D.J: I printed out the papers telling her about my plan to get dad to sign the papers but I was hiding a dark secret from her. She thinks dad isnt mentally stable I take her back up to the room she locks the door and tells me thinks hes a drunk and has been hitting me, I wasn't sure how she knew. Explaining that he had beat her a month before she had left and had a habit of coming home drunk on the weekends I felt worse about what happened to her. I told her what he had done to me and and about getting kicked down the stairs, she seemed scared for me. We had both been carrying around the same secret our father was a stinking drunk!
Telling her about how I almost went looking for her a few weeks ago lead her to give me a lecture on the dangers of running away. She was right if I had ran and gone looking for her its possible both of us would of been dead right now. The though makes me shutter in fear, she tells me that she loves me I tell her that I love her too. Explaining that I printed out a paper for michelle's custody to be transfered to Jesse and Becky I told her he wasn't fit to be a parent right now she agreed with me. Most importantly I reminded her that she was safe as long as I was with her and opened up about being scared of loosing her again.
Suddenly she lifts up my shirt slightly "D.J your stomach has big black and blues all over! you said it happened on new years that looks new". "Hey it was bleeding through my pours and black before thats an improvement Steph.. My boyfriend took me to the er not long after it happened I told him it was an accident but he didn't beleive me he told me he couldn't be with me if I couldn't tell him what really happened so he left me there and hasn't really talked to me since. your right I do have ulcers from it I have a bottle of prescription anti acids and zolfran" I say trying to be honest with her I have no reason to keep secrets from her at this point.
"Hey do you think you could share some of those anti acids and the nausea medicine with me I was given a script for 20mg of omprezol and 5mg of zolfran but dad has the scripts somehow I doubt he'll get me the medicine at the rate hes going" She says lifting her shirt slightly to reveal some pretty bad black and blues on her stomach as well. "I'm on the same meds at the same dose, I usually wouldn't share my script with anyone but I saw the nurse right it out and I doubt dad will be of any help so sure I have a 30 day supply left of both just dont take the zolfran more than 2 times a week tops it can be nurotoxic the nurse told me" I had seen she had been prescribed the same exact meds and instructions so I felt it was safe to share it with her. She needed to get medicine or her ulcers would get worse, sharing mine was the simplest option.
"Thanks D.J I owe you one, I can hardly believe we both have ulcers from being physically abused this really sucks, I'm afraid of loosing you please be careful I need my big sister you seem to be the only one who understands me". "I know you and I have developed an airtight bond since you've come home we were close before but not quite this much. Thats part of why I want custody of you we understand and need eachother we can give eachother the love and support we need to get through this. I think I can be a better parent figure to you than anyone else could because I understand you better than the others seems to I'll still be your big sister just with legal responisibility."
"I'd much rather have you be responsible for me than drunk abusive dad! You understand why I'm scared of him we both have a damn good reason to be after what hes done" she says upset. "Things will get better Steph it may take a while but they will hey well pull through this together I promise" I say trying to reassure her but I'm not sure whats coming our way myself. "As long as Michelle is safe from his wrath I don't want him to hurt her" She whispers I'm worried about her myself. "Jesse will take care of her steph they'll make sure she stays safe" I say.
Honestly I'm starting to wonder if Stephanie and I are ever going to be safe, shes got phycho's after her and an out of control dad that could snap on ether of us at any given time. "I think maybe I should just say the papers are for a project at school and ask him to sign them upfront when he gets home, Hey I've got an idea I'll say its a science project on how to remove limescale and rust at the same time " I say thinking he wouldn't question something about cleaning. "Thats brilliant D.J! he's such a clean freak I doubt hed even think twice".
"Lets pack a bag Steph if we get him to sign this we may have to bolt" "Um I have no clothes or anything here" "I can lend you some long tshirts and old shorts but thats about all I have that wouldn't fall off you your pracitally skin and bones steph, I'll take you shopping when we have money for it, I think you might be onto something about a motel maybe we could work as maids or something you know kind of off the record we clean they give us free board and maybe like 50$ a week?".
"You have a point if we both worked earning a total of 50$ a week and got free board that wouldn't be such a bad deal, hey sometimes they have free food at motels too" "Steph with those ulcers theres not much we can eat other than bland food". "Gee working in a motel as a maid hey its better than being raped in a basement" She said almost laughing but serious. "We'd finally have some freedom we wouldn't have to worry about dad hitting us and they're wouldn't be any adults other than our boss think about it steph we'd in control of our lives sure it might not be as comfortable and structured as living with adults but maybe what we need right now is a relaxed and understanding inviorment where we can be free"
"D.J your describing the hippie era this is the 90's" "Since when did you become interested in hippies?" I asked curious. "I dont exactly know there was a book about them in one of the basements I read it and became facinated by it I used to pretend I was in a hippie van sometimes". "You never cease to amaze me steph you do have a point though what we need is freedom and peace thats what hippies wanted". I started to pack some clothes up she helped me a few minutes later a loud slam of the door.
"Dad!" we said at the same time I hid the duffle bag under her bed I could hear him screaming all the way up the stairs I smelled alcohol as he banged on the door "Open the damn door or I'm gonna kick it down!". I was scared but I grabbed the papers "Keep your hand on the bag steph" I opened the door ."Hey dad could you a few forms for school its for a project" he interupted me "Shut the hell up D.J where is that damn sister". I interupted him "Its for a science project on how to remove limescale and rust in one step".
I was expecting him to hit me but my plan was working he was to wasted to know what he was doing ."Cleaning why didn't you say so thats important to know give me a pen" I gave him the pen he wreaked of alcohol he signed and dated all 3 forms without even looking it over "Heres your damn forms take them" he slurred out "I ran infront of steph trying to protect her "Just keep your hand on the bag" I whispered we were both shaking. Dad started yelling " You should of stayed gone I'm gonna give you a beating so bad you won't know what hit you".
Steph and I were already running towards the door I had her hand and was carrying the bag he stumbled after us "Danny what are you doing?" Becky was in the kitched he had a bottle of hard liquor in his hand "Aunt Becky run!" I said seeing him topple over onto the couch I had my hand on the door handle he was about to come charging at me and steph when I was about to run out the door with her he whacked us with his bottle of booze I tried to sheild her I pushed the bottle back towards him it was broken he stumbled onto the floor we bolted out the door slamming it in his face "And don't ether of you come back again!" I heard him yell.
I looked back Becky was trying to catch up to us "Whats going on!" she yelled looking fustrated we stopped at the steet corner. "We need to give her michelles paper D.J!" "Your right we'll wait here for her I'll explain". She caught up to us "Take this theres not much time to explain" "D.J this is a document signed by Danny stating that Jesse and I now have custody of Michelle!" She looked confused. "Dads a drunk! I told him the papers were for a school project.. Aunt Becky he abused me and steph and tired to hurt us before thats why the first thing I had him do when he got home was sign the papers".
"Slow down D.J you dad abused you and is drinking?" I lifted up my shirt revealing the ugly truth "And thats from new years when he got drunk and kicked me down the stairs!" "D.J you can't just take off with Stephanie like this your not an adult" She seemed almost slightly angry at me. "He signed papers emancipating me and giving me custody of Steph whether you like it or not I'm her legal guardian right now and basically the equivilant to being 18 under the law, Stephanie and I are getting out of here before he has the chance to hurt us again. We'll call you later just find Michelle and make sure she stays safe".
Before she could say anything else me and Steph bolted from her a bus stopped as we were turning the corner I put in a buck and sat down it took off fast."I cant believe we got away, oh god your wrist is bleeding" She said "So is yours" I say pulling out two bandaids she grabs one and puts it on "This bus is headed downtown I think we'll be safe there but we need to find someplace to stay its getting late' I say knowing the streets are no place for us at night. Putting the papers safely in the bag we hug both scared but somewhat realeaved.