domestic violence
n.

Violence toward or physical abuse of one's spouse or domestic partner.

Chapter 3

I shake under the blanket I have wrapped around me. It's not from fear or cold but from embarrassment. I needed to stop freaking out. I needed to stop thinking about everything back at home. I touch my arm gingerly, careful not to aggravate it. I like the gurney I sit on because I can see everybody at once.

I watch Dave flirt with a lady who's always sucking on a lollipop. Dr. Ross shines a flashlight in a little boy's ear a few gurneys down. Carol is sitting at the front desk again filling out pieces of paper she calls 'charts'. Carter is asleep in an empty exam room. He has the door propped open with his shoe. Dr. Pratt says he's afraid of the dark. Dr. Pratt himself is talking with a lady named Deb who I really like. Chuny doesn't stray far from me while she does some inventory in the cabinets near the gurney right next to me. I have also met 3 other people, Abby, Sam, and Luka. I really like Abby. She's very nice and I think she's pretty.

Sam is small and sweet and she seemed to show a lot of sympathy for me. Sometimes I don't like it when people feel sad for me. It's all my fault that I look this way anyway. Luka is just like a big teddy bear. He talks in a low voice. It kind of scares me, but he is very nice to Sam and Abby.

"You ready to try again honey?" Abby comes over to me with a glass of water. After we had come down from x-ray Abby gave me some water which I had promptly thrown back up. Sam said I was 'dehydrated'. I don't know what it means but I don't think I really want to. Suddenly I flashback again. To our tiny apartment in Michigan.

"Get out!" my father roars throwing a glass at the wall. It immediately shatters into tiny pieces while water flies everywhere. My mommy is cowering by the door, scared of my father's fury.

"No! Don't go Mommy! Take me with you!" I shriek rushing at her from my hiding place under the table. I grab her around the neck and sob into her shoulder. "Please don't leave me!"

"Take her with you! It's not my responsibility to be caring for your daughter!" he shouts coming towards us. I feel Mommy trembling as she tightens her grasp around me.

"I wouldn't ever leave her," Mommy whispered hugging me close to her. A mixture of her tears and blood run into my hair. The warmth of the blood on my head makes me shudder. She rises from the floor and takes me with her out of our apartment. But then, my dad's mood changes again. In one quick motion he grabs a handful of Mommy's hair and yanks her back into the apartment. She sets me on the floor and screams out in pain. I race back under the table and close my eyes tightly as my father goes on to beat my mother. Eventually to death.

The tears come steady again.

"I'm sorry Abby," I whisper past the lump in my throat I try to force down.

"It's okay Carmella," she says setting the cup of water off to the side. "I just wish I could understand."

"He killed her," I whispered.

"Killed who?" Abby asked realizing she was finally getting somewhere.

"My Mommy," I say looking up at her, my eyes milky with tears. "My father killed my Mommy."

"Why did he do that?" Abby asked looking down at her hands as if she was embarrassed for asking me these questions.

"He had a bat," I said. "He used to hit her. Then he killed her." The tears were really coming now. I looked back up at Abby who looked like she was about to cry too.

"Please don't cry Abby," I said shaking her arm lightly so she would look at me.

"It's really awful Carmella," she said.

"I know it," I say rubbing my tired eyes. "But if I don't go back…,"

"We'll see what we can do to keep you away from your dad okay?" Abby asked tilting my chin up.

"K, Abby," I say in between yawns.

"Want to go see if Dr. Ross will put a cast on that arm of yours?" Abby asked. I shook my head.

"No way!" I giggle seeing Abby's flustered expression.

"You're going to fall asleep Ms. Carmella," she said. I shake my head again.

"Alright then. I guess your just going to have to suffer through another night," Abby said getting to her feet. I knew she was bluffing and there was no way she'd let me go to bed with my broken arm. She just wanted me to say so.

"Ms. Abby," I whisper putting on my best pouty face when she turns around. I hold my arms to her and stick my lip out. She giggles and lifts me off of the gurney.

"Alright Carmella," she says as I put my arms around her neck. "I'll carry you this once but don't think your going to be making a habit of it." I just smile and kiss her on the nose before burying my head into her neck.

Thanks so much 4 everyones reviews! They make me bery happy!

Dru619

Will try 2 update more often!!!