Here's the second chapter! Hope you'll like it!
I'm aware that the last chapter's release time was a bit short, but 1-2 days didn't fit in the story. Also I like to think that Joe being all famous and stuff, made the nurse push the rules a bit :)
Thank you for the reviews, you are all to kind!
Not mine, not making money
Stephanie POV
Days turned into weeks as me and my angel stayed at the monster's lair. Joe kept on hitting me, kicking me and taking his anger out on me. He had told almost every one that I had post partum depression and didn't want to leave the house. Also the baby had some sort of immune disorder so nobody were allowed to visit us. Everybody seemed okay with that, said that it was normal.
All except for me. I was the only one who knew the truth. I knew about the beatings and the sexual abuse. I knew. The worst part was that I didn't have the courage to tell anyone. I couldn't risk my baby's future, his security. So I took the beatings, not a single tear leaking from my eyes. Nothing. All I focused was that this was necessary for my angel to have a future. Hopefully a good one.
Every night I was given the chance of eating. Usually I couldn't eat much just half a toast and drank a lot . I became soon a mere skeleton of my former self, I lost huge amounts of weight. Soon I needed to start with the formula for the baby. We were locked in the bedroom, once every three days I got to take a shower and the baby got a bath. Even then Joe came with us into the bathroom. I was sore allover, huge black, blue, green and yellow bruises covered my body. I was sure that at least three ribs were broken, poking me from the inside. My left little finger was that too, I was sure. My lips were red, broken and cut. My eyes were black, huge bags forming underneath them. I didn't sleep. I stayed awake and guarded my angel. I was determined to protect his life, even at the cost of my own.
Joe stayed downstairs, guarding that I didn't run away or call for help. He slept on the couch, always drunk and properly also on drugs. I still couldn't figure out why I had been in love with this man. He had always shown signs which pointed at his family, never ever trust a Morelli-man. Always a mean drunk, to possessive and now when I looked back at it, he had shown his violent side as well. I ignored it then but now it felt stupid. We had fought about something unnecessary and he had hit me. I loved him so I didn't mind. I told everyone that I had fallen in the stairs and everybody believed me. Except for Ranger. He knew that I lied but I got him to promise he wouldn't do anything. He hadn't liked that but had respected my wish.
That day started with my little angelito's (*) scream. Quickly I silenced it to make sure that Joe didn't wake. It was just over six and I hadn't slept at all, I stayed in a tense position, sitting on the bed in front of the crib. I picked him up and calmed him. I sat down and fed him, always listening to any sounds. He sucked on, almost a little tense too.
the sounds of foot steps alarmed me. I backed away from the door to the back corner, holding the baby tightly against me. Joe opened the door, dressed in working clothes, eyes bloodshot from the liqueur. He looked at me with loathing and leaned against the door frame.
"I have to go to work. You stay here or bad things will happen. I will know if you leave this room, you know that. Don't tempt fate."
My brain was buzzing, processing the information. A plan formed in my mind.
"Can I give the baby a bath today? I promise I wont do anything. I will only use the bathroom and then come back to the bedroom. No more than 20 minutes. Please.." I added a little fear in the voice, assuring him that I wasn't going anywhere
He looked at me, thinking that over.
"Fine. No more than 20 minutes. I'll know. I have to go." he said and turned around. "Remember what I said bitch!"
As if I could forget. His words rang in my head all the time, louder every time I closed my eyes. I hugged my angel closer and walked to the window to see him walk to his car. He stopped and waved at me. Looking good for the neighbours. I waved back, thinking this would save me from a huge beating later tonight. If my plan didn't work.
As soon as he pulled away I ran to the bathroom. I laid the baby down on the soft carpet, then rummaged through the cupboard underneath the sink. Every since that time one of my skips broke into Joe's, after me, I had a cellphone behind the bleach. Joe never bothered to check there.
My angel giggled as I pulled the phone out. He was always so happy when Joe was away. I smiled to him as he wiggled on the carpet. I picked him up, wet his hair in the sink, tucking the phone inside his shirt. I was sure that Joe monitored the hall. I didn't want to take that risk. I walked back to the bedroom and laid him down in the crib. I picked up the phone and the bag I had. I dialed the number.
"Yo."
His voice made me almost collapse. It was the voice of God, in this personal hell. Even with one word he made my heart start to beat again.
"Babe?"
My voice didn't seem to work. I sat down on the bed and breathed slowly, gaining the strenght.
"Hi." It felt like such a anti-climax.
"Babe. You okay?" he sounded worried and I grabbed onto the phone tighter, glancing at my baby, giggling in the crib.
"No." Silence. "Can you pick me up?"
"Sure. Are you at Joe's?" I could hear that he was moving. I smiled. My knight in shiny Porsche would come and get us.
"Yeah. Please hurry, don't pull up at the front, use the backdoor. We're in the bedroom."
As he hung up, I stood up and quickly packed the little bag with the baby's stuff. Formula, clothes and diapers. Ranger would have clothes for me at seventh. I quickly pulled on a pair of jeans, winching at the pain it brought, the t-shirt making my eyes water. I dressed him as well with warm clothes. I glanced at the watch. 10 minutes. I glanced if I had any important things but found nothing.
My angel was silent, looking at the world with huge eyes. I gave him a pacifier and waited. Not even one minute passed before the door opened. For a moment I feared it was Joe but thankfully it was Ranger. I took the baby and rushed past him with my bag.
"Come on! He has a camera in the hall!" I shouted back to Ranger as I flew down the stairs. My angel looked at me as we rushed to the back yard. Ranger was following me closely behind. I felt the familiar pain in my lungs and ribs as I almost ran through the yard, getting into the passenger seat. I glanced back and saw that Lester and Tank get into the back. I smiled at them and Ranger hopped inside. He glanced at me.
"Drive!" I exclaimed and held my angel close to me as the took of. He looked back at Lester with huge eyes, the pacifier flying out of his mouth. I patted his back. Ranger glanced at us again. I was sure he couldn't see angelito properly with all his clothes and hat.
"Want to talk about it?"
"Not now. Maybe later." I said still looking at my angel. He was safe. I was safe. The adrenaline flow slowed down and I relaxed. All the lost sleep caught up with me but I held my eyes open. It was too soon to celebrate. We pulled into the garage and I got up.
I held my angel on my left side, ignoring the dull pain it brought up in my ribs. I took my bag and walked towards the elevator. Ranger took the bag and I adjusted the baby in my arms. I fished another pacifier from my pocket and put it in his mouth. He looked pleased. Lester and Tank followed us to the elevator, but exited at fifth. We rode in complete silence up to seventh.
He opened the door for me and I walked to the bedroom, laid angelito down and took his clothes away, then walked into the bathroom, locking myself in.
"Babe?"
"I'm fine, just give us a moment!" I told him through the door.
I washed my baby, getting rid of all the pain he had experienced in his short life. I smiled as he seemed to enjoy the warm water. I dried him and fed him, sitting on the toilet seat. Soon he fell asleep. I smiled at the small angel sleeping in my arms, with the most peaceful expression. I walked back into the bedroom. Ranger sat on the bed, arms in his lap looking at me. I laid my angelito down on the bed beside him and threw a small blanket over him.
"Who's this?" Ranger asked me and I looked at him. He was staring at my angel. I knew what he saw. He saw himself. I laid down on the bed, making sure he couldn't fall of and closed my eyes.
"This is Ricardo Mateo. Your son." Then the loss of sleep caught up on me and I was out like my baby. I had a smile on my face.
Angelito: Little angel
Ricardo :Brave ruler
Mateo: Gift from God
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