Prologue: A Thousand Years
Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything,
Take away
But standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour as come to this
One step closer
-Christina Perri
Madeline Amelia Masters looked down at the paperwork in her hand Forks General Hospital had given her to fill out wryly. Name? Madeline Masters. Address? None. Chief Complaint? A swollen shut eye, cuts on my arms and bruised ribs. Daughter with a broken arm. Emergency contact? None. Do you feel safe at home? No.
Madi looked over at her children, sitting next to her, stoically. Joshua, age seven, and Olivia, age three, were not dumb. They knew why they were there and who was responsible for putting them there. Madi felt a wave of guilt rack through her twenty-five-year-old body. How could she let this happen? How did she stay so long? Why did she stay so long with an obvious abuser? This wasn't the first time. This wasn't new information, it was just going to be the last.
"Madeline and Olivia Masters?" The kindly looking elderly nurse called their name from the Emergency Room waiting area and into the exam room. Madi took Livvy and Josh by the hands and walked into the room. The nurse took the paperwork, looked at it oddly and then promptly left them in the room. Madi felt the visible, still bleeding scratch on her head and rolled her eyes. How long would they be in here for? Her three-year-old had a possible broken arm. That should carry some importance, right? It's not like Forks Hospital was particularly busy. That's why she drove here, instead of staying in Port Angeles. That and…Michael wouldn't find them. Not out here at least.
"Mommy…is someone going to help you and Livvy?" Madi's son, Josh said with his voice trembling. Olivia sobbed a big dry sob at the sound of her name.
"Of course, Joshy. Don't worry about us, we'll all be fine."
"I don't ever want to see Daddy again." Livvy sniffled. Madi's eyes welled up with tears. Not only had Michael pushed her down, fought her, and berated her every chance he got, but this time, Livvy had been too close and he shoved her into a table. In Madi's opinion, it was completely her fault. What kind of mother allows that to happen to her children?
"I know, baby. We won't. Mommy just has to figure some stuff out first." Like where to live. What to eat. The kids and her couldn't go back to the house, so literally all she had was her car and the clothes off their backs and even then, hers were becoming blood stained.
"Mrs. Masters?" Madi looked up and saw a God standing before her. Okay, maybe not a God…. but pretty damn close. "My name is Doctor Cullen. I'll be helping you today. It looks like we got into a little incident here, didn't we?
Madi nodded, subconsciously feeling her ribs again. She was sure there would be bruises all over them.
"Daddy hit Mommy. And Livvy." Joshua said seriously. Madi shut her eyes quickly and let out the breath she was holding in. Damn it, Josh. "Will you make them better?"
Madi was terrified. Doctors were mandatory reporters, weren't they? Would this get reported to CPS? Was it possible to lose the kids? Doctor Cullen's eyes were boring into Madi's chocolate brown ones. She looked away quickly, uncomfortable with the connection Dr. Cullen was making and tugged at her blonde hair nervously.
"Please Dr. Cullen. Yes, it was my husband that did this, but I promise, I'll be leaving him. I'm taking the kids and running. Please don't report me to CPS. Please. The kids are safe with me, I promise. They're my life. I have nothing else." Dr. Cullen raised up his had to stop her.
"I believe you. Do you have some family to stay with? A relative or a friend, perhaps?" Madi shook her head quickly. She really had no one. Her family had disowned her when she and Michael had gotten pregnant with Josh instead of going to college and they didn't even know about Olivia. Any friend she had, Michael had systematically made her pull away from during their eight-year relationship.
"I have my car. And I'm resourceful. Really. We'll be okay."
Dr. Cullen looked at her strangely and turned her attention to Olivia. "Let's fix up that arm, Miss."
In a few minutes that seemed like hours, Olivia's arm had been casted into a bright pink cast and Madi had gotten a few stitches in her head and arms. "Mrs. Masters," Dr. Cullen began.
"Madeline. Or Madi." Madi corrected.
"Madeline. Your injuries are quite extensive. I'm authorizing you to go home, however, you'll need somewhere to stay and be taken care of."
Madi raised her eyebrows. "Honestly, that's impossible. I have no home and two young children to look after. I'll be okay." For good measure, Madi attempted to get off the exam table lithely and completely lost her balance, falling over onto her knees. Doctor Cullen was not amused.
"Madeline, I won't be allowing you to injure yourself any further. My wife and children and I live on a large estate. We have a guest house that is currently not in use. I'd love for you and yours to use it for a few weeks, just to heal and get on your feet."
Madeline shook her head aggressively. "Thank you for the offer, Dr. Cullen, but I can't take that. It's far too much. We'll be just fine, I insist."
Madi made a move toward the door, beckoning the kids to follow her and in a move that seemed almost inhuman, Dr. Cullen stopped the door. "Please, Madi."
No. No. No. No. There was no reason for her to say yes. I mean, no she didn't have anywhere to go, and yes, this Doctor looked like Adonis, but no. She absolutely couldn't say yes. Could she?
"Okay."
What the hell? Where did that come from? Was she insane?
She considered the good Doctor's face and couldn't help but think that this was the start of something. The start of the rest of her life. Why? She had no idea. But, a small part of her couldn't wait to find out.
