Arranged love

a scared little girl

will's Pov

I've gotten about an hour of sleep when I make my way downstairs to get some water. My mouth is dry, and I hear some sounds from downstairs that I need to check out. 

When I walk into the kitchen Lilly is sitting there on the kitchen chair with a juice box that she got from the fridge. "Hi, Lilly. What are you doing up so late?" I ask her and walk over to her. When her eyes meet mine, I can tell something is off, she has been crying. "What's wrong? I ask her and sit down on a chair next to her. 

"Mommy is crying. She kept saying his name. I went to her room because I couldn't sleep and wanted cuddles. But she was crying and saying his name. Did she see him? T..t...Travis" she says so softly it's hard to hear her, but I did hear what she said. 

"She did see him at the gala. Do you know Travis?" I say taking her little shaking hand in mine. "He is a bad guy. He is a meanie. Now I'm scared to sleep. I don't want him to come back" Tears start sliding down her little cheeks, so I gently pick her up and carry her with me to the living room where I set her down in my lap, holding her close. 

I let her take her time to calm down while I whisper soothing words to her giving her the time she needs. "Can I tell you secrets? Will mommy be mad at me? Will Travis be mad at me?" She says as she sniffles. "I promise that you can tell me anything. Travis cannot hurt you and has no right to be mad at you. And if it's a bad secret mommy won't be mad that you told me. If you told me, I might be able to help." 

"What is a bad secret?" she asks between sniffles. "It's when a secret hurts you or someone else. If someone is being mean or did something wrong, you are allowed to tell someone you trust. Good secrets you can keep, like what we are going to get Mommy for her birthday" I explain. The girl is clearly carrying a secret that's too big for her small shoulders, and I want to take the burden off her. She is six years old and shouldn't be carrying bad secrets. 

"He hurt mommy. He said mean things and hit her. She screamed and cried a lot. It was scary, it made me sad. So I hid under my bed with Elsa wanting the sounds to stop because it made me scared" she says, and I hold her closer as I take a deep breath. "Mommy says that hitting is bad. Mommy says that name-calling is mean. But Travis did that all the time" 

I don't know what to say right now. When Juliet's mom said he was bad news she meant really bad news. I don't even know how much of it her mom knows, but Lilly knows more than a six-year-old should ever need to know. I don't even know how this little girl is so bubbly and welcoming to me after what she saw Travis do to her mom, and this probably explains why she thinks that kissing is bad. 

"Lilliana. I promise you that Travis can't hurt you or your mommy anymore, I'm here now and I won't allow it" I say as she breaks down in tears again, so I hold her close. "It's okay sweetie. I've got you" I coo her and gently rock us from side to side. I've never really been good with kids, but with her, it's like it comes naturally. 

"I wasn't allowed to tell. He said it was a secret. if I told them he would hurt me or Mommy more. He is a meanie, and I don't want to see him. Please Willy don't let him hurt me" she sobs, and I continue to cradle her. "You can always tell me if someone tells you something that scares you. when someone tells you to keep a bad secret you can always come to me, and you won't be in trouble."

"Travis will never hurt you. I promise you that I'm going to protect you. I've always got your back, pinky promise" I say and try to soothe her sobbing. 

"How about I talk to Mommy tomorrow and see how I can help her? I don't want her to be scared either. She is probably scared too, I would be. But we are a family and I'm not going to let anyone hurt you, okay?" I say and she nods against my head as she sniffles.