𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞

𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧

"I don't know how m-much longer mommy can take this, sweet girl." Mahalia whispered, kissing Mynazja's forehead who only whined in her mom's arms.

"I'm sorry for being such a bad mommy." A few tears freed themselves from her reluctance. "But I l-love you more than anything in t-this world, Amor." She called Mynazja by her middle name.

She continued kissing Mynazja's chubby cheeks as she walked back into the bedroom. She wanted to give her daughter all of her affection while she was still here, because she had a feeling she wouldn't be living much longer.

If Jamir didn't kill her, she didn't know if she could stop herself from being at the hands of her own demise. She felt like a horrible mother for having these thoughts, for not being able to keep fighting for her daughter.

But it hurt. Everything hurt and she didn't know if she could stop the darkness from consuming her.

Mahalia went onto the bed where Jamir laid comfortably, as if he didn't just beat her up like a stranger off the streets.

When Mynazja laid eyes on her daddy, she smiled and wriggled out of Mahalia's arms to crawl to him.

"Wassup pretty girl." Jamir smiled, taking his daughter in his arms. Mahalia watched, bittersweet emotions consuming her.

It was wild how innocent a child could be. Or rather how naive. But she liked it that way. She didn't want to taint her daughter's image of her daddy, not now and not ever.

She couldn't understand how Jamir could be a good daddy, but a horrible man to her. She was happy that her daughter had her father, but how much more could she take?

She watched as Jamir kissed all over his daughter's face and Mynazja's lovely giggles filled the room. Mahalia could only muster up the energy to crack a small smile, but she wasn't happy. The only thing that could be seen in her smile was pain and suffering.

Her daughter would be okay without her, right?

"Mama." Mahalia heard her daughter's voice call out to her through the large bathroom. Her voice sounded so distant but so close, and yet she ignored it as she stared at her reflection in the mirror.

She ran her finger along the permanent scar that sat on her left hip as she zoned out. There was another scar on her upper stomach. Another one on her back.

"Mama..." She heard again, but she couldn't snap out of her daze. Infinite wounds embedded into her skin and scarred deeply into her soul. They were ugly. Nasty and unpleasant.

"Mommy." She heard her daughter's voice again, but this time she sounded sad and dejected.

Mahalia blinked a few times, coming out of her stupor before turning towards her mini-me who was standing at the door of the bathroom with a small pout, rubbing her eyes. Her Princess Tiana blanket was slung over her shoulder as it touched the floor slightly from how large it was and how short Mynazja was.

"You just woke up, mami?" Mahalia asked softly as she pulled her tank top down to hide her scars before walking over to Mynazja who held her arms up. She scooped her up into her arms and Mynazja immediately rested her head on her mother's shoulder.