You Still Matter (Adopted by DEH)

One:

Tw: abuse (I mean it's more of a slap, less extreme but still be safe bbys)

2016, December, New York, New York

"Now listen here Magnolia." Adam said as he dragged me down the streets. "Your mom might have bought these tickets before she got sick, and she still wants you to go, but it's selfish that you want to be here. So the second it's over, we're gone. No ridiculous t-shirts or any of that nonsense. You hear?" He insisted and I nodded. "Hmm?"

"Yes Adam." I replied, trying to ignore being pissed at him as we arrived at the theatre. Well, not any theatre, but the Music Box Theatre. In New York City. How exciting.

My mom bought these tickets for my birthday, but then she got diagnosed. She still wanted me to go and have fun, so she insisted Adam take me. Adam is my step-dad, kind of. He's not married to my mom, but they've been together for two years, so I guess he's kind of a step-parent. My mom is super nice, I mean she was. She died two weeks ago, and ever since things between Adam and I became tense. Mom was always the peacekeeper. I didn't have to deal with Adam much, just when he came to pick mom up for a date night, or something like that. But when he moved in with us to help take care of mom, he showed his true colors.

The colors of a jerk.

He's got strong political opinions, and tends to make them known. He would insist that I should quit my job, and that it's not a woman's job in the workplace. (It was a volunteer position at a library that I occasionally got tips from.). He would lecture mom any time she disagreed with him, saying it's his responsibility as the man to make decisions for us. Let me re-iterate, I have known this man for only two years. Mom would never break up with him even when I begged her to, saying he was a good caretaker and when she got better we would move far away and start fresh.

Well mom never got better, and my custody got given to Adam. And my life has been hell.

But that's in the past, and my present is seeing a Broadway show. My first, actually. Sure I've been to my fair share of local theatres and shows, but never Broadway.

We arrived at the theatre, and we made our way through the doors, only a tad late. We hurried to the door, and handed over our tickets making our way to the seats.

We sat down just in time for the lights to dim.

* * *

"That was absolute shit." Adam grumbled as we left the theatre.

"Agreed." I said quickly, not meaning it at all. It was a godly experience. "Can we go to the stage door really quick? I want to try and get my playbill signed. I'll pay for dinner." I begged.

"Fine." He said stiffly. "But after five minutes we're leaving."

I nodded eagerly and hurried to the stage door, trying to make it to the front of the crowd.

I shoved out my play bill, just in time for Laura Dreyfuss to quickly sign her name on it and shoot me a smile.

I practically collapsed as we left the crowd out of sheer adrenaline.

"That was amazing!" I cried. "She's such a good singer."

"She's alright." He shrugged. "Now home. Let's move."

"Hold on I want to take a picture of the theatre." I said fumbling out my phone.

"Let's go. Now." He snapped a I ignored him taking out my phone and opening the camera app.