Friday 26th February, 1982.
It had been exactly one week since Frank Foster had moved into the Donovan household, when he had announced to the family that he would be taking them away for the weekend. It had taken them a few hours on the train to travel from the North of England to the South of Wales, where they had stayed on the seaside resort Barry Island. Both Carla and Rob had been so excited on the journey down South, as they had never left the estate before, and they couldn't wait to see the beach for the first time.
Once they had arrived and had checked into a cheap B&B, they had decided to take a stroll across the seafront. Frank had carried a seven-year-old Carla on his hip, as a five-year-old Robert toddled along the promenade in front of them.
The memories of that weekend had always stuck in Carla's mind as it was one of the only times she had been truly happy in her childhood. And, it was also that weekend that she had started to grow fond of Frank, despite her originally feeling wary of him.
Carla may have been young, but she had also been wise beyond her years. And it was her wisdom that had originally warned her not to get too attached to Frank. She had already grown attached to one man in her life - her father - and he had left her, and her heart, broken. And she never wanted to feel that kind of rejection ever again.
Though, on that weekend away, she couldn't help but notice how different Frank was, compared to Andrew and Sharon. Unlike Carla's parents, Frank was never scared to show her and her brother any compassion. He would always praise them when they had done something good, and he would comfort them when they had hurt themselves. He was very friendly, and funny, and kind, and just a totally refreshing role model for the children to have in their lives. Or so she had thought.
They had spent the majority of their holiday on the beach. Sharon had spent most of her time sunbathing in silence whilst Carla had helped her little brother to build many sandcastles with their new buckets and spades that Frank had bought them.
"Carcar," Rob had spoke as he gently tugged on his sister's arm. "We go int water?"
Frank had simply sat back and admired the view of his step children playing in the sand when Carla turned to him, "Can I take Robbie to the Sea please, Franky?" she had politely asked.
"Oh, I don't know sweetheart. It's not very safe to go down there on your own." he had replied.
"She not on her own - she take me too!" Rob had innocently protested, making Frank giggle and Carla smile.
"Please, Franky? I'll look after 'im." Carla had pleaded before whispering something into Rob's ear.
The two children ran up to Frank before singing in unison, "Pwetty pwease?"
Frank started laughing, "Alright!" he had given in. "But I'm coming down with you."
Carla had grasped hold of her little brothers hand before running down towards the sea, as Frank followed them close behind.
As they reached the sea, Rob became reluctant to step into the water. He was scared about what lay beneath the deep blue surface.
"Come on, Robbie!" Carla had encouraged as she jumped over the little waves that had rippled through the ocean and swept up on the shore as the tide came in.
"Fishy bite me?" Rob questioned fearfully.
"No, silly." Carla replied. "Come on!" she held her hand out for the little boy to take hold of.
Rob, who was clutching hold of Frank's hand, looked up to his step father to seek some-sort of approval.
"Go on, Robert. There's no need to be scared; you're a big boy now, aren't you?"
"Me a big boy?" Rob had repeated in astonishment. "Yeah, me a big boy now. I'm not a scared-y cat, am I?"
Frank smiled down in awe at the little boy, "That's right, tiger. Now go on, go look after your big sister. I think she might be scared of the fishy, too." He had whispered mockingly.
"Ey! I'm not scared!" Carla had shouted defensively. "I'm not scared of anythin', me." she had stated before kicking the waves rather boisterously as if to prove her point.
Carla had been absolutely devastated when they had to leave Barry Island, and so she had sulked the entire journey home, much to her mother's annoyance.
"Carla Donovan, you're a spoilt little bitch. You best stop showing me up girl!" Her mother had spat through gritted teeth as she moved to sit next to her daughter on the train.
"I don't want to go home. I wanna stay 'ere!" Carla had foolishly argued.
Sharon had glared at Carla with an icy cold expression before threatening in a hushed tone, "Just you wait 'till we get 'ome, girl. I'll make you suffer for 'avin' this attitude wi' me!"
That warning had prompted Carla to shut-up. Her arms were still folded across her chest and her eyes were down trodden as she continued to sulk in silence.
Luckily, Sharon hadn't carried out her threat to punish Carla once they had arrived home, and Carla had thanked her lucky stars that she hadn't had to endure another one of her mother's harsh slaps.
It had been her mother's reluctance to hit her that made Carla think about how much things were changing in her life. She knew, had her dad of been there, Sharon wouldn't of thought twice about putting her over her knee and giving her a good beating for her cheek. But maybe, Carla had thought, maybe now Frank was there, her mother wouldn't hurt them anymore. Maybe things would be better from now on.
Carla had lived in this blissful ignorance for about two weeks before the reality of her situation finally reared its ugly head.. and the punishment she was to endure had also shaped the beginning of her horrendous childhood.
Monday 15th March, 1982.
Carla could always remember this day as if it had happened just yesterday. The memories were always so vivid in her mind, as a result of being replayed constantly through her nightmares.
She remembered waking up at eight o'clock in the morning, and then going into Robert's room to wake him. It was to be his first day at a new school and he was very excited. Carla had washed him and helped him clean his teeth. She had then helped him to get dressed into his new uniform before taking him into the kitchen and making him some breakfast, accidentally spilling the carton of milk over in the process. Before she had a chance to clear the mess from the worktops, there had been a knock at the door.
Carla grabbed her little chair from the living room and stood it by the door so she could step onto it and reach up to unlock and open the door.
"Hello darlin'," said her auntie Barbara as she stepped into the hallway. "Are you an' Rob ready to go?" she had asked her niece.
"Yep!" stated Carla as she picked up her little school bag and swung it over her shoulder. "Rob, time to go!" she had called out to her brother as he came running out of the kitchen and threw himself into his auntie's arms.
"Oh well, someone's excited, aren't they sweetiepie?" Barbara had gushed as she smoothed Rob's hair affectionately. "Right, come on then. Don't wanna be late on your first day, do ya?"
She had a pretty average day at school. Nothing much happened. At least, nothing she could remember now. The school events of that particular day just seemed so trivial against the events that had taken place the moment she had arrived home..
She remembered being picked up from school by her auntie, and when they had arrived home, Carla's mother, Sharon had asked her sister, Barbara if she could take Rob for a few hours, much to Carla's confusion.
"Can I go, too?" Carla had asked hopefully.
"No, Carla. You can stay 'ere today." Sharon had told her.
"Oh, well that's not fair!" Carla sulked. "Rob always gets to go.. you never let me go!"
"Oh, stop whinging will ya!" Sharon had shouted before Barbara had intervened,
"Look, I don't mind taking her."
"Yeah, I appreciate that Babs, but I want 'er to stay 'ere today. She's been misbehaving, so she in't allowed out."
Carla's jaw dropped as she frowned at her mother, "I 'aven't been misbehaving! I've bin a good girl. Please, let me go wi' auntie Barbara, please mummy?!"
Despite all her pleading, her mother had refused point-blank to let her go and so Carla had silently cried as she watched through the window, her auntie and her little brother walking away and leaving her behind.
It had been about two hours later when Frank had arrived home from work. Carla had been sat in front of the TV watching her favourite cartoons, which had cheered her up slightly, though she was still feeling a little disheartened about not being able to go with her auntie.
"Alright, sweetheart?" Frank had questioned as he wandered in to the living room, removing his tie.
Carla had ignored him, and continued to watch her cartoons. Sharon had then walked into the room in search of something.
"What's wrong with sourface over there?" Frank had asked his partner.
"Oh, just ignore 'er." Sharon said dismissively as she stood in front of the living room's mirror putting her earrings in. "She's just in a strop 'cause I wouldn't let her go with our Babs."
Frank had nodded his understanding.
"Right, that's me ready." Sharon had stated. "You sure you don't mind looking after 'er now?"
"No, of course not. You go. 'Ave a nice time."
"Okay," Sharon had spoken before leaning in to kiss Frank goodbye. "Oh, an' don't forget to give 'er hell about that milk she spilled earlier, alright? See ya later!" She had called back as she left the house, leaving Frank and Carla alone.
Carla had become frozen once she had heard her mother mention the milk. She'd totally forgotten about it this morning, and as Frank stood up from his chair and made his way towards her on the sofa, she became terrified that he would hit her as punishment.
She gulped as she looked up to Frank who was now stood towering over her.
"I'm really sorry, Frank. I din't mean to leave a mess. I was gonna clean it up, but auntie Babs knocked the door, an-" Carla had rambled on in a panic before being hushed by her step-father.
"Shh! It's alright, sweetheart. I know you didn't mean it." Frank had stated in a low voice. Carla had breathed a sigh of relief before she noticed Frank unzip his trousers in front of her.
She had looked back up to him as confusion wretched across her face. Before she had a chance to do anything else, Frank had grabbed her face and forced his manhood into her mouth.
She didn't have a chance to resist. And she knew she wouldn't have been able to fight against his strength, even if she had tried. She was absolutely terrified.
She had never seen a man's body before; she was sickened by the sight, and the smell and the feel of him inside of her mouth. She started to gag and heave as hot tears spilled from her eyes. She didn't understand what was happening. And when Frank climaxed in her mouth, she was sick.
Frank reached for the towel that was resting on the arm of the sofa, he had wiped her mouth before telling her to go and play in her room.
"And don't tell anyone!" He had shouted as Carla ran out of the room crying.
She continued to throw-up as she entered her bedroom. Then she curled up on her bed and sobbed for hours.
She didn't know what had just happened, and she didn't know if it was right or wrong. All she had known, was that she had hated every second of it.