He woke up by a sound. He was groggy, not able to figure out what the sound was. His eyes went to the clock on the wall. It was only 6 in the morning. He let out a little yawn. The sound was still there. He suddenly realized it was her that he could hear and it wasn't a good sound. He sat up. She sat with her back against him, shaking and sobbing uncontrollable. He got to his knees and crawled to her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked down from behind her. She was sitting with a knife in her hands. He reached down and gently took her hand, removing the knife from it.
"I didn't do it, I didn't do it," she sobbed.
He looked at her thigh. Nothing. He put the knife on the floor beside him and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in towards his chest, rocking her.
"I didn't do it," she kept sobbing.
"I know, baby. I'm so proud of you," he said while trying his best to comfort her.
She turned her body so she could put her arms around his neck. She buried her head in his hair, letting him hold her close and rock her.
"I'm so sorry," she whimpered.
"Ssh, don't be. I knew it would be hard on you to come here," he said silently.
They sat like that for a while until her crying stopped. He squeezed her tight and then moved his hands up to push her head out from his hair. He looked her in the eyes.
"Ready to meet the day?" He asked.
"No, but I don't have much choice, do I?" She answered.
"No, you don't, but you'll meet it with me by your side. Now, can I get a little smile?" He asked, smiling at her, rubbing his nose against hers in hope to tease her a bit to get a smile.
"No," she said, trying her best not to smile.
"Aaw, come on. Give daddy some sugar," he said.
She couldn't hold it back any longer and started laughing a little.
"Daddy? Really?" She laughed.
"Hey, it worked. You're smiling," he said and kissed her.
"Okay, get up," he said and pushed her body upwards.
"But I was so comfortable," she protested.
"Yes, but we have to call around to find a hotel that can give us a room on such short notice," he said.
"Oh yeah," she said.
She had forgotten about that for a while.
"Let me handle that," she said and grabbed her phone.
After a few phonecalls she had a room booked at a hotel. He grabbed their bags and carried them downstairs. They went into the kitchen and made coffee and had breakfast. They waited for her parents to get up.
Around 8 o'clock her parents came down to the kitchen. Her mother looked confused at their bags on the floor.
"You're leaving?" She asked.
Abigail let out a sigh.
"Mom, please sit down," she said.
Her parents sat down and looked at them.
"I... We... Well, I..." Abigail stuttered and couldn't find the words.
Roman took her hand and gently patted it.
"Allow me," he said.
She nodded. He turned his attention to her parents.
"It's no secret that Abigail is not in a good place in her life. You know just as well as me what happened two years ago before she left your home to work with our company," he said.
"Yeah, but we thought things were different now," Trudy said.
"Because that's what I led you to believe over the phone," Abigail whispered.
"It's nothing you've done. You've been great parents and still are. It's just hard on her to come back here with all the memories in this house so we thought it would best that we check in to a hotel so she can relax and then maybe enjoy the party tonight a little better," Roman said.
Trudy reached over the table and took Abigail's other hand.
"It's okay, baby. I understand," she said.
"Thanks mom," Abigail whispered.
They stood up to leave the house. Roman grabbed their bags and carried them to the car.
"You have a great man in your life now to take care of you so let him," Trudy said and hugged her.
"I know, mom," she said and smiled.
Then she went out to the car where Roman was waiting. They got in the car. She reached over and took his hand.
"Thank you, not just for this but for everything," she said.
He smiled at her.
"Anything for my girl," he said.
He started the car and drove towards the hotel.