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"Text me anytime." Amanda had whispered as she'd hugged Ola once they'd reached the hotel and found their rooms. All 3 girls were wide eyed at the huge room and amazing view of New York City. " I share the big bed with you Ola?" Izzy asked. "Sure thing Izzy-bug" Ola smiled. Anna plopped her suitcase down on the smaller bed and grabbed her wash kit and pyjamas. Izzy had her new things in a cute backpack Olivia had bought her and Ola a haphazardly packed small hold-all bag which she'd thrown a few things in when Amanda and Carisi had turned up at the Hayses' home where she was the au-pair. She realized she should probably update them. They were such good employers, treating her like one of their own when she wasn't working, for example she was invited on all the vacations and often joined them on family days out to the movies or dinner. She'd refused the water park though,She hadn't been to a swimming pool in 3 years. So she sent Vanessa a text hey Vanessa it's Olivia, everything is okay here. I'm in NYC with my family, sorry to have left you so suddenly, not sure when or if I'll be back. Sorry. Give those sweet girls a hug from me x
"The hotel does chicken nuggets and French fries." Anna said reading the menu in the binder. "Order 3." Ola told her. "It's a special day, we can worry about fruit and vegetables tomorrow."
"Can you?" Anna asked, her anxiety getting the better of her. She hated speaking to people she didn't know. Especially on the phone. She handed Ola the hotel phone who ordered room service. The girls all got into their pijamas. Anna stared startled at the scars littering Izzy's body until Ola caught her eye pointedly and Anna looked intently at her fingers in her lap again.
Anna and Ola ate their dinner, while Izzy picked at hers. "You okay Izzy-bug?" Ola asked. "My tummy hurted a bit after the cake. I not hungry no more and I so tired."
"Ok sweetie. I'm tired too and so is Anna I think." Ola smiled Anna rolled her eyes and nodded .
After the girls had eaten they said goodnight to their parents in their room, although Izzy refused to hug her father. They all brushed their teeth and got into bed. They all said prayers. The Lord's Prayer in Polish and then personal prayers in English. "God, thank you for find my family. I prayer for Ruslana that you look after her in heaven because she is small. Aman." Izzy said. "Who's Ruslana?" Anna mouthed at Ola "not now" Ola mouthed back. "You'll find out soon." She whispered to her middle sister. She didn't have the energy, physically or emotionally to explain it to Anna. What she had seen had rocked her. She'd grown up in rural Poland and suburban England. The only TV shows she watched were dancing with the stars, the great British bake off and musicals. Seeing a little girl murdered that could have very easily been her sister. That wasn't the kind of thing that happened in Ola's life. Ola turned out the lights "dobranoc Anna, dobranoc Iza." She wished her sisters goodnight in Polish. Izzy snuggled into her oldest sister. Soon Anna's breathing slowed and regulated. It was obvious she was asleep. Ola was pleased. Anna often struggled to sleep due to her anxiety. Ola had spent many an evening talking Anna down from a panic attack in the middle of the night U.K. time, on the phone from across the ocean. It broke Ola's heart every time. Leaving Anna and her mental health problems was the hardest thing about leaving the U.K. to become a au-pair. But the relief of finishing her exams and pure exhaustion had caught up with her. "Ola." Izzy whispered. "Ola, you awake? I Not sleep."
"Yeah. I'm awake Izzy. Are you okay."
"I scared. I not stop thinking bout Ruslana."
"You're safe darling. I've got you and no one will hurt you. Olivia and Amanda will look after you. Mr D and mommy are in the hospital but the police won't let them go. You're safe honey." She sang 'amazing grace' as softly as possible, hoping it would allow Anna to stay asleep and Izzy to fall asleep.
She started to drift off so Ola lay down and tried to get some sleep, each time she was almost asleep she saw Ruslana dead on the ground. But in the flashback Ruslana had a different face. It was Izzy's. And each time her heart started racing and she had to take a few deep breaths to calm herself down. "It's okay, Izzy's here." she told herself. She could her her breathing she reached over and touched Izzy's hair gently. "Izabela is here and she's alive and she's safe. The hotel room door is locked and mama and dad are the only people on the other side of the interconnected door. Izzy's safe. Anna's safe. I'm safe." She whispered to herself. She was completely exhausted and just wanted to sleep but her mind wouldn't let her. She just lay in bed hoping she'd drop off at some point until Izzy started screaming "no no Ruslana. Lana!" Ola grabbed her sister "shhh shhh you're okay Izzy, you're okay. It's Ola, your sister. You're safe." She picked Izzy up and took her into the huge hotel bathroom in the hope she wouldn't wake Anna. Ola sat on the bathroom floor holding a shaking Izabela on her lap crying into her chest. She rubbed comforting circles on her sisters back and placed a towel around her shoulders to see if it would stop her shaking, although she didn't feel cold. Izzy was traumatised, that was obvious. "Shhhh, Shhhh Izzy. You're okay honey. You had a bad dream. It's over, you're safe." Ola soothed forcing her voice to stay level as her own tears plopped onto her sisters head. "Ola, Ruslana is dead. He said it my fault." Izzy wailed
"Oh Izzy, it's not your fault. None of this is your fault honey. Don't ever think that. To nie twoja wina! Nigdy, nie jesteś odpowiedzialny!" She reassured her sister in Polish. Both sisters sat on the bathroom tiles arms around each other sobbing.