"So Aria, tell me how you are feeling today. I know today is a hard day for you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAHprNx11oSV
"Yeah it has been but I'm fine. My kids are okay and they have been keeping me from being depressed instead I cried tears of joy because we were free."222Please respect copyright.PENANAmrjmpvxWE5
"That's fantastic how do you feel about the past two years"222Please respect copyright.PENANAul7Avyvsdh
"Well... two years after everything...now that I think about it, it has become easier for me to cope and express. At first it was difficult for me to cope for the first year. But all I had to do was not worry about myself all too much but more so my children...who were suffering just as much as I was. But we are closer than ever now."222Please respect copyright.PENANA1aF6MBfi2G
"That's amazing. Is it difficult to work sometimes?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAHlLuZU4g3S
"Well when you get case files that have someone abused and kill...it is sometimes is difficult yes. But I remember my recovery and who I am staying strong for"222Please respect copyright.PENANAvotAcWqKpb
"That's amazing"222Please respect copyright.PENANAxBit4ulFjI
"Also I'm doing what I love because it's like a double whammy...but in a good way. I get to save lives and lock away the perp"222Please respect copyright.PENANA07N3AtY7hY
"That's good...well or time is up for today, see you next week"222Please respect copyright.PENANAxcASmy7wZQ
"Thanks Melissa"222Please respect copyright.PENANASDrKSQ3jUP
"Have a good day"222Please respect copyright.PENANApctxBUcyy8
"You too well I have to get going"222Please respect copyright.PENANASG7R49kohr
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAyX9BTDj2Dz
I'm so grateful my children are safe but little do they know I sometimes have nightmares of Scott one day finding us. I'm so terrified of that happening. I'm so scared that they won't get to see me the next day. But I can't tell no one this dark fear because I don't want to burden anyone. They don't deserve my pain. I took a deep breath and said to myself "Don't be scared staying strong is what counts now and forever"222Please respect copyright.PENANAx1Hc1AmEpy
I was at home when I got a call from Kenny's therapist. She had told her about what Scott did to her back then. I really didn't want to deal with this again. When I went to pick her up I started yelling in so much anger. "Why Mac...why the fuck did you do that. I thought you were fine that nothing was bothering you."222Please respect copyright.PENANA0BvT0bF5Ye
"But mom you don't understand I wasn't at peace yet and that was killing me"222Please respect copyright.PENANAsktpUHZ3Gf
"You could've talked to me I'm right here you know you can talk to me about anything. I thought we moved passed this"222Please respect copyright.PENANA2vn9z2s76A
"I'm sorry mom I didn't mean it"222Please respect copyright.PENANAmTn4sXCiZN
"What were you getting out if telling a stranger?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAeyDMAE0Zok
"I thought I can trust her I just needed to release how I felt"222Please respect copyright.PENANAifbKEtr1XP
"But you could've told me"222Please respect copyright.PENANAi2UfQw1vNy
"You're always working and you know I have bad timing with everything."222Please respect copyright.PENANAgsvdKKbEi6
"You have to learn to bite your tongue when necessary Mackenzie!"222Please respect copyright.PENANAPLdmv0abxU
"I'm sorry"222Please respect copyright.PENANARbF8vgR1bR
"Now look what you have done....I might lose you and your brother because of DHS you know I don't like them. They tried to take you and your brother away before. I can't afford to lose y'all"222Please respect copyright.PENANA4sNoXPN9sC
"I know"222Please respect copyright.PENANAx43lJxVvS1
"If you knew all of this why did you do it?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAxTaegFwvQS
"I was feeling vulnerable I wasn't in the right state of mind. And you screaming isn't making things better"222Please respect copyright.PENANAGyhE65SD0K
"How am I supposed to react when I finally got my kids safe and they might get separated! God knows what's going to happen tomorrow!"222Please respect copyright.PENANAqVTM1O08Y5
"I'm sorry"222Please respect copyright.PENANAVzWKySLr2a
"You know what just please just go to your room!" I ordered her.222Please respect copyright.PENANAZ37K7MkKRl
Without a word, she left the living room heading up to her room. I couldn't deal with this I can't believe this is happening again. Why would she bring up something that happened almost three years ago? I thought things were fine with us. I guess I was wrong. For me not to panic I poured myself a glass of wine. I trying to relax in silence just trying to gather my thought together on what should be going to happen tomorrow. God I don't know what to say to the caseworker. I took little sips out of the rounded glass staring at nothing.222Please respect copyright.PENANAmyNDjmcFPP
God what do I do now. I can't tell the caseworker about what happened the last night I was with Scott. I couldn't tell them that I was the one to point the gun to him too. I couldn't let my children know the truth even if it killed me. So much has changed for two years ago. I don't allow doors to be locked. I and super over protective of mason and Mac for their safety that I don't even let them sleep over anyone else's house other than Chassidy and my sister's because they are close with my children and I trust them enough. Mirrors are limited. Indoor doors stay open except the bathroom that's the on acceptation for privacy. I let Mackenzie have a phone but her calls are monitored. I coached mason and Mackenzie on what to do if the feel in danger. Call 911 or me. Most importantly there will be absolutely no secrets in this house. I don't want to be strict on them but I have to because I don't know if Scott is still out there. God knows where he is so that's why I had to be super cautious. My silence was interrupted when suddenly I heard Mason yell from the top stairs "Mami come was me!"222Please respect copyright.PENANAUVVCWKiNx9
"I'll be up" I said before taking the last sip of the red wine. I really needed this mini break from all the chaos that has been going on with Mackenzie and mason and the police force. I fixed my jeans and went upstairs to cater to mason. He was running around the hall freeballing. I picked him up and said "Now why aren't you in there yet?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAHAjXhyT41t
"It was mama but I was waiting for you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAh8cm8jejDH
"No excuses now get in there so I can wash that little white tushy of yours" he giggled and went into the bathtub. I grabbed his wash rag and started washing him either my good hand. Whenever max or Mac would ask me about my hand I would tell them my wrist was healing. I couldn't tell them about the bullet scar that I had to get four operations on to fix it. The doctor gave me an antibiotic cream so it would become infected again after surgery. He had said that due to the bullet going through my hand in its angle it had crushed the tissue it causing major damage which in the beginning made me have temporary cavitation. The impact of the tissue damage could have caused deformation but luckily for me it didn't. I'm almost done healing because our muscles are more elastic so it started healing after the 2nd operation. However, since it fractures some of my small bones of on fingers, nerve, and minor blood vessels. I had to go for follow up surgeries that took three to five months at a time to heal. But the doctor said I had to go to three more weeks of physical therapy and my hand will be brand new again.
I had woken up one night to seeing a silhouette of Scott. I jerked in fright. Suddenly the door shut and I was in the dark. Then the next thing I know I was in the kitchen. Out of nowhere I see Scott's shadow on the floor then I was hit with a pan on the back of my head. Screaming on the floor trying to crawl away from him, he said "That's what you get bitch. You should have done what I told you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAbw7jQZdvj3
I had no clue what he was talking about. I was in the same horrid house that I've spent years crying and laughing in. The house I grew to hate. Well not the house so much. It's more of the man that stood before me. His hand was gripped around my throat as he lifted me up off the floor. I was gasping for air trying to claw his eyes or his hand. I woke up gasping for air and my heart racing. I panted for air as I took my inhaler from the nightstand drawer taking 3 puffs of air. I took a deep inhale and exhale to slow down my heart rate.222Please respect copyright.PENANA6PxkOFSg5z
I kept telling myself it was just a dream that it isn't real anymore. I checked the time it was around 12:55. I still had half a sheet of a document I still didn't get to type I drifted off to sleep. I haven't got enough sleep for three days straight. I had forgot to take my night meds. Maybe that's why I had that nightmare. I got up and went to the bathroom on the way there I checked on the kids. They were still asleep. When I got to the bathroom I wet my face with warm water then just as I looked in the bathroom mirror I could've sworn I saw his silhouette. But I rubbed my eyes again and he vanished. To double check I turned around. No one was by the door. I took a breather then headed back to the room and took my antidepressants and Advil for my migraines.222Please respect copyright.PENANAYAkC0t2KY8
Then I went back to typing up this case document before I headed back to sleep. The next day when I got from the police station and picked up my kids we headed home and there was this woman knocking at the door with a suitcase. With my purse in my hand with my carpets I asked "Who are you?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAHrTmaAR0J9
"I'm Melanie Shepherd I work for human services you must be Ms. Martinez correct?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAvuWert6LxZ
"Oh yeah. I forgot you were coming." I went up the steps to the front door and shook her hand before opening the door. As the kids and us two went into the house I said222Please respect copyright.PENANASZrjhqyLGU
"Why sit down. Make yourself comfortable." I put my police hat on the hook by the door and said "Would you give me a second to get settled?"222Please respect copyright.PENANA2SG0ncXFzM
"Sure" she said pulling out her laptop. I went upstairs and took off my shoes, then put my gun that was in a case, on the bed along with my handcuffs and taser. After that I took off my uniform and put my gun and cuffs in the safe that what hidden in my closet that had a code. Then I changed into some sweats and white shirt. After I had got done I went downstairs and sat on the other couch to talk to the DHS worker. "So Ms. Cortez, you work in the forces of Onex PD, correct?" Ms. Shepherd asked me.222Please respect copyright.PENANA4Tqxuj1aDf
"Yes"222Please respect copyright.PENANA69XDtfoVur
"That's nice for how long?"222Please respect copyright.PENANApm3gDictnh
"About a year and a half now"222Please respect copyright.PENANAbOR6aR1jRK
"Oh that's good well can you do me a favor and get Mackenzie over here. I need to ask her some questions before I get to you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAqu8gUOnHvu
"Okay. Mackenzie come here sweetie"222Please respect copyright.PENANA77kpDkIj1E
Mackenzie came down the stairs in three seconds saying "Yes mama"222Please respect copyright.PENANAQD8digEzdQ
"This is Ms. Shepherd she would like to ask you some questions"222Please respect copyright.PENANAIXmbznadsL
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAjTmLMA3qJB
She sat down next to me and Ms. S asked Mac "how are you Mackenzie?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAX6V5fSKaIj
"I'm good and it's Mac."222Please respect copyright.PENANAwjco7QybeD
"Okay well Mac I have some questions to ask you-Do you mind if we speak alone Ms. Cortez?" she said to Mac reverting to asking me.222Please respect copyright.PENANAhX1TFCmkTQ
"Sure"222Please respect copyright.PENANAMHJaCyCmbW
"It will just be a few questions"222Please respect copyright.PENANA7tQgMof9WV
"Since you're mom knows what happened we need to keep it confidential. Sorry it's the law"222Please respect copyright.PENANAB6eCDrTbdu
"I'll be starting dinner while yall talk" I said to Mac.222Please respect copyright.PENANAWbhZ2GYETf
"Okay mama" she said as I gave her a kiss on the side of her forehead.222Please respect copyright.PENANAGbMw3KccKm
It worried me on what she might ask Mac and what Mac might say to her. But I will ask Mac what she had asked. I know Mac and we are already in hot water once again I can't afford to lose them I refuse to. Maybe ten minutes later Mac came to the kitchen and said "Mom she needs to talk to Mason"222Please respect copyright.PENANA9MK2GJZA8b
"What. Why?"222Please respect copyright.PENANATqlT19LRcH
"I don't know"222Please respect copyright.PENANACnCdmRWbpY
"He don't know anything that happened"222Please respect copyright.PENANA8mkUniLbqv
"No no she ain't asking him about it she just asking about who he is."222Please respect copyright.PENANAivy38w3rp9
"Oh okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANArz2aH3pRan
"What did she ask you?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAEIGy3y6bRy
"My birthday and all that about me."222Please respect copyright.PENANAgPF33fX3Ta
"okay and about what happened to you?"222Please respect copyright.PENANA1OrfDTRXBS
"She just asked how many times he...you know...and when should he and why. Also if I wanted to press charges"222Please respect copyright.PENANAt7jz7PT92T
"What no" my heart dropped as soon as she said that222Please respect copyright.PENANAhJQ0A631oI
I whispered "listen baby girl if you want to....go ahead." I couldn't tell her no cuz if she want to put him in jail for it, it's her choice.222Please respect copyright.PENANAanIck8NtlH
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAbPkdKKhsw8
"Ima go get Mason"222Please respect copyright.PENANAEV4Tgem0hM
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAP6ZbJzVGD7
When Ms. Shepherd was done talking to mason I came over and told Mac to get Mason my phone so he can play games on it while I talked to the dhs worker. "So Ms. Cortez-"222Please respect copyright.PENANAW1RxDiQnVW
"Aria is fine"222Please respect copyright.PENANAxtXxdBmbB9
"Okay Aria, so what is your date of birth?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAVNawsMNYyY
"June, 30th 1993"222Please respect copyright.PENANAXFS35MUVk1
"I already have the street and all. So to the questions I see here you are divorced?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAm99OXW7Z0f
"Um....yes. My ex-husband and I weren't working well so we split"222Please respect copyright.PENANAaUDEjGugsS
"Okay so um it was told that mockeries told her therapist that um he use to beat on you. Is that correct?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAhldxp3MoJL
"Uh.. that um yes"222Please respect copyright.PENANANKeEoMvaJq
"And how long was that going on?"222Please respect copyright.PENANA72gKQ9JdDK
"For a little while until I left him."222Please respect copyright.PENANAVrFUM8tdW0
"So he willingly signed the divorce papers?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAcEVvJuKfEE
"Yes he thought it was best as well"222Please respect copyright.PENANAOZRn5rqEoP
"And you two don't share custody of yall children?"222Please respect copyright.PENANA6R9othQq2B
"No we don't"222Please respect copyright.PENANAm0MP8RGa9s
"Okay now I see. It says that you made a restraining order against him. Why is it that?" 222Please respect copyright.PENANAoSnOSaU15M
"I as a mother wanted to protect my children so I had to do what a mom had to do."222Please respect copyright.PENANA9NWV0Wxyhi
"I understand"222Please respect copyright.PENANAkoxMTTSIu0
"So Mackenzie tells me that that she wanted to press charges on him but now she dont want to because she doesn't want you to feel hurt anymore"222Please respect copyright.PENANAnBTRyq7OVk
"Awe she didn't have to do that."222Please respect copyright.PENANAxL8zDeiiR4
"Well I had told her that like if she wanted to press charges we would have to asked her what exactly happened and they will have to find him and bring him here. But it seemed like she was traumatized by it so she said "no"222Please respect copyright.PENANAiqBkEQUaOZ
"I understand why. But I guarantee that she is okay. We have a close bond."222Please respect copyright.PENANADHY6pQVZDt
"How sweet, do you ever see the past affect her now?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAQ3NEDbj6ZU
"No"222Please respect copyright.PENANAoThw6lew8f
"And Mason?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAnaBkbb3Ur0
"He is a happy child everyday"222Please respect copyright.PENANAQl7KGDDn0A
"And....you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAP8uA35y8Gp
"Me....um...I have my days but as a police office you have to put that aside to focus on the good"222Please respect copyright.PENANAXiXlY5XtrJ
"May I ask how does your previous marriage affect you on the fields?"222Please respect copyright.PENANACP3pZtG1iF
"Some days are hard but I’m okay I will be okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAs2AlrkHPp5
"What happened to your hand?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAqNQJgPMcxt
"Since when did this become about me. This is about my daughter not me."222Please respect copyright.PENANAhdJSjFTAoS
"Okay, I'm sorry I asked ma'am um...w-would you bring Mackenzie over here so I can ask her one last question?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAJiDV0UxTSq
"Sure"222Please respect copyright.PENANAMYIDxiUj7W
"Mac, come here Nena" I said to Mackenzie who was up in her room. She came down and said "Yeah mom?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAEgheLjschd
"Come sit she have one more question to ask you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAdverizttrx
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAK1WOEZl8qh
She sat next to me then Ms. Shepherd asked "Okay so Mac...this is your final decision. Do you want to press charges or not?"222Please respect copyright.PENANAXzyEV9nqQ5
"No"222Please respect copyright.PENANAwFzDVqa92D
"Okay sign this paper and I will let to lawyers know tomorrow"222Please respect copyright.PENANAKJdiTQLKXG
"Okay"222Please respect copyright.PENANAcRSHnhbzbd
When the lady left Mac said "Look mom I didn't mean to cause this to happen again"222Please respect copyright.PENANA2MJ8pybycB
"It's fine baby but you have to learn to know when to bite your tongue. Why didn't you press charges?"222Please respect copyright.PENANA2EOcbIePjb
"Although my heart isn't at peace I cared about you being happy more. I don't want you to suffer more tune you are now. That will just add more to your plate and I didn't want to go through the whole process. You know my memory sucks and if I go on that stand ima freeze up and I don't know if I could do that"222Please respect copyright.PENANAGmr5nn51kS
"Give me a hug sweetheart" she came into my embrace and I kissed her cheek. "Don't worry about me anymore. Mami is strong she is a warrior and so are you. I raised you better."222Please respect copyright.PENANAq8cz0P1JaY
"I know mama. I love you"222Please respect copyright.PENANAeoaR3Ltz41
"I love you too baby girl"