My dad ends up getting arrested. He shouts and curses, telling my mother that he'll come back and kill her, that he'll kill himself, but if she's scared, she doesn't show it. She just squeezes my hand, looks straight ahead, and watches as he's carted away.
As soon as the police leave, Layla sets me and Mom up in the living room with a fort of blankets and two hot chocolates, and after asking if there's anything else we need, she and the others disappear upstairs to give us some space.
Now that the adrenaline has worn off, I feel exhausted, but when I look at my mother, who is curled next to me in a ball, I know it was worth it.
It is silent until she bursts into sobs, and then there's no stopping her. I pull her toward me, allowing her head to rest on my lap as I gently stroke her hair.
