Some time during the night, I heard Emery screaming.
"No! Stop it! That hurts! No!" She cried out.
"Emery, shhh," I soothed her. "Wake up. It's just a bad dream, Honey. You're safe."
She woke up crying. "Dr. Maura, Fred knows I told you and he coming to get me," she said through her tears as she held onto my robe, keeping me close to her.
"No, no," I whispered. "It was just a nightmare, Sweetie. He isn't here."
She sniffled and looked up at me, her eyes brimming with the tears that hadn't yet fallen. "He not here?" she asked softly, needing reassurance.
I shook my head. "No, he's not here. It was a bad dream."
"Promise he not come back?"
"I promise. Fred can't hurt you anymore, Emery. You're safe here with me. I'll go and get you some warm milk so you can sleep, okay?"
She shook her head. "No go."
I stroked her head. "I'll be right back. I'm just going downstairs to the kitchen, then I'll come right back, okay?"
"No, I go with you." She tightened her grip on my robe. "I not safe alone," she explained. "That when he coming to get me. He said he going to sneak into my room when I sleeping and take me away." She was crying now, and I knew she was still very afraid of Fred. I kissed her head.
"All right," I said as I picked her up, " come on."
She curled into me and didn't loosen her grip in the least. I helped her drink the milk and her tears began to flow again as I was stroking Bass's shell with my foot.
"What's wrong, Em?" I asked.
"Dr. Maura, no leave me," she whispered.
"I won't leave you. I promise."
"Can I pet him again?" she asked softly.
"Of course, Honey," I answered.
She leaned down and petted Bass's shell. "Me like him. He gentle." She smiled at me, and I couldn't help but smile back. "Yes," I said as I rubbed her back. "he is."
Instead of going back up to the bedroom, we slept in the rocker I kept in my living room. The motion seemed to make her feel better, but the truth was, I just liked the way it felt to hold her.