Chapter 23:

Sara was still haunted by the dreadful night her sister ran away, she couldn't believe she had heard her own sisters rape, No one should ever suffer, the way Tiffany did Sara thought to herself when ever she remembered the horrific event. It was then Sara knew she had to beware of her unpredictable mother, if she sacrificed one daughter, Sara knew her mother might possibly sacrifice her. Sara had quickly decided to move in with Ricky, they lived in a small flat for a short while, before moving into Ricky's sisters house. When Ricky's sister left, Sara and Ricky had the house to themselves, they were delighted. But soon after, Ricky who was working as a construction worker, started returning home angry and violent. The man she thought she loved complained and moaned about anything, it was only weeks till he began hitting her. The beatings, they've only became worse.

The house they shared was a pleasant two-story, three bedroom, one bathroom, semi-detached house with a spacious back garden. Sara was proud of herself for moving away from the trailer and the terrible neighborhood were she grew up, but she still lived in fear. Between the beatings, Sara somehow got herself pregnant, nine months later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Caroline was adorable, she had long brown hair just like her mother, but she also had stunning green eyes like her aunt Tiffany. Sara wondered if Caroline, would ever meet her auntie Tiffany. Caroline was a pawn in Ricky's game, Sara never got to see her own daughter, only around two days a week. Ricky would drop Caroline of at his grandparents or his parents, leaving them to tend to his daughter, whenever Sara insisted on keeping her daughter, it would only earn her a slap or a punch.

Sitting on the sofa, Sara had just cooked a delicious meal which consisted of beef lasagne, salad and chips, sadly she had enjoyed it alone. Ricky had left her in the house while she cooked, he'd secretly took Caroline with him, leaving Sara to serve the meal for one. Ricky hated having meals re-heated and despised eating leftovers, leaving Sara to throw away the perfectly good food. Minutes turned into hours, Sara sat still alone in the silence, fearing her boyfriends return, worried about her daughter and wondering where they had gone. He burst through the front door chuckling, she leaped to her feet and hurried to the front-door. Caroline was no where to be seen, tears began gathering in Sara's eyes, before Ricky asked "where's dinner"

"I made a lovely lasagne, but-"

"So, where's this lovely meal" asked Ricky as he rubbed his stomach, before adding "am starving"

"I-I-I"

"You ate it, you fucking ate all of it. Don't I fucking eat" roared Ricky

"No, I threw it away. Ricky, baby, I didn't know when you'd be back. You hate warmed up food" cried Sara

"What am I supposed to do" questioned Ricky, before yelling angrily "just fucking starve. You fat fucking whore"

"Am sorry, Ricky" mumbled Sara before insisting "I'll make something, just for you"

"Yeah, you will" replied Ricky with a smirk, before grabbing her arm and forcing her into the kitchen. In the kitchen, he threw her onto the floor before laughing psychotically as he began booting her stomach. He was brutal, she began crying, but she knew the more she cried, the more he'd enjoy beating her.

...

When Tiffany confidently strolled out of the rat-infested trailer, gently holding the man she loved hand, she couldn't help but feel secretly proud of herself. She'd faced her worst fear: her mother. Now, Tiffany was sure she could face anyone and anything, especially if she was with the man she adored. Hugging Charles, she whispered gratefully into his ear "thanks, sweetie"

"For what" he asked as she pulled away

"For giving me strenght" she answered with a coy smile, before taking what she hoped would be the last look at her old neighborhood. She felt reassured that her life would not be based around drinking booze and taking drugs, she was nothing like her mother. In her few years of being free from her mothers nest, she had lived in lap of luxury at Lila's, been an accomplice to several crimes, fell in love with two criminals and wreaked havoc during a brief crime spree. She was at a good place in her life, she believed things could only get better.

Tiffany admired Sara's house as they walked towards it, she was thankful it wasn't in the old neighborhood, she didn't want to spend anymore time in that shit hole. "It's a nice place" said Charles as they strolled towards the front door

"Yeah" murmered Tiffany before thinking It's nothing special

"You want to knock" asked Charles with a reassuring smile

"I'm not bothered" calmly replied Tiffany with a shrug even though her body was trembling with nerves. Reaching out, she anxiously knocked on the door, then waited a few minutes before the door swung open. Tiffany was startled and stepped back to gaze at what she saw, Sara stood looking at her with tear-filled eyes. Not only were tears gathering in Sara's eyes, but her lip was split open and swollen, a bruise was on her cheek and there was a burn mark on her arm. "Sara" Tiffany gasped as she held tightly onto Charles' hand

"Tiffany, is that you" nervously stuttered Sara as she wiped away a tear

"Oh, god...yeah" stammered Tiffany as Sara stepped out and closed the front-door behind her

"I've missed you" tearfully confessed Sara, before hugging Tiffany lovingly

"I'm back, I'm back" insisted Tiffany, before stating "me and Charles, my boyfriend, we're in a bit of trouble"

"What, what's wrong" questioned Sara worryingly

"We've got no where to stay"

"Don't worry, you can stay here" Sara assured Tiffany, before her heart sunk and she remembered Ricky, she wondered if he'd allow them to stay. "I'll see if Ri-Ri-Ricky'll let you"

"Please, Sara...we need somewhere" replied Tiffany pitifully, before Sara left the couple in front of her house and wandered into her house to ask Ricky. Tiffany instantly turned to Charles, flung her arms around his neck and cried "did you see"

"See what" asked Charles

"I can see the fear in her eyes, the marks on her body...that bastard's done that, I know he has" answered Tiffany, before stroking his face and whimpering "she needs our help".

Chapter 23 finished

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