt starts rising through me when my mother storms off crying. I just want to leave. We never should have come back here.

The policemen stand up and ask to speak to my father privately. Turning to face Adam, I rest my head on his chest. His fingers stroke through my hair as he plants multiple kisses on my head.

"You did good. Everything will be okay." He whispers to me.

"How will it be okay? My relationship with my parents and brothers is gone. It would take ages for me to be able to rekindle with them and we are only here for what a few days?"

"2 days." Adam says with regret.

"See. As much as my relationship with my family wasn't great before, I still love them."

"I know sweetheart. I'm sorry." I shake my head against his chest.

"You don't need to be sorry."

"Of course I do. There is a lot we still need to talk about Celia. My father wasn't completely honest when he explained what happened when we saw you for the first time."

I lift my head from his chest. "What do you mean?" He brings his hands to cup my face.

"I'll explain later okay."

"Okay." I say quietly, accepting the fact that he will be honest with me about everything eventually.

"I think you should talk to your parents once the officers have left. Try to understand each other a bit more."

"Yeah I will." And with that, we both watch as my father shakes both of the officers hands as they walk out of the door.