- Taylor's POV -
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I looked at the clock. 8:43 pm. Wow. I’m glad those painkillers kicked in. I groaned and turned over on my bed. The heating pad had helped my cramps while I waited for the meds to help, but the pain still killed me every time.
“Not how I want to spend the Friday night,” I said miserably.
Elijah and Isaac chose that moment to peek into my room. They looked like they were up to something. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.
“Psst!” Elijah beckoned to his twin. “She’s asleep. Let’s go!”
Isaac sneaked into my room, peering around anxiously. “Are you sure about this? Won’t she be scared?”
“That’s the point!”
Good old Isaac, I smiled inwardly. Always looking out for me.
I noticed Elijah was carrying the rubber lizard he used to scare Isaac yesterday. A plan began to form in my head. As they crept closer, I readied myself.
Slowly, carefully, Elijah reached out and placed the lizard beside me on the bed. He lowered it into position—if I was really asleep, I would have seen it as soon as I opened my eyes.
I struck. Reaching out, I grabbed hold of Elijah and pulled him up onto the bed. His screams of shock were soon overcome by laughter as I tickled him mercilessly.
Isaac collapsed to the floor, holding his sides as he giggled. “You…should have seen…your face, Elijah!” he wheezed.
I grinned. “Who’s won this one, eh?” I asked in mock severity, continuing to dig my fingers into his sides.
“You have!” he declared between gasps. “You have, Tay! Let me goooo!”
I released him and wiggled my eyebrows. “Now, unless one of you wants to wake up with a real lizard on your face, I suggest you get out of here!”
The boys ran off, squealing. I chuckled. They never ceased to make me laugh.
Relaxing, I leaned back among my multitudes of pillows. I thought about my mental breakdown during class. “Hmm,” I thought out loud. “The cramps would indicate mood swings. Maybe it was just a mood swing.” But the longer I thought about it, the less likely it seemed. Usually when I have mood swings there’s a particular reason, even if it’s just that we don’t have milk for cereal. I propped myself up on my elbows. This was different. There was literally no discernible reason for it. How strange…
I wanted to listen to music, so I plugged up my headphones and turned on one of my favorite hard rock songs. It annoyed me that I was going to spend the Friday night at home, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. No one had invited me to anything. I thought about taking a walk but then laughed out loud. Maybe not a good idea. At least for a while. Don’t want to get struck by lightning for a second time.
Lying down, I felt vibrations through my bed, indicating that someone was running or stomping in the house. I pulled out an earbud and heard a door slam. Maybe one of the boys is in trouble.
Carefully, I heaved myself off my bed and peeked out of my room. I heard sobbing coming from my mom’s room. She and Dad had stopped sharing a room and Mom had begun to sleep in the guest bedroom. I felt concern rising in my chest. If they’ve been fighting again…
I also heard Emilie crying from her crib. Pausing a moment, I thought about how to help.
“Hey! Boys!” I called.
“Yes?” The twins cracked their door and stuck their heads out.
“Can you go take care of Emilie?” I asked. “I know it’s asking a lot, but if you could just read her a book or something to calm her down and make her fall asleep again that would be awesome.” An idea popped into my head. “In fact, if you can get her to sleep, I’ll take you out for ice cream tomorrow.”
Isaac and Elijah shared an eager look. “Course we can do that!” Isaac piped up. “We’ll do anything for ice cream!”
“Thanks,” I said gratefully. “You guys are the best.”
“You know it,” Elijah said, winking exaggeratedly. I laughed.
My ear to Mom's door, I knocked and listened hard. I still heard quiet crying, but she spoke up. “Who is it?”
“It’s Taylor.”
“Come in.”
I opened the door. Mom was sitting cross-legged on her bed, her head in her hands. Her long black hair, the same color as mine, shielded her face from me.
I sat down beside her. “What happened?” I asked softly, placing my arm around her shoulders. She started to cry again.
“He…He…was angry when he got home,” she said between breaths. “He…yelled at me…for…for…not fixing anything for dinner. He said he didn’t want a sandwich, even though I…made one for him.” Mom sniffed again. I handed her a tissue from the box to my left and she blew her nose. “And he called me all sorts of things…and I’m not those things.…He blames me for things I don’t even do!”
She looked up at me and I gasped. There was a large red mark across her cheek.
“Mom…” I said slowly. “He hit you, didn’t he?”
She nodded, tears pooling up in her eyes. Burying her head in her hands again, she sobbed.
I was in shock. I should have expected this. I should have known it would go this far. This is it. Who does he think he is? My fury grew. How dare he. How dare he!
“Are you going to…do anything about it?” I asked, trying to keep my voice under control.
“I don’t know.” Mom shook her head. “I just don’t know. If I…get a divorce, I want to have custody of you kids. I don’t want him to take you. But then he’ll probably take the house, and I don’t know if I can support us on just my job…” She sighed shakily. “I don’t know what to do.”
I hadn’t considered all that. Hasty, I scolded myself. Divorce is not simple or easy.
“I know,” I comforted her. Pulling her close, I hugged her. “I know you’re tired of all this. And I know it’s hard. But we’re going to get through this. I’ll start looking for a better job just in case you decide to divorce.” I laid my head on hers. “But if he continues this abuse, don’t you hesitate to call the police or something.”
“I won’t,” Mom promised. She sighed again. “I won’t."
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(understand, i write things i do not understand and often have not experienced. my exposure to marital problems comes from media and friends who have had similar experiences. the subject matter contained in this chapter may or may not be accurate to real-life situations.)
(that said, i personally just would like to remind everyone to drink water and please don't get up at 4 am because it is not nice on your body, believe me)
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