‘Try harder, Mummy,’ the five year old teased and moved to the highest part of the climbing frame. ‘Can’t get me.’ Rhea tried blackmail, coe...cion, threats, bribery again and then pure anger, but eventually she gave up and had to climb onto the metal frame in the pouring rain to retrieve her corybantic daughter and drag her onto solid ground. Izzy got a smack on the back of her legs for her wilful disobedience, but this did not seem to bother her in the slightest as she gleefully jumped from. Now usually when I stayed with him, he slept on the couch. So for him to follow me into the room kind of caught me off guard. I slipped my pajamas on over my dress then slid my dress down to my ankles while Alex stood behind me and watched quietly, most likely waiting to see something. I climbed in the bed and Alex turned off the lights and got in next to me, niether of us spoke a word. The awkward silence that came over us as we layed in bed was overbearring. I turned my back to Alex and faced. It’s just a temporary reprieve for a month, though, we’ll review it again after that.”He flashed a smile, sincere and warm. “Thanks, Nat. As far as parole officers go, you’re truly top notch.”“Hopefully I’ll be the last one you have.”“Hopefully.”I stamped the application and slotted it into his file.“Done.”“What chocolates do you like?” Liam said a few moments later, leaning back into the seat again, clearly pleased that his application had been approved. He crossed his legs, resting his right. What could have been so much worse about his life than what I lived before?I was suffocating. The walls were pressing in on me. It was dark and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move. All I could hear was the thumping of my own pulse in my ears. I screamed but no sound came out.“Hey. Hey, it’s okay, J. Wake up, brother. You’re safe now. I won’t let you go.”My eyes snapped open and air filled my lungs like it had been forced there. I choked and coughed, just wanting to inhale more and more. I’d.