Chapter 9

“Dad!Stop!You’re going to kill her!”I screamed,trying to turn his attention onto me and away from her.Instinctively,I balled my hands into fists,then froze for a second,scared of the monster inside of him,yet terrified he would murder her.

Dad stumbled wildly toward me,searching me out with his bleary eyes.“Don’ya try tell me wha’t’do,”he slurred,then looked lost,like he had forgotten what he was doing.

“Mom?”I called,making my way past my dad.My body shook and I felt icy fingers grip my heart as I tried to see if she was conscious.

“What the hell?”Jeff yelled.

“Call Nine-One-One!”I demanded without taking my gaze off my mom.“NOW!”

I could see Jeff from the corner of my eye as he pulled out his cell and warily watched my dad.Knowing Jeff would get the police here,I squatted next to my mom,but kept an eye on my dad also.As the alcohol took complete control of his brain,his reflexes slowed,but he tried to lift his leg for another kick.Unbelievable!

White hot rage filled me.Although I’d never in my life been in a physical fight,I rose up and gripped his shoulders with both hands,shoving him back as hard as I could.“Don’t you daretouch her,”I screamed.

His ugly,watery eyes widened in shock.I had never touched him in anger before.Spittle flew out of his mouth as he tried to say something,but by this time,the alcohol had finally won.He landed hard on his butt.Instead of cursing me,he sat like that for a moment,sort of swaying to some silent music in his head,before pitching forward like a rag doll folding in on itself.He grunted as he gave in to the blackout.

Jeff had rushed to my mom’s side,pressing a peach bath towel to her head,whispering to her.The thought crossed my mind that my mom wouldn’t want us to use the good towels,but then I realized how ridiculous that sounded.Jeff tried to help her sit up,but she cried out in pain when she attempted to put pressure on her arm,likely broken.Droplets of blood oozed down Jeff’s arms and shame washed over me.

I couldn’t meet Jeff’s eyes.“Can you go check on Pamela?I need to stay here with my mom.”I knew my flat voice sounded cold.

“Sure.Yeah…sure.”He headed out the bedroom door.I heard him pause and felt his gaze on me.What could I say,really?How could I explain any of this to him?

I knelt and looked to see where my mom was injured.Blood had seeped into the tan carpet,pooled next to her shoulder,and matted her hair.It came from several different places on her body,but I kept the towel pressed against her head,where there seemed to be an extraordinary amount.I slid my right arm under her neck,shuddering at the slickness of her skin.I tried to pull her up to a semi-sitting position,but she cried out in pain again,so I pillowed her head on my leg.Anything to keep her from lying in her own blood.

My dad snorted in his drunken stupor and his body jerked,but he stayed where he was.Murderous thoughts coasted through my mind.It dawned on me how easy it would be to kill him right then.Hell,a simple jab to his neck.Or a pillow over his mouth and nose.It could be done so simply.

The thought shook me to my core.I hated my dad,no doubt about it.But that kind of all-encompassing hatred?That wasn’t me.Giving in to it would only make me more like him,something I refused to do.

Instead,I turned my attention back to my mom.Both eyes had already swollen shut and turned ugly shades of black and blue,and her nose appeared broken.She moaned.

“I’m here,Mom.It’s going to be okay.”

I couldn’t believe it when she moved her lips as if she wanted to speak.Tears I’d been holding at bay poured from my eyes,dripping from my cheeks to hers before I could wipe them away.She tried to speak,but I shushed her.

“Mom,just hold on.Help is on the way.”

Even as I spoke,I heard sirens growing louder.Pamela ran into the room and crumpled next to me on the floor.

“Mom!Mom!”she cried.“Are you dead?”

“N-no…”she wheezed.

I held out my left arm and Pamela curled into it,her tears dropping onto my sleeve.I held her close and felt her heart beating hard against me.I caught Jeff watching me,his eyes clearly misty.I held his gaze for a moment,my own heartbeat thundering in my ears,until he headed down the hall.The loud sirens announced that the cavalry had arrived.I felt relief knowing Jeff would meet them.I couldn’t leave my mom or sister.

“Mom,I’m so sorry,”I whispered.“I should have been here.I should have protected you and Pamela.I’m so sorry.”

She tried to say something again,but the effort proved too much for her.I held her hand as we waited for what seemed like an eternity for help.

Jeff returned soon,ushering in several large men in uniforms.I felt sort of disconnected for a few seconds,as if I were looking down at myself holding my mother.My mind was disengaging from the present and I was letting it.I couldn’t identify the emergency personnel until one man knelt at my side.The lettering on his shirt designated him as“Fire Department.”He felt my mom’s neck for a pulse.But his voice cut through my fog,bringing me back to the current situation.

“Aaron?”he asked,his voice gentle but firm.“I need you to look at me and answer some questions.Can you do that?”

I swallowed and nodded,but gripped my mom tighter.

“Can you tell me what happened,son?”He gestured to someone to come around and help.

I looked at this stranger,then down at my mom,before I tilted my head toward the heap of bones blacked out by the bed.“My dad did this,”I said,my voice eerily calm.

Pamela hugged me tight.“He tried to kill her!”For once she wasn’t exaggerating.Our dad really hadtried to kill our mom.It felt surreal.

Suddenly,strong arms pulled me away from my mom,allowing paramedics to move closer.I wanted to fight,to stay with her,but I knew I couldn’t.The air in the room changed as they examined her.Their movements sped up as they began feverishly working.

“Ma’am?Can you hear me?”The male paramedic tried to get her attention.

“She spoke a minute ago,”I said.“What happened?”My heart raced as I watched several people trying to help.Something wasn’t right.

One of the paramedics turned to me.“What’s her name?”

“Ruth.”Why did he care?Fuck,we weren’t at some fucking tea party.This didn’t seem like the time for polite introductions.“Can you please just help her?”

“Thank you,Aaron.I’m going to have someone talk with you,okay?”I wondered if he had to talk this gently to traumatized people a lot.Was I traumatized?And how did he know my name?“Your mom is in good hands.”

I nodded,but wasn’t sure what to believe.One man took out something that looked like paddles I’d seen on television shows,and my heart lurched.What the hell was going on?