A Four Letter Word // Laurmani

XII (12)

Trigger Warning: Mentions and Discussions of Abuse

I'm sitting in my car tapping on the steering wheel waiting for Normani. After a few minutes she arrives and gets in the car. She closes the door and looks at me.

"You're in your uniform?"

"After I drop you off at home, I'm heading straight to work" She nods her head before grabbing her seatbelt and buckling up. "We'll talk a drive" I pull out of the drive way and begin in route to Normani's house.

The ride begins in silence before I decide to break it and begin with my story.

"I was 12 years old. Chris was 9 and Taylor was 7. I came home off the bus one day to see my mom rolled up on the ground crying. When I went over to her, she was bruised everywhere. She had a black eye, her cheek was cut and was turning a light shade of purple, and her shirt was barely lifted to where I could see her skin slowly bruising. I asked her what happened and she said Daddy got a little angry with me that's all. This began to happen every week which turned into everyday. I would just come home to find her bruised up and beaten"

I glanced over a Normani who's eyes were beginning to water. I brought my gaze back to the road.

"Then one night I heard my parents fighting and screaming and then I heard this big crash. I went out of my room to Chris's room then Taylor's room to check up on them but they were in deep sleep. So I decided to go check on everything and make sure everything was fine. I slowly made my way to the living room to see glass everywhere and my mom crying with a huge black eye and my dad holding her by her hair"

My voice cracks so I wait a few seconds before continuing.

"He was beating her so much that I thought she was going to die Normani. I-I didn't know what to do to help so I called 911. I told them everything that was happening and an ambulance and two police cars showed up. They police took my dad away and the ambulance took Chris, Taylor, Mom, and I to the hospital"

I pull into Normani's driveway and park the car. I look over at her and she has tears running down her eyes. I lean over the console and wipe the tears with my thumbs and keep my hand under her cheek while she closes her eyes.

"I don't want that to be you Normani. I don't want to see you end up the same way my mother did. I should have done something earlier and I didn't... I'm not going to make that same mistake again with you" I take my hand away and her eyes open. She nods her head sighing.

"I'll break up with him tonight at Dinah's game. I promise" She holds out her pinky and I interlock ours. She brings it up to her face before kissing my hand. She opens the car door and pulls her backpack out slinging it over her shoulder. She's about to close the door but stops herself. "You're coming to the game right?"

"Of course. Plus, Dinah would beat my ass if I didn't" Normani smiles before closing the door. I pull out of her driveway and make my way to work.

-

"Lauren! You have people in our section at Table 8!"

"Thanks Chase!" I grab my notepad and weave through the different tables dodging other waitress and waitresses. I arrive at the table and my eyes go wide.

Mr. Hamilton is sitting with some random woman with him whispering something in her ear and his hand placed on the inside of her thigh. The lady laughs at whatever he says before she straightens out and he sees me. He kisses her cheek before turning to face me. His eyes widen.

"Lauren"

"Mr. Hamilton" The woman seated next to him looks confused.

"You two know each other?" She asks. He nods his head.