Another sleepless night, I'm staring at the ceiling. I can hear him fighting with her for no good reason. Will this ever end? Will this house be a home again? If I had my way I'd corner him and say put yourself in her position. All she needs is recognition. Love's not enough when you say it. Don't you know you gotta mean it, screwing up the best thing ever is something you will regret forever…
5 months later:
Five months ago Esme marries Charles and two months into the marriage Charles started abusing Esme and fighting every night with her. Charles beatings towards Jamie have gotten worst if that is even possible. Esme knows that Charles beats on her little boy and she tries her hardest to stop it and take the beating for Jamie. Esme couldn't believe that Charles would beat her son especially a child. Jamie didn't deserve this kind of life. He didn't deserve to be scared to come home after school; he deserves to be happy and safe at his own home.
Jamie was in his bed when all he was hearing from down the hall was yelling and his mother crying. Jamie tries to covers his ears so he doesn't hear it anymore. It killed the nine year old hearing his mother crying and it made him lose sleep from all the screaming and yelling that Charles does every single night.
Jamie couldn't understand why his mother married Charles. She tells him she had to marry him and that she had no choice. Jamie has a hard time understanding why Esme marry this awful man. Jamie hears someone hit the wall and most likely it was his mother. Jamie hides his face in his pillow and starts crying himself. His life wouldn't have been if his mother never met Charles and they never married.
Jamie looks over at the time on his bedroom wall and sees it was already 1 in the morning. It will be so hard for Jamie to get up for school in the morning. He turns towards the wall to try to sleep since it quiet down finally. When he falls asleep he was in a whole different world where he was happy along with his mother.
The next day wasn't any better. Jamie woke up for school on time and he went into the kitchen without his mother in there. She was still getting ready for the day and Charles sees his step son and starts an argument with the nine year old.
"Who told you that you can eavesdrop on our conversation last night?"
Jamie slams his bowl and the cereal box onto the table and rolls his eyes in ignorance. Conversation, yeah right more like a fight Jamie says to himself. If he said that out loud Charles will beat him for sure for bad mouthing him as he calls it.
"I didn't, I was sleeping last night in my bed."
Jamie says with a hint of ignorance to his voice. He doesn't look up at Charles which makes him angrier at Jamie. He gets up from his seat and forceful lifts Jamie head up to look at him. Jamie was mad and his face expression was showing it. Jamie has a temper and when people get him mad he shows it but he was actually scared of Charles so he hides it in like he always does.
"What did I say about bad mouthing me boy?"
Jamie's green eyes show no fear but deep inside he was fearful of Charles. He wasn't going to show fear towards this man. He was going to be a strong boy like he always is.
"I was not bad mouthing you."
Charles laughs a annoy laugh towards Jamie. He lets go of Jamie's face. Charles takes his hand and smacks Jamie aside the head. Jamie couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't hold this anger in anymore. Charles walks past Jamie and with the courage Jamie was feeling he turns around and pushes Charles into the sink. Charles was shocked that Jamie actually pushed him. He was really angry and he turns around, unhurt and grabs Jamie by the neck of his shirt. Jamie this time was showing fear in his green eyes.
"You just are asking for a beating aren't you boy?"
"I'm sorry, just please let go of me. I won't do it again."
"You are right about that. I will make sure you will never do it again."
Charles throws Jamie roughly on the ground. Jamie bites his lip in pain that was rising up his back. Charles gets down on the ground on his knees and grabs Jamie by the neck of his shirt, takes his fist and punches Jamie right in the nose. Jamie feels the blood going down his face from his nose and had a feeling it was broken. Charles lets him go and takes his boot and kicks Jamie in the ribs. Jamie cries out in pain which Esme hears and runs out of the room to see her son bleeding on the ground and crying in pain.
Charles grabs his things for work and leaves the both of them until he comes back during dinner time.
Esme picks Jamie's head up to see how bad it was and when she touches his nose Jamie backs away because it hurt too much.
"Jamie what happened?"
"He blames something on me and when he smack me aside my head I got mad at him and fought back this time. He didn't like that so he taught me a lesson."
Jamie says while he was using his shirt to control the bleeding. Esme helps him onto the couch and gets a towel so Jamie stops using his shirt.
"Let me see that nose of yours."
Jamie lifts his head up and Esme starts cleaning the blood away. When she was done she sees Jamie still crying a little bit. Esme holds him in her arms while he was letting all of his pain go.
"Jamie, I'm so sorry this had to happen. I never wanted this life for us. This is my fault Jamie. I knew he was bad for us but I still married him. I'm sorry I'm so sorry my baby boy. I love you so much."
Jamie has his arms wrapped around his mother's stomach and he looks up at her with his peaceful green eyes and a slight smile to his face.
"Mama this isn't your fault, it is Charles fault. You do not need to apologize to me. I love you mama that will never change."
Esme smiles at her son and kisses him on the forehead. Jamie was still the sweetest boy ever. Nothing can ever change that about her young son.
"You really are the perfect son. Any parent will be so proud of you like I' am."
"I know mama, I' am your son have you forgotten?"
"No baby I have not. I don't think you will be going to school today. You are already late and you will be in too much pain."
Jamie nods his head in agreement at his mother. Esme helps him into his room so he can sleep more. Esme saw in his eyes that he wasn't sleeping much probably due to the yelling and screaming every night. Esme helps him into his bed and Jamie asks her something he hasn't asked for something in a while.
"Can you stay with me while I sleep?"
"Of course I will Jamie."
Esme lies next to him with her arm around him. Jamie has a smile on his face because of this. It was like old times, just his mother and him. That is all that matters to the nine year old. After a few minutes Jamie falls into a deep sleep.
Esme was looking down at her young son with a smile on her face but after a while that smile goes away. She feels so much guilt for the life Jamie is living. She blames herself for the beatings he has to endure because of Charles. He usually does it without Esme in the room or in ear shot. Jamie hides his cries so he doesn't bother his mother and Esme usually finds out everything when she puts Jamie to bed. Jamie didn't deserve this. She left to live on her own to prove that she can make a life for the both of them. Now her only son, her baby boy has to suffer at the hands of her husband.
Jamie wakes up around dinner time. He doesn't see his mother next to him like she was before he slept. She must be making dinner since that evil man will be home soon, Jamie thinks to himself. When Jamie gets up from his bed he hears the front door slam. Charles wasn't in a good mood like always. Jamie didn't expect anything different. Jamie decides to go into the kitchen for dinner before his mom calls him to come and eat. Jamie enters the kitchen and Charles look straight at him with an evil glare.
"You are not feeding him, Esme. I don't care if the little shit starves."
Esme stops making the food and looks over at Charles and Jamie. Jamie stands by the doorway just waiting for them to start fighting yet again.
"Charles you cannot feed him. He needs to eat."
"Not after what he did this morning, he is not eating any of my food."
"Charles he needs to eat if he doesn't he will get sick. Jamie didn't eat this morning because of what you did to him, you can't starve him."
Charles bangs his fist on the table which causes Jamie to jump and back away. Esme was used to this sort of behavior but Jamie wasn't.
"I said you are not feeding that little shit. You will do as you're told and I'm telling you, you are not to feed him tonight. I don't care if he starves or dies from it. He isn't my son to worry about."
Jamie didn't want to be here when they started to fight so he turns around and walks to his room, locking the door behind him. Jamie hears his mother trying to get Charles to change his mind but all he hears is Charles calling him name after name. Jamie slides down his door with his knees to his chest and he cries in them. Jamie couldn't take it anymore. At only nine years he wants his life to be over with…
