CHAPTER 5
Three days later, I was officially discharged from the county hospital under the personal supervision of a specialized victim assistance team from Tarrant County.
The autumn sun was shining brightly over the rolling hills of Fort Worth as a black police van brought me to a secure family sanctuary on the outskirts of the city.
When the front door of the sanctuary opened, my two little girls—four-year-old Lily and two-year-old Maya—ran down the hallway with tiny, eager steps.
"Mommy!" Lily cried out, throwing her small arms around my waist as I dropped to my knees on the soft rug, ignoring the sharp pain in my abdomen.
Maya buried her face into my neck, her little fingers clutching my sweater as if she were afraid I might vanish into thin air if she let go for a single second.
I held my daughters tightly against my heart, kissing their hair over and over again while tears of overwhelming gratitude filled my eyes.
"Mommy's here, sweethearts," I sobbed softly, resting my forehead against theirs. "Mommy's here, and we're going to a brand new place where no one can ever hurt us."
A kind social worker named Rachel walked into the room, holding a folder containing temporary emergency custody papers signed by a district judge that very morning.
"Hannah," Rachel said gently, handing me a glass of cold water. "The prosecutor's office has officially filed capital murder and felony assault charges against Derek and Gloria."
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"Is there any chance they can get out on bail?" I asked, my hands trembling slightly as I took the glass.
"None," Rachel replied with a firm, re-assuring smile. "The judge reviewed the audio recordings himself yesterday morning and revoked bail entirely for both defendants."
