A Child Raising a Child

Calming Spirit

The memory of her own trauma and the history of her ancestors being pillaged, raped, torn from their families and beaten ripped through her brain. It was not  long before the salty tears cascaded from her eyes.

"Am I the only one that has fucking common sense?!" He squinted his eyes. "AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT REALIZES LYING ABOUT BEING RAPED IS SERIOUS?"

"OF COURSE NOT! But that's our daughter! You don't do that to her" Donna cried out.

"SHES NOT YOUR FUCKING DAUGHTER! I DO WITH HER WHAT I WANT!" He spoke through his teeth.

Donna stared at him in disbelief. As long as they have been together, he has never denied her of being Tayler's mother. Although she is not the young girl's biological mother, she had raised her and loved her as her own. Tayler knows no other mother but Donna.

A million images of her mothering her daughter flashed in her mind. Taking care of her when she was sick, kissing bruises and scrapes, staying up late night watching her sleep, taking her to school, cooking for her, cleaning up after her, teaching her how to be a lady, and embracing her in her arms and wiping her fallen tears. She was there through it all, while being married to a successful songwriter and producer who was always gone most of their marriage. While he was gone, she cared for HIS child.

Still in shock, she slapped him hard.

"DONT YOU DARE! Shes my daughter! I was there for her! I WAS THERE!" She yelled. "Unlike that good for nothing bitch who left her" She spit at him.

She got closer, leaving no space between them.

"Hear me good Eddie Holland, don't you ever and I mean ever say I am not that girl's mama"

"I have been there and if you think about it. I have been there more than you" She looked him in the eyes.

"You have truly fucked up with her and God forbid something happens to her, you, or that baby you'll regret what you have done" she stepped back from him.

After a few more seconds of looking at each other, Donna walked away. She put on her shoes, grabbed a coat to throw on, and put her purse on her arm on the way out the house.

She started up her car with only one destination in mind, getting to her daughter.

Ed plopped down the couch with his head in his hands. He was now having second thoughts on what he perceived to be a good idea, now he wasn't sure.

~
Michael waited at the back door of the studio for Tayler and Elijah.

Once he got her to calm down, she was able to finally tell him what happened. The fright in her voice, broke his heart as he listened to her recounting the story between her sobs. He felt helpless because he was not there to protect his family.

He didn't care that they weren't together, she still gave him the best gift he ever received.

His son.

He felt ashamed and less of a man that he couldn't even protect his own child and that even sickened him to his stomach.

He insisted on leaving the rehearsals for the new variety show CBS had them filming, but she begged for him to let her come because she didn't feel safe being at home anymore. He protested at first because Elijah did not need to be outside of the house this early, but he couldn't turn her down after she cried for the safety of his arms.

Once he saw her, his heart beat was rapid as he didn't know what to expect. He saw as she meticulously parked the car, he even chuckled because she was trying to be careful because of the newborn baby on board. He walked over to her car and upon seeing Michael she jumped out of the car and grabbed him.