Snow Angel’s and Second Chances

{Elodie’s POV} Moving back home after everything that happened with Caleb was.. challenging to say the least. I should’ve known my mother would have told everyone why we got divorced, why Hattie and I moved back here. I hate that my mother has to blab my trauma to everyone she meets, but after all these years of arguing with her, and trying to set boundaries, I just gave up, saving my breath, as it was useless to try to reason with her anyways. Plus, I didn’t really care about what people think of me.. I do worry about Hattie though. With everyone knowing that Caleb was.. abusive towards me, I fear that they might say something to Hattie about her father. I just got her back to a normal happy child, and the last thing I wanted was a setback. The night terrors, the separation anxiety, after years of therapy, years of trying.. I finally had my daughter back, and I can’t allow anyone to take my baby’s smile away from her again. My old pickup truck bounced along the broken up roads in my old hometown. The city inspectors couldn’t care any less if there were potholes the size of possums in the middle of the road, as long as it was drivable, it didn’t matter. Hattie slept in her car seat, a blanket tucked up around her. Snow had begun to fall, it’s late November and there’s already three inches of snow on the ground, and it’s still falling. Tonight we were moving out of the hotel room we’d been staying in, and into our new apartment. Mom and dad said they had a surprise waiting for me at the apartment, but after a long day of job searching I wasn’t exactly in the mood for a surprise. Not to mention that Hattie had a rough day at head start today.. a boy in her class pushed her down the slide. When I picked her up I noticed the little tears sliding down her face and asked what had happened. The boy got tired of waiting for her to go, and pushed her, she fell down onto the slide, bumping her elbow. She showed me a purple bruise that had been forming since earlier today, and I couldn’t help the ache in my chest as I looked down at her. “I’m sorry sweetie, mommy will handle it.” I promised her, as I wiped the tears away before we left. Looking back at her now, I could still feel that ache, someone hurt my little girl, and until tomorrow there’s not much that I could do. I hated that feeling, hopelessness.. I’ve felt that for so long, and now here I was feeling it again. I had no luck on my job search, and poor Hattie had a terrible day, and now of course my mother is planning something. I sighed, leaning back and trying to get a bit more comfortable as I drove towards the apartment. Soon we were pulling into the parking lot, and hopped down out of the truck grabbing Hattie out of the back, she nuzzled into me, as I wrapped my coat around both of us. I walked up to the door and could hear my mother shushing people inside. As the door flung open I was greeted by some of my mother’s friends, my mother, and my father. “Surprise!” They all shouted, making Hattie jump in my arms as she frantically looked around. Her voice came out in panicked little sobs as her eyes scanned the room. “It’s okay, it’s okay baby.. I’m here.. it was just your grandma..” I whispered, pulling her closer to me. “Hattie, we were just saying surprise, it’s a surprise party!” My mother said, Victoria had this way with people.. which is just a nice way of saying she can’t read a room, or a situation! She knows that loud noises, and surprises aren’t good for Hattie, yet she planned this anyways. “Mom.. I told you, no shouting.. no surprises.. Hattie is startled easily..” I sighed, pulling her closer to me and kissing the side of her face. I walked past the room of people, and down the hallway, into the room that Hattie had picked, with all of the furniture she chose at the store. I packed her in, and laid her in the bed. “Hattie.. it’s okay..” I whispered, trying to calm her. Her cries broke something in me, she was woken up by loud noises, and now she was inconsolable. Tears began to prick in my eyes as I tucked her blankets around her, and brushed her hair gently. “Shhh.. shhhh..” I shushed, trying to soothe her gently. Her sobs soon turned into soft cries, which turned into whimpering, then soft breaths as she finally calmed down. She looked up at me, her eyes tired after such a sudden panic attack. “I-I’m sorry momma..” she whispered. I brushed her brown hair back, tucking it behind her ear, and smiled softly down at her. “Don’t you dare apologize Hattie, you have nothing to be sorry for. If anything, I’m sorry.. I knew she’d do something like this, especially after I told her not to..” I sighed. “I’m sorry baby girl.. how about we get into your comfy pjs and get you to bed.” I said, smiling softly down at her. “What about Grandma and Grandpa?” She asked, looking up at me with her big green eyes. “Do you want to see them?” I asked, and she nodded up at me. I smiled down at her, and stood up. “Alright then, come on, let’s go visit.” I said, holding my hand out to her. She took it in hers, and followed behind me as we made our way back out into the living room where everyone stood awkwardly looking anywhere but at us. “Oh, is Hattie done with her fit now?” My mother asked coldly. My head snapped towards her. “Mother.. don’t. The last thing I want is to put you in your place right in front of all of your friends!” I seethed, watching her smile falter. I heard a loud knock at the door, and my heart began to pound in my chest. I pushed Hattie behind me and backed away from it. “Oh stop being overdramatic!” My mother sighed, flinging open the door. There, standing on the other side was a man I nearly didn’t recognize. Those icy blue eyes soon looked my way, and that’s when it clicked. Xander.. he was my mom’s best friend’s son, we were about the same age, we’d grown up together since we were basically in the cradle. “Am I late?” He asked, his eyes scanning over me, trailing down, to find Hattie who was peaking out from behind my legs. His cold eyes softened, as he smiled down at her. “You must be Hattie.” He said, stepping inside. It was only then that I realized how tall he was, he nearly had to bend to get in the door.. he had to be close to 7ft tall. Hattie took a step back, her little hands trembling against my leg. I turned towards her, kneeling down onto her level. “It’s okay Hattie, he’s an old friend of mommy’s, he’s nice.” I said, trying to calm her. She nodded, peering up behind me. “O-Okay..” she whimpered. My mother scoffed. “Hattie, you need to grow up and get over this fear you have of strangers! Eventually you’re going to have to meet new people!” She said, rolling her eyes. I shot her a glare before turning back to Hattie. “It’s okay sweetie, I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. How about we have some hot chocolate, and you can meet everyone at your own pace?” I asked.