𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐭 & 𝐒𝐨𝐮𝐥

VI

Omniscient

"Mommy can I talk to you?" Keraine asked sheepishly.

The 4 year old sat upon the counter as her mom washed the dishes.

"Mhm." Her mother, Krystal hummed.

"Well hurry up ian got all day lil gurl." She sighed at her daughter's hesitancy.

"Daddy... he..." Keraine tried to gather the strength to tell her.

"Well?"

"Mommy he-he touched my private area." She played with her dress, nervous at how her mother'd react.

"What?" Krystal asked, growing angry at what her daughter was insinuating.

Her husband would never do such a thing and even if he did it's not like she could do anything about it, I mean what would everybody think? Her husband being a child molester would ruin her reputation.

"He did it during bath time." She sniffled.

"GREG!" Krystal called out for her husband.

This quickened Keraine's breathing. It scared her having to face him again, she'd hidden in her room ever since last night.

"Yes honey?" He entered the kitchen in a good mood.

"Did you touch her?" She asked blankly.

"T-touch her? I mean... she's my daughter what do you mean touch?" He played dumb making Keraine's heart sink.

"She said in the bath last night you molested her." Krystal rolled her eyes and continued washing the dishes.

"Why would she say make up something like that? Baby you can't make accusations about me like that it could really get me in trouble." He mushed her head playfully.

"Do you understand?" He whispered.

"But daddy you-" She began to cry as he shushed her.

"Do you understand?" He repeated.

"Yes sir." She sighed.

"We need to whoop her for lying like that." Her mom tuned in.

"Yup, she need to learn the value of honesty." He kissed his wife's cheek and walked away.

"Keraine you oughta be ashamed of yo self." Krystal scolded the girl.

After all the courage she had to work up to even speak of that... just to be dismissed so easily.

All she could do is cry. She felt betrayed by her father, she never expected this from him. It's like overnight a switch flipped and his whole demeanor changed. The father she grew to love and adore changed.

Her mother wouldn't even take her seriously. Each and every day she loved her husband despite him continuously molesting their daughter and that, at least to Keraine, made her just as guilty.

6 Years Later

10 year old Keraine walked up to Krystal as she swept the livingroom floor.

"Did you do your homework yet I need you to take out the trash." She asked.

"I know you heard me Keraine." She gave her daughter an annoyed look.

"I'm sorry mommy." Keraine hugged her mother tightly.

"What are y-" She stopped mid-sentence, feeling a sharp burning sensation in her back.

"I really am. This hurts me more than it hurts you Krystal." Keraine shrugged as she fell on her side.