The pain subsided and I fell physically and emotionally numb. My heart was broken, not because of what he had done to me or my belongings but because of what he has subjected my baby to. There's no amount of comfort, support, or love I can give to make him forget tonight happened.
I've heard of stories like this from people all over and this type of trauma scars people for life. Just to think, I failed my child. The one person God put here on earth for me to protect.
I felt the urge to cry but I didn't have the energy to do so. I didn't even have the energy to get up when I heard Rihmeek's tires screech as he turned into our drive way and sped towards us. I watched him as he jumped out of his car and ran towards us but it was like everything was in slow motion. He got to Rich first only because Rich ran towards him.
"What happened?" He asked, looking between us both. The expression on his face led me to believe he had an idea but didn't want to make assumptions. "Can we stay at your house daddy?" Rich asked, barley above a whisper. I heard Rihmeek mumble of course before walking to the car and putting Rich in.
I told myself to move and got aggravated when I didn't. I felt like I was stuck.
"What did he do to you?" He asked.
I looked up to see his jaw clenched and he had started taking deep breaths. "Hm?" He raised an eyebrow and awaited his answer.
I shook my head and looked down at my hands. I know what will happen tonight if I tell him the truth. He'll do what he thinks is right and end up either in jail or worse. I can't have that resting on my conscience too so I lied, "He just kicked me out. Told him about you and he...kicked me...out." I whispered the last part almost feeling like I was telling the truth. I bit my lip and sighed, hoping more than anything he believed me. "I'm going to ask you again but this time don't lie to me. What did that bastard do to you?" Hearing that word for the second time tonight caused me to cringe, remembering Eric's words. "I-I," My palms started sweating and I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. "I told you...nothing happened." I lied again and grimaced as I started to feel the sharp pain on my side again. "I told you not to lie to me." He said almost in a growl. "I'm not lying." I cried out, grasping at my side. That only added to my pain. "I've never seen you...so, so, I don't even know how to describe it. He did something and you better tell me so I can take care of it."
My eyes started to burn and I covered my face and started to sob. "Stop!" I said but it was muffled by my hands. "I just want to go home with you and forget about it. Please, for fucks sake, get me away from this place."
I heard Rihmeek sigh before I felt him grab my waist and try to pick me up but I screamed out in pain and he immediately let go and looked at me like I was a ghost. He said, "The fuck" under his breath before looking up and down my body observing it. "He hurt you?"
I shook my head but my posture and facial expression gave away the impression that I was hurt. "I'm fine, Rihmeek" I said. I started to walk past him but he grabbed my arm causing me to gasp before I flinched away.
"That motherfucker hit you, didn't he?"
His features hardened and his eyes got darker.
Something led me to believe he knew and even if I lied it would be futile.
"Please," I started to plead, "I'm okay baby."
I whipped away a tear that was rolling down my cheek. "What happened?" He asked.
"I...I don't know. He just got mad and-" I was trying to recall tonight's events before he interrupted me, "Did he touch our son?" The tone of his voice mimicked a growl and that had me taken back. "No." I said sternly. "I wouldn't let him lay a hand on him." I meant that with everything inside of me. If he had even shown signs of wanting to touch him I would be sitting in a cell right now.
"It'll be a cold day in hell before anyone hurts him like that." I added. He stepped back while nodding his head. I watched as he chewed the inside of his bottom lip. Something he does when he's thinking. "He hit you though?" He asked. I shook my head, because he didn't.
"You were just saying he hit you." I reached for the bottom of my shirt and slowly pulled it up making sure I was careful as I slid it over my side. I looked down surprised by the dark purple and blue circle that surrounded majority of my side. If the bruise shocked Rihmeek near as much as it shocked me I'm sure our faces mimicked each others. "He, uh, kicked me." Rihmeek stepped closer to me and ran his fingers softly over the bruise. I closed my eyes and waited for the pain but it never came. I opened my eyes to see tears in his.
"Let's go." He said. His reaction was the furthest thing from what I expected but I hurried to the car before he had a chance to change his mind.
On our way to his place not a word was spoken. Rich had fallen asleep and I had my head laid against the window halfway asleep too.
When we made it to his condo he helped me out of the car first before he got Rich out and carried him in. I walked-well waddled over to his couch and gently sat down and leaned back closing my eyes. I couldn't get comfortable because of my side and that caused me to start getting aggravated. "Here," I heard and turned to see Rihmeek holding a closed hand out with a bottle of water in his other hand.
"Take these and then I'll give you a bath." I felt my cheeks heat at the thought of him seeing me naked again after all these years. "You don't have to, Rihmeek." I said, feeling bashful. "I can bathe myself." I took the pills from him and swallowed them down with some water.
I started to raise up but fell back.
"Here babygirl," I heard him say before I felt him grab underneath my arms. "I gotchu."
He picked me up and carried me upstairs. I watched him bend over the bathtub to start the water and then realized what was happening. I scratched my scalp and looked in the mirror at myself. I turned to the side and looked at my bloated stomach. I could hear Eric calling me a fat ass as I ran a hand over my thighs and wide hips. "Rihmeek," I said barley above a whisper. My voice was so small I was surprised he heard me over the water. "Yeah?" I started to ask him but then realized I would just look like an attention seeker. "Nevermind." I said. He looked confused but didn't push it.
I tried to stop looking at myself in such a negative way as I pulled up my shirt and stared at the bruise. In just the time it took to get here it had already gotten noticeably darker.
He walked over to me and put his hand on the small of my back. "I can't believe this." I said, still in shock Eric did this to me. "I never thought he would do something like this."
It's so ironic, isn't it? My parents never accepted Rihmeek but they accepted Eric, and he's the one who ended up hurting me.
I watched Rihmeek through the mirror as he helped pull my shirt over my head. I couldn't raise my right arm because it pulled my side.
"I'm no doctor but I think you might have a few broken ribs." He said. "The bruising is deep."
I nodded my head. I had already figured I did. It hurts to breath. I had already taken my shoes off so Rihmeek slid my pants down to my ankles and over my feet. Now I was left standing in my bra and panties.
"You are so beautiful." I heard him say causing my eyes to smart with tears. I wonder if he has any idea of all the awful things Eric called me today. "Hopefully the bath will help ease your muscles so you won't be so sore tomorrow."
He undid the back of my bra as my straps fell down my shoulders. My first instinct was to cover myself. That caused Rihmeek to chuckle as he slid my panties over my ass.
"You act like I ain't seen this before." He said.
My cheeks were on fire. I couldn't even look in the mirror now. "Don't be shy, babygirl. You have nothing to be embarrassed about."
I slowly uncovered myself and turned to bury my face in his chest once he stood up.
I felt him trace his fingers slowly up and down my back, calming my nerves. After awhile of standing in his embrace I got cold and decided I would get in the bath and take him up on his offer. "Ahh.." I moaned out as I squatted down to lay back in the water. I seen Rihmeek frown and when I moaned out in pain again it deepened. "Here." He said but I didn't open my eyes. I didn't have the energy to. The water started to relax my muscles one by one and I didn't want anything to stop the feeling.
I felt my hair lifted behind my head and then pulling and tugging, that's when I realized Rihmeek had wrapped my hair. "Thank you." I said. "This feels so good, Rihmeek." I said more intimately than I intended. I soon felt him rub something soft over my body, I assume it's a loofah. I then felt him run his fingers along every place he rubbed the loofah.
I opened my eyes when I felt him rub over my side. "Did I hurt you?" He asked, pulling his hand back. I shook my head. He went back to doing what he was doing and looked over my body like I was the most fragile thing he's ever touched. "Is that the only place that hurts?" He asked. I shook my head. "Where?"
"My neck and back." I said with a pout.
After an hour of allowing him to pamper me the water started to get cold and I told him I wanted out. He dried me off then dressed me in one of his t-shirts before helping me in his bed. After yawning again I told him I was sleepy. "Go to sleep." He said followed by a chuckle. "Hold me." I said, rolling onto my side that wasn't bruised. He did what I asked and was mindful of my bruised hip.
Not long after I felt him pull me against his hard body I drifted off to sleep.
The next time I woke up it was pitch black and I forgot where I was. I looked at the clock to see that it is going on three in the morning.
I reached over for Rihmeek but he wasn't there.
I sighed before slowly rolling out of the bed to go find him. I walked around the house at a turtles pace but never found him. I looked outside to find his car was gone.
Where could he have went?
I shook my head then shut the door and locked it. Walking back up the stairs I stopped by Rich's room to check on him. When I opened the door I could hear a faint whimper coming from him. "Rich?" I said. He whimpered again but didn't say anything and that's when I realized he was probably dreaming.
"Rich." I said while gently shaking him. He jerked before opening his eyes. "It's okay, it's mommy. Roll over so I can sleep with you."
He did as told and patted his pillow for me to lay down. His bed was small but I'm short enough to fit in it. After I laid down I rested my hand over his heart and sighed. "I'm sorry baby," I said before kissing his cheek. "I love you."
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Where did Rihmeek go? 👀
Ignore any errors 😘
