Freak Show

nine

"Daddy, why is mommy sleeping?" I hear a sweet little voice say, concern laced through her words. I drearily pry my eyes open, revealing a distressed Grayson and Aphrodite. Mommy? I almost throw up. Manson has her so damn brainwashed and she's so young.

"I'm not your dad." Is all Grayson says, his head buried in his hands.

"Well, of course you are. Manson said you two are my parents. He said-" She begins, but Grayson springs to his feet.

"I don't give a damn what Manson said! I'm not your dad and Rosalie isn't your goddamned mom." Grayson yelled, throwing a bottle to the ground and shattering it, pacing the room and running hands through his blonde hair, trying to pull it out.

"Grayson-" I try, but it comes out weak, and he isn't listening. 

"Rosalie, we have to get out of here. I can't- I- I can't fucking do this. Hell, the kid thinks we're her parents I mean I don't even know you-" He says, growing more and more frustrated. I push myself up off of the couch. Pain is echoing through my body, and it hurts to even breathe, but I push through because I know what I have to do. 

"Aphrodite, baby girl, come here." I say, gesturing beside me on the couch. She smiles, giggles a little, and jumps up next to me. 

"What, mommy?" she giggles, hiding her face behind her hands. I choose not to correct her, for the sole purpose of not causing another attack of 'but Manson said'. 

"Grayson and I need to talk, okay? Can we do that? You know what, I saw this butterfly outside. It was black and it's wings were as blue as your eyes. Why don't you go see if you can find it?" I say, and she stares at me in awe, completely absorbed in what I just said. She nods and climbs to her feet clumsily, her long skinny limbs in her way.

"Do you need mommy and daddy alone time?" she whispers quietly, sneaking glances at Grayson.

If that's what it takes to make her leave so I can talk to Grayson, I'll take it. I tell her yes and she gasps and giggles and says, "Are you gonna kiss him?" bashfully, hiding her face. This gets Grayson's attention, and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow. I smirk, and he laughs. Genuinely laughs, and he looks so handsome that I find myself staring. It's hard to find spots of beauty these days, and whenever I find one, I make sure to soak it in, not sure when the next one will be. Or if there will be one.

Aphrodite leaves then, and Grayson comes to sit next to me. I stare at him for a while, worried. He's getting skinnier, and the dark circles under his eyes are the color of pitch. 

"Grayson, we can't leave her." I tell him, listening to her childlike giggles from outside the tent.

"I know." is all he says.