I was messing around with Liam in my room when he took the most unflattering photo of me ever. He found it hilarious and started laughing while i begged him to delete it.
"Liam!" I scream. He starts running downstairs, laughing and I chase him. "Delete that now-" I stop when I see her.
My mum.
"Hello sweetheart." She says and smiles at me.
"No! Go away!" I start to run back upstairs.
"Aims!" Liam says as he follows me up. I go straight into my room, onto my bed and feel tears start to slip. Liam walks in and comes over to me and hugs me.
"What is she doing here? She's meant to be in Ireland." I cry into his shoulder.
"It's ok." He says. "Mike won't let her see you unless you want to. She's gone now."
"I don't know why she came. I don't want her here. I hate her and she clearly never cared about me." He was about to say something when Tracy came in.
"Liam can you go downstairs so I can talk to Aimee for a minute?" She asks.
"Yeah. I'll come back up after." He squeezes my hand before he walks out of the room.
"Hi." She says. "I told your mum I'd give you this. Do you want me to bin it instead." I shake my head and take the dolls out of her hands, setting it beside me. "I'm really sorry about what happened. I thought she'd been given permission. And well, I guess I thought you'd be happy to see her."
"She left me with nothing and promised she would come back soon. She never did. Until now anyway."
"Sounds like my mum, she used to do the same." She pulls me into a side hug.
*Meanwhile downstairs*
"Poor Aimee. " Tee says sympathy.
"Poor Aimee? Hasn't seen her mum in what, well not since we've been here. And then screams her head off and runs away, how dumb is that? No way her mum's going to come back now." Johnny says, taking a shot on the pool table.
"Who cares? They're just parents." Sapphire states.
"Uh, you don't know what's gone on." Liam says. "She's got reasons why she doesn't want to see her mum. How do you know she's not like your dad?"
"He's not our dad. And how would you know?"
Aimee kept her life before Elmtree very private. None of the other children knew anything about her parents or why she was there, but none ever asked. Liam, Frank and Sapphire being the only exceptions. They others knew Aimee would just get mad and upset.
"Because she told me. But she's still your mum though anyways, isn't she? I don't see her fighting to get you back."
"Liam." Tee says as she stands up.
"You take that back." Johnny says as he points his pool cue at Liam.
"Huh! Make me." Johnny hits Liam with his pool cue and they start to fight each other. Soon Mike and Gina come in and get them to stop.
***
I'm sitting outside, pushing some leaves around with a stick, when Mike comes out.
"Mind if I join you?"
"Go ahead." I mumble, not bothering to look up.
"Listen, you don't have to make a decision right away. But your social worker said it was ok for your mum to visit. Only if you want her to."
"No."
"Aimee, I know she let you down badly last time, but she seems to be making a genuine effort now. So, have a think. Whatever you decide, we'll back you up 100%. Hmm? In the meantime, we are going bowling. That'll cheer you up, eh? Or you can stay with Tracy?"
I look up and nod then go back to messing with the leaves on the floor.
Mike just pats my head and leaves me alone. Maybe I should give my mum another chance.
***
I walk downstairs and the others are going to leave to go bowling. I was talking to Liam again and he told me what happened with Johnny and I couldn't believe Johnny. How could he? He doesn't know what my mum did.
I thanked Liam for sticking up for me and after that he went back downstairs to give me some space and time to think. I walk into the washing room to talk to Tracy.
"Mike says my mum's allowed to visit. If I say yes." I tell her
"Yeah. I heard." She replies.
"What should I say?"
"Say no."
"Why?"
"Cause any mum who leaves their daughter in a house on their own for days or even weeks at a time, just to go out with her boyfriend, doesn't deserve a second chance. Gina told me."
"It wasn't that bad, sometimes she left a bit of food."
"Still doesn't make it right."
"But what if she's changed. What if she's better now? What if I say no and she's different? Then I'll never find out."
"You're right. Even when I knew my mum wouldn't show up, I still agreed to visits."
"Why?"
"Cause that way I couldn't blame myself for not seeing her. If she showed up great. If she didn't... It was her loss, wasn't it?" I just nod.
Everyone got back soon after and I walk up the hall with Tracy.
"Would you all shut up now?!" Gina shouts at everyone.
"Went well then?" Tracy asks sarcastically.
"Mike.." I say.
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to agree to my mum's visits."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. I'm sure." I nod and he pulls me into a hug.
"Okay."
I was waiting with Liam and Carmen at the bottom of the stairs for my mum. Carmen had really helped me yesterday because she was put into care for simular reasons to me. I was sitting on the sofa with my head on Liam's shoulder.
"You should've eaten something." He tells me as my stomach rumbles.
"I can't. I feel sick."
Suddenly everyone comes to where we are and says that their electronics have turned off. Tracy was saying about turning things off or something, but I wasn't listening. I was busy thinking about my mum.
Everyone goes back to where they were before and Tracy comes back out. She sits on my other side and wraps an arm around me.
"How you doing?" She asks me. I lift my head off Liam's shoulder.
"She's not coming."
"She's only a little bit late. Maybe she got held up, yeah?" Gina says trying to keep it optimistic.
"I knew this was a waste of time." I get up and was about to go upstairs when there is a knock on the door. Gina goes and answers it and my mum walks in.
"I am so sorry. Road works everywhere and the taxi just.." She then looks up and sees me. "You must've thought I wasn't coming."
"It's ok mum." I walk over beside her.
"It's not. It's really not. But I'm going to make it up to you. You'll see. Hi Mike."
"Hi." He replies. She turns to Tracy.
"Um.."
"Tracy." She introduces herself.
"Tracy. Well sweetie, I have a taxi waiting for us to take us into town. Are you ready." I nod.
"I'll get my stuff." Tracy says.
"Right have fun." Mike says.
"And you." Tracy replies.
"Bye." I say as i hug Liam before we leave.
***
My mum took me and got me lots of new clothes, shoes, toys, etc, and I got Liam a brand new football and Carmen a bracelet to say thank you. We stopped at a cafe to get something to eat and Tracy sat at a table close to us.
"I know none of this can make up for what I've done." She says.
"That's okay mum." I tell her.
"It's not. I never, ever should have left you alone at all. I can't believe I treated you that way. I'm your mother. How could I do that to you?"
"I don't know."
"I'll never forgive myself."
"It's okay."
"You should come stay with me again."
That made me feel a bit uneasy.
"I don't know. I would miss my friends and Mike and Gina and Tracy too much. And I don't know if social services would approve."
"No silly. You could come stay with me for a few weeks and if you want then you can come live with me. I have a new flat close by." Then Tracy rushes over.
"Um. Siobhan you should really discuss this with Mike first."
"But.. Of course. You're right."
***
When I get back I give Carmen the bracelet I got her and tell her about my mum. She told me it's my choice and I should go if I really wanted to and that she would miss me.
After I talk to her, Tee and Lily, I go over to Liam. I talk to him for a while and he said if I really did want to I should go for a few weeks but don't leave him forever. I swore to him I never would and even if I did move in, I would come back and visit every time I could and he could come over anytime he wanted.
I ended up choosing to stay with my mum for 2 weeks and I'm leaving today.
What's the worst that could happen?
I have my stuff packed and I am waiting for my mum to come with everyone. When she comes I start saying bye to everyone. And then it comes to Liam.
"Bye Liam." I say as I hug him. "I'll be back soon. Promise."
"Bye." I pull away and get into the car and wave to everyone as I start to leave. I give one last sad smile to Liam and he returns it as I leave. The trio is down to two for now. And I'm on my way 'home'.
***
(TW: MENTIONS ABUSE)
I have been at my mum's new house for a total of 6 days now and she hasn't changed in the slightest. It was all an act to get me to stay with her again.
She has a new boyfriend and he hits me all the time. He throws empty glass beer bottles at me and forces me to do any and everything.
Then there's mum. She is drinking again and I am getting treated worse than before.
She even took my phone, claiming she needed it more than I did. Today her and her boyfriend are going out, they most likely won't be back for hours and I have decided I'm going to run away back to Elmtree House.
I pack all my stuff back in my bags and wait until I hear the front door close. I leave my room and into the living room. I look in the mirror for the first time since I got here. I have a busted lip, a black eye and a massive slice in my eyebrow, not to mind the bruises and cuts peppered all over my arms and legs.
I check the time on the clock. 10.20pm. I should get back at the DG by around 11.10pm.
I start to look around for my phone and eventually I find it in my mums room. I turn it on and there are 50+ missed calls and 100+ messages from Liam, Sapphire and Frank alone. I went to reply to a message, knowing they would probably be asleep, but my phone dies. Shit.
I sigh before going back into the living room. I grab some spare change from what was left on the coffee table, get my backpack and climb out the window as the front doors locked. Luckily we're only on the first floor.
It's raining. Great. I start to run as fast as i can until I'm far away enough. I can't believe I trusted my mum again.
I reached the bus stop and had to wait around ten minutes for it to come. I got on the bus and was showered in my thoughts. I really missed Liam. And Frank. And Mike. And everyone to be honest. They were all like my family.
I get off the bus and start to run. I can feel the tears streaming down my cheeks and I start to run faster.
I finally get back at the DG and I knock on the door. No answer. I start knocking harder. Still no answer. At this point I am pounding on the door and finally someone opens it.
It's Mike. I can see some of the other kids behind him and realise how vulnerable i look right now, but i honestly don't care anymore.
"Aimee?" He questions. "Is that you?"
"Please don't make me go back Mike." I sob and wrap my arms around him.
"Wow, wow. Are you ok?" He puts one arm around me and uses the other to close the door behind me. He turns back and his eyes widen when he sees my face. He wraps both arms around me and hugs me tightly.
I look at the kids and make eye contact with Liam, and for the first time since ive met him he looks scared.
He walks forward and wraps his arms around me, letting me cry into his shoulder. He was reassuring me and telling me i was safe now, making me feel slightly better then before.
Mike turns to the other kids and tells them to go back to bed. They all seem reluctant and look at me sadly before going, especially Liam. Sapphire hugs me, telling me she'd talk to me in the morning, before going back upstairs and Liam squeezes my hand tightly.
I watch as they leave and go into the office with Mike.
"What happened?" He asks, examining my injuries.
"My mum and her boyfriend happened."
"You're not going back there again."
He pulls out the medical bag.
"It's not as bad as it looks." I try to reassure him weakly. I hiss slightly out of pain when he uses an antibacterial wipe on my lip. "I never should have agreed to seeing her again. I should've known she'd not change."
"Aimee, you need to understand this is not your fault. What you're mum has done to you isn't because of anything you've done and you can't blame yourself for giving her a second chance. You opened up your heart to do this for her and she let you down. You can't blame yourself for her actions."
"Thank you Mike." I smile at him gratefully as he finishes cleaning up my injuries. "Can I go to bed now, I'm really tired."
I was telling the truth, I haven't slept in a few days.
"Of course, go get some rest." I nod before I walk off and into my room.
God I missed this place. I changed into a pair of pajamas and get into bed. As soon as my head hits the pillow I fall into a well needed sleep.
The next morning I wake up at around lunchtime and get dressed. Before going to lunch Mike asked me to come into the office so i could explain everything that happened to him and Gina. As hard as it was, i trust them both with my whole heart and that made it slightly easier.
When I walk into the kitchen, everyone's heads turn to look at me. I just ignore it and sit down beside Liam, Sapphire and Frank. They give the others looking at me death stares making them go back to their normal conversations. I start to stuff my face as soon as i can. I haven't eaten in nearly 4 days, so I am absolutely starving.
Seeing this Liam takes my hand under the table, squeezing it gently, and gives me a small smile.
After we finish eating Johnny walks over to me.
"I'm sorry." He starts. "For saying that about you and your mum."
"It's okay. You didn't know." I tell him. He just gives me a smile of sympathy and walks off.
After many court dates and CPS meetings, my mum and her boyfriend ended up getting locked away for what they did to me and I couldn't be happier.
Now I'm back home. Where I belong. With the people I love. My real family.
(A/N) Probably the hardest chapter to write. If you ever go through abuse, tell someone. It may seem hard or wrong at the time but in the end it will pay off.