•did you get enough love, my little dove?•

~you are my sunshine~ chapter nine

"Mama." He mumbled, his voice muffled by the thumb that had somehow made its way between his lips. I didn't have the heart to remove it, it would just upset him more.

"Okay, sweetheart." I started carefully removing August's wet worn out sweater, lifting it from his small frame. August stayed mostly still, completely occupied by sucking his thumb as I continued on with his small t-shirt. My movements stopped however, as soon as I saw the dark red, blue, and purple bruises covering his upper body.

They were everywhere, ranging from his shoulders to his sides as well as his stomach. I was worried to see what his lower body would look like.

My baby boy's been through so much...

"Mummy sad?" August's sweet voice brought me out of my trance as I felt hot, wet tears sliding down my face. I didn't even realize I'd started crying.

"No, no, little one. Mummy's alright, don't worry about a thing." I quickly covered my sadness with a thick coat of love and reassured him, restarting my job of undressing him moving on as if I hadn't seen anything.

The second his pants were removed I could see all of the harsh, rough marks all over the milky white skin of his legs. He had burn marks, cuts, and bruises everywhere.

The last thing I want to do is pull August from his headspace because I worried him so I didn't say anything but one thing's for sure, August is going to the doctor as soon as everything settles down here.

Hopefully that wont take too long.

"Here, tesoro, I'll take him. You get undressed." Davide spoke as he suddenly entered the bathroom after setting a pair of clothes down for me. He had a knowing look on his face as I carefully picked August up and placed him in his daddy's arms. "You're being so good for him, mi amore." I swallowed back my tears when I heard his quiet words. He always knows how I'm feeling and how to make me feel better so easily. (Darling, My love.)

August fussed in the background as I got undressed as quickly as possible, being sure to leave my underwear on so I don't make my boy too uncomfortable.

"Wan' mummy, dada. Wan' m-mummy." Oh, my poor little one.

As I made my way towards the bathtub I could see August struggling against Davide's chest softly hitting him with balled fists.

Now I was tearing up for a completely different reason; my sweet boy needs me.

"Just a second, bugga boo. Mama just needs to get in first." I told him, quickly stepping into the tub and sitting down in the warm water. As soon as Davide laid August down in my lap he was cuddling into my chest, locking his arms around my neck, a complete attitude change from when he was in Davide's hold.

I know August doesn't not like his daddy, he's just in a mood right now. He's in a vulnerable headspace after everything that's happened earlier today and he just needs his mama right now, a loving mother, not one that hurts him.

"There you go, baby boy. All better." I told him, bringing my hand down to rub his back and neck. He let out an adorable sigh when he was settled, melting into the warmth of his surroundings.

"Sorry this is such a boring bath, bambino. We'll get you some bubbles soon, I promise." Davide spoke as he watched August and I laying together. I could tell he was a little hurt by August's dismissive behavior towards him but, like me, he was just happy to have August home. (Baby.)