Crap. The door is locked. I forgot to unlock it after Cole left.
I glance down at my body. Shit. I’m still naked, save for my bra and panties. I scan the floor wildly and find my dress at the foot of the bed. After slipping it on, I smooth my hair while dashing to the door, unlock it and swing it open.
“Why is your door locked?” His gaze scans the inside of my room suspiciously.
Crap. I scramble for an excuse, anything to make him go away. “I wasn’t feeling too well when I came in from the center. I locked the door so I could take a nap without interruptions.”
His scowl recedes a little and his eyes land on me. “Your grandmother asked me to bring some flowers for you. She mentioned you needed some for the garden. She forgot to give them to you the last time you were there.”
I nod, my shoulders sagging in relief. “Thank you. I’ll get to it right now.”
I skirt around him, scurrying down the hallway and toward the stairs, eager to put distance between us.
“Eleanor?”
Chills run down my spine at the coldness of his voice. I turn around slowly to face him and I suck in a breath when I see what he’s holding. My body sways and my hand shoots to the side, grabbing the wall for support.
“What is this?” He takes a step forward, Cole’s beanie gripped in his hand.
I’ve never fainted before, but today might be my first time. I watch him advance closer, his eyebrows dipped in a menacing glare. I press my shoulder on the wall and wrap my arms around my middle tightly to stop from itching the scars on my arms.
“Was he in your room?”
I can’t deny it, given the evidence in his hand, so I choose to keep my mouth shut. He pounces forward with his arm raised and I drop on the floor, curling into a ball to protect myself and wait for the blow to land, but it doesn’t come. I raise my head a little, shivering on the floor and look up. He’s looming over me, that fist curled at his side and instead of the furious expression on his face, I find something else. This look is completely foreign to me, it takes me a while to find the name for it. Resignation, mingled with another emotion I can’t describe. Pity? Sympathy? Love?
“Why do you choose to disobey me, Eleanor?”
What the hell is happening to my father?
The look is gone without warning. He bunches the beanie in his hands and throws it in my face. “If he can’t stay away from you, I guess I will have to look for a way to make him stay away.” He spins on his heel and stomps down the stairs without a backward glance, without even throwing a look towards my mom’s room.
A whimper finds its way to me, followed by the sounds of feet padding on the wood.
“Nor! Are you okay?” Elise asks, wrapping her arms around me. “I hate him so much. He yelled at Elon because she forgot to turn off the sprinkler on the lawn.”
“Really. I’m fine,” I say, pulling myself up from the floor while clutching the beanie to my chest. I need to warn Cole before my dad gets to him. I’d be stupid not to heed his warning. “I’m sorry he yelled at you and Elon.” I hug her tight for a few seconds then pull back and wipe the tears streaming down her face. “Want to help me work on the lawn? Grandma sent a few flowers we could plant around the fence.”
She nods. Before we head downstairs, I go back to my room and shove the beanie under my pillow. The tip of my fingers graze the cool metal of the penknife. I wrap my fingers around it, relishing the pain from the edges digging into my skin.
Growing up, I’d thought about reporting him to child services so many times, but I always held back. There was no way I was going to let anyone take away the people I love. Mom would probably end up in an institution. My sisters would be torn away from me and placed in the system. I’d heard some terrifying stories from a few kids in school back in Ohio, and that enforced my decision to keep quiet.
I would rather brave my dad, buy some time until I am old enough to move out, taking my sisters and mother with me. Which means going to college, working hard and getting a good job. He won’t be able to touch or yell at us.
Until then, I breathe in and breathe out. Repeat.
IT HAS BEEN TWO DAYS since I last saw Cole and it has been pure torture. I feel as though my dad is watching me at every turn. Paranoid, I know.
Since I told him what my dad said we have been laying low, no face to face communications, just texting. To make matters worse, Megs flew to California to spend some time with her dad.
Grandma opted to leave the shop closed today. She took Elon and Elise for a shopping trip to Jacksonville. I will drop by later to pick them up at her house.
My phone vibrates on the desk, pulling me out of my thoughts.
I smile when I see Megs’ name flashing on the screen. I press the button to answer.