In the dark, Miranda lay awake in her bed, one chant repeating in her head,
I'm going to sleep right through… I'm going to sleep right through…
She was trying to will the nightmares away and prove to her mommy that she was going to be okay.
But the more she thought about it, the more the image came back… of daddy hurting mommy …and the fear crept in.
There was a night-light on beside her bed and there was a light on in the hall shining in through the crack of her half-open door. But all the sources of light left a dark, black void in the corner of her room by the bathroom door. In her fear Miranda was noticing deeper shadows in the darkness… Did something move? Was there something there… someone..?
She fumbled for her bedside light and switched it on. She blinked at the sudden brightness and nervously looked back to the dark corner. The strange shape turned out to be her cardigan draped over the back of a chair… nothing to be afraid of!
Her heart was still racing though when she rested her head back down onto her pillow. She reached across and turned the light back off and the darkness closed in again.
She turned onto her side, facing her night-light, and pulled the duvet tightly under her chin, just like mommy did when she tucked her in. She felt safer if she couldn't see the shadows.
But the comfort of the light wouldn't change the image in her head, mommy screaming and crying and daddy laughing at her.
She wanted her mommy… she needed her mommy… she needed to hold onto her and feel her hugs and see her smile and try to forget that daddy hurt her and made her cry! She needed to be with her mommy… but she couldn't… she couldn't do that! Mommy needed to know she was going to be okay when she was away… but Miranda knew she wasn't okay!
Miranda knew she needed her mommy for just one more night.
She lay staring at the night-light for a few moments longer, willing the happy thoughts that wouldn't come… but she couldn't do it; she couldn't stay here.
Feeling guilty, Miranda picked up her pillow and shuffled out of her room and down the corridor.
She gently pushed open the door to the master bedroom and quietly approached mommy's side of the bed.
Mommy looked like she was sleeping, but then she opened one eye and gave Miranda a sad smile.
Without a word mommy pulled back the covers and Miranda put her pillow bedside her mother's and gratefully climbed into her arms.
"It's alright." mommy whispered, tucking her in and kissing the top of her head. "Just try and sleep. I'm here."
Miranda closed her eyes, pulling her mother's arms tighter around her middle.
Feeling protected, Miranda was finally able to relax. She didn't know how she would cope for the next few days, but right now she had her mommy… and she knew her mommy was safe and that made her feel safe too.
And maybe, just maybe, tonight would be the night the bad dreams didn't come…
Maybe tonight would be the night she slept right through…
…
Brief notice -
I've been reading back over old chapters and am shocked by the number of spelling mistakes, typos, and missing words there are (plus I have been spelling Kendall's name wrong all this time). That is the price for posting daily I suppose. I plan to go back and do corrections but I want to warn all of you who have favourited me or are following as I don't know what this will do to your e-mail alerts. I plan to correct ten chapters at a time starting tonight - should only take a couple of months to complete - Sorry for any inconvenience caused. - FAB :o)