the bad couple

chapter 9

eventually, leia comes back with Amy and max, they both have a bag of crisps, chocolate bar and a bag of sweets.
"sweetheart, you didn't have to buy so much food, how much was it? I can pay you back now" my mum says grabbing her purse from her bag.
"it's no problem, i don't mind" leia says.
"i really don't mind"
"it's fine, really"
"ok"
"callum, did you get your X-ray results yet?" leia asks me.
"erm... yeah, I've got a few broken ribs and a bruised shoulder blade, i can leave in a few days and they'll give me painkillers and antibiotics, i should make a full recovery though"
"did daddy do that to you cals?" Amy innocently asks eating her chocolate bar.
"erm... yeah, but he wasn't well, he's getting help now"
"I don't like daddy anymore" she huffs sitting on my mum's knee.
"does this mean we won't see him again?" max asks.
"i don't know what's gonna happen to him, he might get time, but I'm not seeing him until he's clean" I tell him, he found out about the drugs when he found a baf of coc when dad came to see us, he didn't talk or eat for ages.
"and what if he doesn't get clean? we all know he doesn't want help" max retoriates.
"none of you are seeing him until he's clean, if he doesn't get clean, he doesn't see any of you, understood?" my mum butts in.
"what does clean mean?" Amy asks.
"healthy again" I answer and she nods continuing to eat her chocolate.
"leia, if you want you can go home now, you don't have to stay in this hospital for me"
"I don't mind, and I think one of the cops wants to talk to me"
"will you be ok?"
"yeah, I'll be fine, it's for the court"
"ok"
we spend most of the day watching TV, my mum leaves to take Amy and max home at about eight, and me and leia stay silent watching the inbetweeners.

"are you ok? I mean after telling me about, your parents" I awkwardly ask her.
"yeah, I'm fine" she lies.
"have you talked to people about it?"
"after they abandoned me and I was put in a foster home, i had to share a room with a brother and sister, he had trouble sleeping and found out I got nightmares about them, he told the woman incharge so I ended up having to go to group therapy and counselling" she explains not meeting my eyes.
"they abandoned you?"
"yeah, one night my dad's friend tried to... R-rape me, i fought him off and my mum and dad git really mad, because he payed them to do it, they nearly killed me and left me in the basement, they didn't get far before the police caught them, my neighbour heard me screaming so she phoned the police and they saved me, i actually died twice but they brought me back"I swallow, not able to comprehend everything she's been through, and I've been such a major dick to her.
"what was it like... dying?" I ask quietly.
"i don't really remember it, I remember feeling no pain anymore, no sadness like I was floating and i was weightless, i was nowhere but it felt right, then I came back and saw the police untying me from where they left me and it happened again in the hospital with the social worker"
"do you still get nightmares?"
"sometimes" she admits, ashamed.
"are you ok talking about this?"
"I guess"
"if your not just stop me"
"only for now, ask me any questions about it, but I'll only answer the ones I'm comfortable with"
"well, how long did they abuse you for?"
"all my life, they left me when I was thirteen"
"did you have any brothers or sisters?"
"I had a baby sister, but she didn't make it past two, i looked after her, if they tried to hurt her i had to take the beatings, but one night they knocked me unconscious and when I woke up she was dead, tied to my arm" she says quietly.
"how could they be so cruel? we're they stable?"
"yeah"
"why did they hurt you?"
"they never wanted kids, and then they thought maybe she would be a success, someone they could be proud of, i wasn't"
"it wasn't your fault"
"I angered them though"
"how?"
"I fought back and tried to escape from them"
"it wasn't your fault, anyone would"
"I dunno"
"did anyone try to rape you before?" she swallow and looks up to my eyes, there are tears in her eyes but she's not letting them fall.
"my dad, when I was twelve"
"did he?"
"yes" she breathes before breaking down into uncontrollabke sobs, i sit up and put my arm around her to pull her into me, she flinched at first but soon let's her head fall onto my chest, she climbs in beside me and I hold her in my arms.
"it's ok, I'm sorry for bringing it up, they can't hurt you anymore, I'm here now, your ok now" i comfort her as she sobs, she sits up after a while and wipes her eyes, i pull her down to my chest again.
"I'm so sorry for bringing that up" I tell her, i barely whisper it, taking in the moment.
"it's ok"
"they won't hurt you again"
"I know" we fall silent and eventually fall asleep beside eachother on the hospital bed.