The 10 Steps To A Boy's Heart

Chapter 31

Blood oozes onto the floor, slowing down to the trickle. My father is crouched over my mother, shaking her in an attempt to regain her consciousness. I stand frozen in place like a fool, despite myself.

Dad finally takes notice of me and then his eyes go to the door entrance where I assume Luke is standing. It all feels so far away and out of my reach. It's been years since mum was hit this badly. Years since we had to go to the hospital.

I realise with growing dread that I'm going to have to take her there again because my father sure as hell won't.

"She tripped and fell. Hit her mouth on the table." Dad berates angrily, as if blaming my mother for falling.

If only I hadn't left the house. If only I hadn't aimed that knife at him. These regrets circulate in my mind, rendering me useless. I want to take a step forward but fear keeps me rooted in place, my entire body shaking so hard I feel my teeth chatter.

Luke walks past me, bending over to inspect my limp mother. I suck in a breath as a new paralysing fear jolts me, wondering if my mother is alive.

That propels me forward and I rush to her side, glaring at my father in the process. "Leave it to us."

I say it with so much venom that he stutters. He always grows small after she's been hurt too badly, like the realisation that he went too far only registers then. He usually backs away when I take over, leaving me to tend to mother or get her to the hospital but I think today he leaves because there's someone else around.

He's staring at him with wide eyes when he retreats.

"It was an accident," Dad justifies with an air of innocence, only boiling my blood further.

I ignore him and turn my mother over, she groans softly filling me with relief. She's alive.

"I need to take her to the hospital. Could you call us a cab?" I'm too embarrassed to turn to look at Luke. The last thing I want is for someone at college to see how volatile my household can be, least of all him.

I curse my luck at bumping into him at the mart but I can't pretend that he's not here.

"I'll drive. It'll be faster. Give me five minutes." He gets up and I hear the jangling of keys as he fishes around in his pocket. I still don't have the nerve to look at him.

"It's fine. We'll go ourselves." I say between clenched teeth. This is my problem, not his.

"Danielle." His voice is so jarringly soothing it brings tears to my eyes. "Just stay put. I'll be back in five."

I don't get to refute as he jogs out of the flat quickly. I study my mother's face and notice that most of the blood is coming from her mouth.

"Mum," My voice breaks as I lift her lip, inspecting the laceration under her upper lip and the broken front tooth. I rush to get the first aid, dabbing the gauze with some antiseptic and wiping her face, clearing off all the dried blood.

"Danielle," Her eyes flutter incoherently and she lies against my arm, which has started to ache under her weight. "I fell. It wasn't his fault."

She mumbles softly and I close my eyes, trying to shut out my frustrations. This is why this has been going on for years and no one has been able to intervene. Because she never holds him responsible. No matter how much I try to get her to tell the authorities she always defends him, always prioritising her duty as a wife over her own safety.

I ignore her and stuff some gauze on the wound in her mouth to put some pressure on the bleeding. I then pick up the broken tooth fragment lying on the floor and wrap it in some gauze as well, having no idea what to do with it.