24. Thanks

Ripley’s pov

It’s been almost a week since I brought my girls home.

Cas offered to hang around, and while I was thankful for his help, I wanted to be alone with my girls for now. He said I could take as long off from work as I needed and offered paid leave.

When I joked if that was available for all employees, he was silent for a bit and then said it should be.

I wasn’t sure what he was planning to do, but I didn’t have the energy in me to ask.

It seemed all the stress from the kidnapping was catching up to me because I felt exhausted. Not just because I barely slept. But because part of me was still on high alert. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to leave them with someone else again.

After we lost my dad, I didn’t realize how his sudden death had affected me. Not until I became very concerned every time Oliver would be late. It was even worse after Rose and River were born. Constant worry about them. I checked if they were breathing several times at night.

When Oliver suddenl