It had been 3 months since Sybbie had her innocence stolen from her, it had been 3 months of hell to say the least. She had completely changed; she'd lost so much weight that her dresses were hanging off of her and she'd had to get new ones specially ordered in as they didn't cater for girls as small as she was at the boutique she would normally go to. Mary and Matthew were not amused at all by the state she was now in. They first noticed about a month after William violated her.
Sybbie had been getting herself dressed in her room, even though it had been a month since the worst day of her life and her bruises and marks were mostly all healed, she would still not allow Anna to dress her at all. She felt too ashamed to let anyone see her, she felt dirty and unclean. It was almost like she couldn't tolerate to be in her own skin anymore. She hated William for everything he had done to her, for everything he had taken from her. Her virtue, her childhood, her innocence. All gone, all because he couldn't respect her decisions.
She picked out a dress from the rack and put it on her body, she watched in horror as the once close fitting dress fell to her ankles. She couldn't believe it, this dress had fit perfectly barely a month ago. There was a loud knock on the door and she panicked.
"Who is it? Leave me alone! Stay away from me!" She yelped, trying to make the dress fit with safety pins.
"Excuse me young lady!" Mary poked her head in, raising an eyebrow at not only the way her niece had spoken to her but the way her dress was fitting her.
"Sybil Mary Cora Branson that is not how we behave! You should apologise immediately!" Mary moved closer to the young girl who flinched away from her, Sybbie was getting more and more angry. She didn't know how to handle the feelings that she was feeling, the way her stomach was doing anxious flips, the way her skin would crawl when anyone came near her.
"I said leave me alone!" She snarled, wrapping her arms protectively around herself.
"Don't you dare speak to me like that! What on earth has gotten into you? I know you've been going through a hard time over the last couple of years but that does not give you the right to talk to me in that manner! You've lost weight, your dresses aren't fitting anymore! What is the matter with you? Do you not like the way you look darling? Is that it?" Mary's tone softened slightly and Sybbie turned away from her, clenching her jaw shut to stop the tears from flowing down her face.
'Oh Aunt Mary... if only that were the reason' Sybbie thought.
Another two months after that first encounter and nothing had changed, if anything things had gotten worse. She would sit at the table with a full plate of food, mashing it and playing with it and refusing to speak to anyone. Matthew and Mary were despairing over their niece's behaviour, George had been at Radley for most of the time so hadn't seen her sudden change in personality. Not until now at least.
"Syb can you pass me the tea please?" George leant forward and accidentally grabbed her hand instead of the handle. Sybbie let out a scream, dropping the teapot all over the table. Mary and Matthew both stared open mouthed at the little girl.
"Don't touch me! Don't ever fucking touch me! No one get's to touch me… not again!" Sybbie shrieked, her eyes filling with tears. She wanted her papa, she didn't want them. Matthew was the first to snap himself out of the daze he was in, he was always more calm in situations than Mary was.
"Darling… it's alright. You're safe, no one is touching you. It's alright, my darling!" Matthew soothed, talking to her as though she was a very small child. Sybbie looked up anxiously, her fear was making his heart break.
"I want papa…" She sobbed pitifully, biting on her nails until they bled. Matthew had to stop himself from physically prying them from her mouth, it looked so painful. He glanced at Mary and she nodded back in return. She could see that Matthew was making a breakthrough with the young girl, it was the most Sybbie had spoken in months and he'd always been like a second father to her after all.
"I know, sweetheart. Your dear papa is always here with you, I know it hurts…" Matthew's eyes filled with tears as he watched her distress, desperately trying to find a way to calm her down without touching her. He looked at both Mary and George who were both distraught and tried to calm them down.
"Mary darling… take George out to the markets I know you two were planning on going the other day. I'll stay here and try to get to the bottom of this!" Matthew said in a low, soothing voice. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his wallet, handing Mary a large sum of money.
"Here go and buy something nice, we'll be alright here. Don't worry so, I won't leave her on her own for a second!" Matthew soothed, pressing a kiss to his wife's mouth and ruffling his son's hair, making it stick up at all different angles. He waited until Mary and George had left the room before turning his attention to the little girl.
"I want papa… papa would know what to do! I… I… just… please Uncle Matthew!" Sybbie let out a wail and did something that completely shocked him. She held her arms out towards him, her body wracking with sobs. Matthew moved forward and hugged her tight, gently rocking back and forth.
"I've got you my darling girl! I'm here, Uncle Matthew's got you. You're safe, sweetheart. Please let me help you!" Matthew picked her up with ease, allowing her to wrap her arms around his neck and bury her face into his shoulder.
"I want papa… you'll hate me. You, Aunt Mary and George… you'll hate me! You won't love me if I tell you what's wrong!" Sybbie wailed, clinging to Matthew for dear life. Matthew couldn't believe what he was hearing, he began to walk with her towards the gardens. He knew how much she loved the outdoors, maybe it might calm her. Matthew sat down on the bench overlooking the lake, placing Sybbie on his lap and hugging her tight.
"There is nothing you could do that would make us hate you ever! Your Aunt and I love you so much just as your cousin does! You will always be a part of our family my darling girl!" Matthew soothed, gently wiping her tears with his thumb. The little girl laid her head on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat calming her down. He reminded her so much of her papa that she didn't want to let him go.
"You promise Uncle Matthew? Really? You won't hate me?" She hiccuped and Matthew pressed a loving kiss to her forehead, gently rocking her back and forth.
"I promise, my dear girl. How could I hate my favourite niece hmmm?" He gently booped her nose with his finger, grinning slightly as the young girl laughed a little.
"Uncle Matthew, I'm your only niece!" Sybbie said softly, cuddling in his arms. She felt safe, secure and loved by the one man who hadn't left and who had always been there and treated her with so much genuine love and kindness.
"You will always be the daughter that I've never had. Please tell me what's happened, my love. I can't help you if I don't know what's happened!" Matthew kept her cradled in his lap as she burst into floods of tears, he swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Shhh..." Matthew cooed, reaching into his pocket for his handkerchief and dabbing her tears away. Sybbie looked at him and all she saw was love, understanding and compassion written across his face. She played with his tie, twirling it around her fingers as she began to speak.
"Three months ago... something happened. He.. this boy who I was friends with, he hurt me..." She began, seeing his sudden look of fury she recoiled back. She felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.
"You're angry..." She said in a small voice, her bottom lip shook and she hid her face in her hands. She felt sure that her Uncle was going to scream at her and tell her how disgusting she was. What he ended up doing shocked her.
"Yes, I'm angry darling. But not with you... I could never be angry with you! Now, this chap... what do you mean hurt? What did he do?" He felt like he was going to throw up, he really hoped that it wasn't what he thought it was.
"He hurt me between my legs Uncle Matthew... I am so sorry! I tried to get away but I couldn't... I didn't mean to! He... it hurt! Please don't hate me!" She dissolved into more tears, she'd never been so humiliated before. Matthew tilted her chin up with his finger, he was so angry! How dare he! How dare this boy hurt his niece, the closest thing both he and Mary had to a daughter! She was going to be heartbroken.
"Don't you dare apologise! This was not your fault, do you understand? He had no right to do that to you! I'm so sorry my darling... you're safe now!" He hugged her tight until her sobs and screams stopped.
"I can't say who it was yet so please don't make me!" Sybbie hiccuped, wrapping her arms around his neck and not wanting to let him go. She felt safe here, she didn't want to leave his embrace now that she was in it.
"My darling, you can tell me when you're ready! Your Aunt and I will be with you every step of the way..." Matthew soothed, cradling her in his arms and brushing the hair from her face. Her eyes began to feel heavy and she let out a small yawn, she felt safe for the first time since it had happened.
"Sleep, darling. You're safe now!" He soothed, keeping her safe from harm. After a few minutes, he made his way up to the house and laid her down on the sofa in the library. He felt sick when he realised that he'd have to tell Mary.
Four hours later, Mary and George arrived back home. They were both clutching some bags full of sweets and cakes for themselves, Matthew and Sybbie. To be truthful, Mary had a horrible feeling about all of this. Her feelings grew even more when she saw Matthew step out from the library, the look on his face was making Mary feel a bit sick.
"George, my dear boy I need you to go upstairs for me. Your mother and I need to have a chat!" Matthew tried to smile and put on a brave face, George could see that it was serious. So instead of arguing, he made his way upstairs to his room worrying about his cousin.
Matthew led Mary into the library and Mary's breath caught in her throat as she saw her niece, her beautiful little niece laying on the sofa asleep. She could tell that she'd been crying a lot, she walked over to the sofa and bent down. She gently stroked Sybbie's cheek softly and glanced at Matthew who was near to tears.
"My darling Matthew... what's happened to her? What's wrong with her?" Mary got up and hugged him tight, she'd never seen him so distressed in their 17 years of marriage. Matthew sobbed into Mary's shoulder, the thought of Sybbie being violated in such a way was devastating. He couldn't speak he was so upset, she soon realised what was wrong when she heard her niece's whimpers and and tears.
"Please let me go! You're hurting me, I won't say anything please!" Sybbie sobbed, thrashing around and kicking her legs out. Mary rushed to her side, stroking the little girl's hair and catching her in her arms when she fell off the sofa.
"Please! Please... Aunt Mary, I'm sorry! Don't hate me..." She sobbed pitifully, burying her face into her Aunt's chest. Mary felt sick, she glanced up at Matthew and he nodded his head in confirmation. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't get over the fact that her niece, her darling little niece had been violated in this way.
"It's alright, my love. You're safe, Uncle Matthew and I are here... it's only a dream. Take a deep breath shhh..." She soothed, kissing her cheek softly and not letting go of her for a second.
"I didn't mean to... I tried didn't I Uncle Matthew?! I tried!" She wailed and Mary picked her up with ease. She stroked her hair and walked up and down the library, cradling her in the same way you would an infant.
"Shhh... this wasn't your fault. My darling girl... you did nothing wrong, you're safe now. Your Uncle and I are here now and I'm so sorry... I'm sorry that I've been so hard on you these last few months. I love you so much!" Mary cooed, hugging her tight and trying with all her might to take away some of the pain.
Sybbie sobbed so much that she was incoherent, she cried for her Mama and Papa, she cried for Mary, Matthew and George! She cried for everything that had been taken from her, it all came out in a jumble. Mary walked up the stairs with her, Matthew following on behind and she took her into their bedroom. She placed the child on the bed, Matthew quickly left the room after he realised that Mary was putting pyjamas on her.
"I want Mama...Papa... please don't leave me Aunt Mary... want Uncle Matthew! George will hate me!" She wailed incoherently and Mary cuddled the girl to her chest, soothing her as much as she could. Matthew poked his head around the door and quickly made his way into the bathroom to get changed into some pyjamas. He soon made his way into the bed, wrapping his arms around both Mary and Sybbie.
"You're safe, it's alright my love. I know how much this hurts!" Mary whispered, kissing every inch of her. They kept her close the entire night, stroking her tears away and talking in a low, soothing voice until she drifted to sleep. She was safe in the arms of the family who loved her.
"How did we not see the signs? I should've... after Pamuk!" Mary hiccuped, her face contorting with pain and anguish. Matthew kissed her cheek, and shook his head. He would not let her take any blame for this.
"Darling how could we have known? We do now, though. I swear I'll kill him... I'll kill whoever has hurt her!" He snarled, looking at his beloved wife and niece. They had no idea of the challenges and betrayal that lie ahead of them.