Iris walked back into the kitchen seeing Mary now relaxing with a woman Iris didn't know, most likely a cousin.
"Oh you brought May down, thank you for checking on her." Mary took the bundle into her arms wanting to show off her baby to the cousin.
"It was no problem, little girl was just lonely." Hearing this Mary snuggled her cheek to the baby.
"Aw, I'm sorry baby, Mommy's been busy." Iris chuckled to herself and went to go find her husband in the backyard while Mary and the cousin played with the baby.
"Iris!" From within a group of rowdy men came Barry happy to see his wife back. "Thank God you're back, these men are a bit too much for me."
"Of course they are, half of them work construction and you're a forensic scientist." The two laughed together.
"So hows Wally."
"He said he was fine which I don't believe but I wanted to take care of May to help Mary a bit, so I didn't pry."
"Hm, poor guy, Rudolph's a tough one."
"Maybe you could try talking to him." Shock passed through Barry.
"To Rudolph?!"
"No, to Wally. You were always really good with kids, besides maybe you could bond over a certain red speedster."
"Kid's a Flash fan?" Iris took her husband by the arm leading him back towards the house.
"More than you know." Iris giggled "His doors the first one to the right of the upstairs bathroom." Iris pushed her husband forward, ignoring his hesitation.
Barry slowly ascended the stair nervous to meet his nephew. He immediately found the door and hesitantly knocked once, hoping the child wouldn't respond.
"Who is it?" The voice was so quiet Barry could barely hear it.
"Uh, it's your, um…Uncle Barry. Can I come in?" Barry was shocked to hear a quiet and muffled 'sure'. Slowly, as too not hit anything that might be in the way of the door, Barry opened the door. The room was dark with a single lit lamp by the bedside. The shades were closed and curled into a ball at the head of the bed was a little red head boy. Barry was surprised to see Flash posters and paraphernalia adorning the walls and shelves.
"Hey kid, you really like this guy, huh?" He picks up an action figure of his other identity, smiling at the idealized body shape.
"Yeah, he's okay." Wallys voice was quiet and muffled by his hidden face. Barry felt he already hit a wall in the conversation, so he decided to just get to the heart of the matter. Sitting on the side of the bed Barry turned to Wally, keeping his voice soft and empathetic.
"Your dads pretty strict, huh?"
"Yeah, I don't think he likes me very much."
"Come on kid, don't say that. Your dad loves you a lot, he's just stressed out from all the people here." Wally shrugs.
"I guess."
"Do you guys ever play together?" Wally perked up a bit.
"Yeah, he plays baseball with me and taught me how to throw a football." Barry smiled.
"See! He likes you kid, he just has a lot on his plate at the moment."
"I should probably apologize, shouldn't I?"
"I think he'd like that." Wally hopped off the bed wiping the tears off his face.
"Okay, thanks, Uncle Barry." Barry was warmed to hear the small voice happier and to know that he had a nephew that trusted him.
"No problem kid." Barry walked with him down the stairs with his hand on Wallys back. Wally looked back and smiled at his uncle before running off to the backyard to find his father. Meanwhile Iris comes up behind Barry, hugging his arm close.
"Wow, I'm impressed."
"Yeah, who knew the kid was so quick to change attitudes."
"That's Wally, ever the lover, never a fighter." The rest of the night was filled with pleasantries and touch tackle football with the occasional break for BBQ ribs and strawberry cupcakes, an overall happy event.
Three years passed and Wally gained his powers of a speedster joining his uncle in the superhero life. May admired her brother through it all, she smiled around him all the time and spent as much as time as possible with him, knowing that whatever free time he had would most likely be spent training. Not only that, but any time that Wally was home, Rudolph left her alone, unfortunately for May, today was a training day for her protective brother.
"Damn brat!"
"Rudolph please! She didn't know!"
"Well it's your job to make sure she knows! I come home, I get my beer, I watch the game! I don't ask for much here! How can she fuck that up!? She's a selfish brat!" Rudolph held Mays upper arm in a tight grasp while Mary tried to calm her raging husband.
"She's sorry Rudolph, she's just tired—"
"I'm tired!" He throws May to the ground making sure it hurts.
"May!" Mary rushed to her four year old daughter. May only cried and started to wail unsure of why her father was causing her pain.
"Shut up!" Rudolph stood over both of them, completely red.
"Please May, quiet down, it's alright, you're okay."
"Don't baby her Mary, she needs to learn from her mistakes. She's gotta know that cryin' ain't gonna solve anything!" Suddenly Rudolph grabs May again, practically dragging her up the stairs into her room. Mary chases him only for him to slam the door in her face locking her outside.
"Rudolph please! She's a child!" Mary banged on the door, doing whatever she could to save her daughter from her fate. May was thrown into the wall of her bedroom, knocking down a fame hanging above her. Luckily it did not break when it landed on her head but the corner of the wood managed to cut May's tender temple.
"Daddy, please stop!"
"Shut up!" May only felt the sting on her face, not understanding what had happened until she saw Rudolphs raised hand. "You're a bad girl, so you get punished. I've told you time and again not to bother me, you are supposed to stay in your room and shut up. Turn around, bed over the bed." May was so tiny that she could only rest her head on the comforter. She could here the unbuckling of a belt then a pop of leather against flesh. For the next ten minutes the house was filled with the wails of a child and the cracking of a makeshift leather whip.
When Rudolph felt a sufficient punishment was dealt he returned his belt to the loops in his pants and stared at the quietly weeping toddler. "Now you know better. Get cleaned up for dinner." He spoke as if disgusted by the child, leaving her alone curled in a small ball on the floor silent sobs wracking her body.
In the kitchen was Mary, continuing to cook with tear tracks on her pale face. After three minutes of listening to her daughter cry Mary couldn't take it anymore and went to the kitchen attempting to ignore what was happening in her house.
"Go help you're daughter." The command was strict without care. Mary slowly went to her daughter and brought with her a bag of ice wrapped in a kitchen towel.
"May, sweetheart, are you okay?" Mary approached slowly but still May flinched at every moment. "I know it hurts sweetie, here, let me put some ice on your back." Her hands were careful like a mothers, gently pulling up the back of Mays shirt and laying ice on the raised lashes. Downstairs there was the sound of the front door opening and closing.
"I'm home!" Wally had been out all day after school training with his uncle. Ever since he got his powers the eldest child had rarely been home during the day, leaving him completely unaware of his fathers abusive relationship with his little sister.
"There's my boy. How'd it go?"
"Great! I lowered my track time by point zero five seconds! I'm getting so fast and we worked on hand to hand combat too!" Rudolph laid his hand on Wallys shoulder.
"Look at you! My boys so strong! I'm proud of you son."
"Thanks dad!" The two continued the conversation and enjoyed some potato chips while watching TV. About fifteen minutes later Mary and May come downstairs and head to the kitchen.
"Come on boys, dinner's ready. May would you set the table?"
"Yes mama." Wally noticed the dejected tone of his little sisters voice and turned to his dad.
"Dad, is May okay? She sounds sad." Rudolph flashed his son a smile and patted his head.
"Don't worry son, she just fell off her bed today and hurt her back, but she'll be just fine."
"Oh no! I bet I can make her feel better!" The family of four sat down for dinner. Only sounds of scratching silverware and slinking dished were heard, until Wally spoke up. "Hey May, I heard you fell today, does your back still hurt?" May looked slightly confused until she saw the daggers glaring at her from her father.
"Yeah…I was a bad girl, and got hurt."
"Hey it's okay, we all make mistakes sometimes. How about we watch your favorite show together and I'll read you a bedtime story!" Any time spent with her brother was enjoyable, so May ignored the pain and flashed a big happy smile.
"That sounds fun! Thanks Wally!" The siblings continued to joke and have fun and when dinner was over they continued with their plans until May lay fast asleep in her pastel purple sheets.
Behind closed doors no one would ever expect the loving father of two to be abusing his sweet little daughter. While she was constantly being verbally abused, she was good at getting out of the house and away from her father. Her Uncle Barry and Aunt Iris were her best friends, besides her brother. Nearly every weekend Aunt Iris would pick her up in her silver Subaru and drive the two of them to Iris' house where they could sit, watch a movie and forget about the world, with her speedster Uncle joining them every now and again. Spending time with them felt more like a family compared to her life at home, for this she felt guilty. May loved her brother, always has and always will. Yet, she felt like he should be able to realize what's going on. Thats not fair. May would think to herself. How could I expect him to see it when I hide the bruises so well… She would continue the charade as she could not bring herself to destroy the family Wally loved so much. Rudolph loves him and is so proud of Wally, she won't ruin that for him…he deserves better than a messed up failure like her…and so the act goes on.
As May reaches 13 years old Barry starts to notice something strange. The young girl who wore bright colors and sun dresses that accentuated her bright smile started to wear sweaters and jeans even in the hottest weather. Not only this but he also started to notice her mind wandering off. She often had a distant stare and didn't hear when people were talking to her or she just nodded or shook her head instead of being her usual chatty self. Even her beautiful smile full of perfect white teeth began to fade and the smiles she did produce where clearly forced. At first Barry thought it was because Wally moved out and hasn't spent as much time with her as he used to when they were kids. While that explained the pulled back behavior it did not explain the clothing, the slowness in her step nor the involuntary wincing at any sudden movement.
Having a loving relationship with his wife, Barry brings up his concerns with Iris only to have her go up in panic about her favorite niece being depressed or even slightly upset. With Iris more than concerned Barry decides to bring it up with said niece. That weekend he drove her to his house and sat her down on the couch with Iris sitting next to her and Barry on the chair across from them. It was May, her small body lost in a cream sweater, who broke the silence.
"Ummm… why do you guys look so upset? Did I do something wrong?"
Iris took her petite hands in her larger ones and forced a small smile.
"No sweetheart you didn't do anything wrong. It's just… you're Uncle Barry and I have been a little concerned about your behavior lately."
"I'm sorry I try to behave as best as can, I can be more quiet if you want me to." Iris and Barry share a look.
"That's just it sweetheart, you're too quiet. A child your age should be loud carefree, but you just seem so shut out all the time." May didn't know what to say. She was trying to be well behaved, out of fear of her fathers wrath, should he hear about her misbehaving, how could she have been too quiet?
"May? Are you okay? You look tense." Barry chimed in growing more concerned as May looked less and less lively.
"Listen May. If there is something going on…" Iris reached for May's face to tuck her hair away from her eyes.
"NO!" A sharp burst came from May as she took and started to back away from the couch. "Nothings wrong!" she shouts quickly calming herself from her outburst.
"What you just did is making me think other wise." Not only is Barry well aware of body signals but he also knows fear when he sees it. "Are you afraid of something? Whatever it is we won't judge you, you know that. We love you and want to help." His calming voice took away the tension and calmed the nerves of everyone in the room.
May stood against the wall looking at the ground contemplating her next move and where it would take her. Thoughts were racing through her head until she came to a final conclusion. Wally and Uncle Barry are both superheroes. They're so brave and fight so many bad guys to protect innocent people. They have suffered so much more in comparison to what I'm going through. I'll tough it out. I can be just as strong as them! I can prove that Im worth something.
May looks up with a smile on her face and blushing cheeks. "Everything is okay, really! I've just been having some bad nightmares. I'll be alright. I swear! I'm tough!" she states as she flexes her tiny biceps.
The couple looked at each other with doubt, both silent until Iris spoke up.
"Okay then. We believe you. Whatever nightmares you are having we both know you are strong enough to fight them, but that doesn't mean you have to do it alone." Iris bent down to May's level and took her face in her hands. "You are a very special little girl, May. We both love you with all our hearts and if you ever need help with anything at all you come right to us, alright?"
"I will Aunt Iris. Sorry for worrying you guys."
"It's okay May. Just promise us you'll tell us if there is anything you can't handle. You're not alone." That one statement spoken by her uncle shattered the glass. 'You're not alone'. The sentence repeating in May's head over and over again until she had enough.
"Hey, um, I have a lot of homework to do. Do you mind taking me home Uncle Barry?"
"Sure thing Mayflower." Her uncles nickname for her was only making her feel worse. Not only has she lied to them, she also feels like she is betraying them by not revealing the truth of her situation. At that moment though it doesn't matter. May pushes those thoughts to the back of her head and scoots into the front seat of Barry's car to head home.