I Promise {Rierra}

7- The Escape/ The Kids

Chapter 7

Sierra gasped.

How could these kids live in this shit hole for so long? Mandy's flat was a wreck. The kitchen was littered with pots and pans an the occasional food wrapper. The living room was trashed. Also, Mandy was laid down on the couch, bottle in hand, completely passed out. No doubt the alcohol will has her passed out for a while. She shook her head. How could a woman be this cruel to her own flesh and blood? She continued on her journey. She had yet to see any sign of Hadley and/or Jaiden. She walked down the hallway, and saw a light at the end. It was only a crack though, so presumably it was from a light under the door. She wasn't paying attention and she walked right into the wall, causing a picture frame to shatter. She heard shuffling inside the room. She heard whispers, a little boy crying, presumably Hadley, and Jaiden comforting him.

Granted, if Sierra could hear them outside their bedroom door than they would be screwed if a real burglar broke into the house, but that's not the case.

Sierra tried to think of a gentle way to approach this. Knock? Just barge into the room? Sierra opened the door slowly, and stuck her head in. She saw a little foot stick out from under the bed. She kneeled down and looked under the bed. What she saw warmed her heart. Jaiden was cradling a crying Hadley in his arms. Poor little Hadley. Too young to understand any of this.

"Hadley, Jaiden?" She whispered to them.

"How do you know our names?" Jaiden spoke up.

"I'm Sierra. I know your father."

"Daddy?" Hadley spoke up. Sierra could see his eyes flicker. Hadley now had hope that he could leave this shit hole.

Sierra smiled. "Yes, I know your daddy. And I'm here to get you out if here. Come on, honey." She reached to help Hadley out from under the bed, but Jaiden held him back.

"How do we know you're not lying to us?" Jaiden pressed, not fully believing Sierra.

"If I didn't know your dad, how would I know that his favorite color is blue. His favorite food is pancakes, and his favorite movie is The Little Mermaid?" Hadley giggles a little bit. He completely believed Sierra. Jaiden was still marginal. "Look, we need to leave, like now. When we get in the car I'll show you a picture of me and your daddy, okay?" Jaiden thought for a minute, then nodded. Sierra assisted the two out from under the bed and opened the door again. She hoisted Hadley into her arms and looked towards the two. She groaned in pain, almost forgetting about the fact that she had surgery for a hernia two days ago. "Be silent." She whispered.

They were just about to leave when Hadley said, "Wait!" Tears started falling down his face. "I need my teddy!" He cried. Jaiden ran over to the bed and grabbed a stuffed teddy bear. He placed it in Hadley's arms and the little boy grinned, sticking his thumb in his mouth.

Isn't he a bit old to be sucking his thumb?

They set off down the hallway, quiet as can be. But Sierra, being her clumsy self, decided to kick the table, causing a plate knock over and shatter. Mandy shot right up and looked at Sierra. She abruptly placed Hadley on the floor and screamed, "Go! Get in the car! I'll be out!" The two kids seemed scared out of their minds as they ran out the door and into Fraser's back seat.

Mandy came running at Sierra, knocking her down on the floor. The two women wrestled for a while, and eventually, Mandy was holding Sierra down on the floor. "How dare you take my children!"

"How can you consider yourself a mother to those children?! They hate you! Ramin hates you! I hate you!" Sierra screams.

"And you're nothing more to me than dirt under my feet." Sierra was thrashing under her body weight. Either because she was pissed off at her or because she was in pain. A little bit of both. Mandy had a knee right where her hernia had been. "Oh," She had a sick grin on her face. "I know you. Mrs. Sierra Boggess. You're the woman who has kissed my ex-husband so many times on stage. Tell me, how does it feel to have to kiss someone that you know will never love you?"