I waited for her to say something, but all she did was sit there on the covers. Slowly, I crawled over to her and touched her cheek. That moment when she turned to look at me, I will never forget. Her dark blue eyes captured mine and she told me she loved me.
Mama took me to the bathroom and ran my bath water. She slowly undressed me and took in all the marks marring my skin. She washed my hair and body with gentle, loving hands. Once I was in a towel, she held me in her lap and cried.
“He’ll never touch you again, baby. Never.”
Papa walked in the door later that day and hugged us both for a long time. We ate supper together and Papa read us a story until bedtime. As I gave them both a hug and kiss, Papa whispered in my ear, “We protect the ones we love.”
No one spoke about what happened to me and I was perfectly content with that. I went to sleep that night in peace with the sweet pea flower on my pillow.
Children of Darkness Page 9
