Hades

Part 6

I knew things were going downhill fast when I got home and I was alone with my mother who was covering up her anger until now. Her lips were thinned and her blue eyes narrowed at me with distaste and anger at this very moment I knew I had pissed her off to much.

                I didn’t see her palm flying at my face until I heard the crack and the sting of flesh.  I bit back a groan as she smacked my bruise and cause pain to radiate through my whole entire right side of my cheek. Fighting back the urge to lash out I straightened and looked back at her with narrowed eyes.

                “Do you know what you cause Gabriella?” My mother snarled at me.

                “No mother.” I managed to spit with a tight jaw.

                “You humiliated me you dumb girl.” She screeched and took a step closer to me and she bared her teeth in an animalistic manner.

                “How did I do that?” I asked feigning innocence and trying to get a rise out of here without being too obvious.  

                “You know perfectly damn well what you did.” She snarled again and this time I wasn’t surprised as I felt her hand snake across my cheek as she back handed me again. This time, I glared through my parted hair and gave a smirk as I wiped blood from my split lip.

                “Careful Mother.” I said cautioned tauntingly. “Wouldn’t want to hit me too hard, someone might realize you’re not the perfect mommy dearest.” I turned my attention towards her when I realized that a small figure was standing on the staircase behind the monster in front of me and I instantly regret provoking her.

                This time when her hand is about to snap out but as I see it, I catch her wrist and I stand up to my full height and tip my head to look at her as she breaths hard.  I see realization dawn on her face as she finally sees that I let her do that.

                “Go back to your room.” I say quietly but my voice holds a tone that she doesn’t argue with and at that moment I know she sees the real monster I carry with and how much of chance she doesn’t have.

                “Gabby, can you come read me a bedtime story?” I hear Ethan’s voice and I turn on my smile that’s only reserved for my brother.

                “Yeah, bud.” I say with a hint of sweetness as I drop her wrist and step around her to go read him a story. I see him holding his beloved teddy in one hand and his blue blanket and with Spiderman dragging behind him as he frowns with tiredness in his blue footie pajamas.

                I don’t even turn around as I take the stairs two at a time to get the only reason why I’m still here in this place. I know the second I get him in my arms I’ll be fine. When I’m able to finally able to snatch him up and start to carry him to his room do I finally relax despite my throbbing cheek. His black hair tickles my jaw as he barriers his face into my neck and everything at that moment it’s going to be okay.

*        *          *

                Later that night when I finally decide everyone’s in bed and the coast is clear I tiptoe down the stairs and into the kitchen to get a bottle of water. It’s too late but the time I grab my water bottle I see her sitting there with her head in her hands and I see the empty wine bottle beside her. That’s when I finally see her shoulders shaking as she cries.

                “I don’t know what to do anymore.” She cries and she looks at me with pleading eyes and she actually is crying. Mascara is in black mess down her cheeks as she drunkenly hiccups.  I am silent as I watch her cry. “I’m so sorry baby.” She cries and she hugs herself and begins to rock. When I walk over to her I take the wine bottle that she still has and sets it off to the side  I grab her around her shoulders and I begin to help her back to her room and she begins to cry harder. 

                I help her change into her designer silk night gown and wipe off the mascara from her face and brush her hair before laying her in her expensive Egyptian cotton sheets. She pulls me into the bed beside her and she presses her face to my chest and she finally stops crying.

                “I deserve all of this.” I murmur into her hair that now smells like wine instead of her perfume and I gently lay her down when her breathing slows and walk out of the room fighting a losing battle inside of me.

                Instead of going to bed, I end up going to the gym that’s in our basement that was specifically designed for me and I end up going to the bars immediately needing to the feeling of flying. After that I end up running for two hours on the treadmill and when I’m shaking and covered in sweat do I finally decide that I’ve had enough and I take a shower and crawl into bed as exhaustion takes  me.

                Dreaming of piercing grey eyes and a meadow that seems to show me just how damned I am.

(Since no one commeted last chapter I decided nobody wanted one in his P.OV. Oh, well. But this is a little present for all of you who read this before the holiday season! If I get at least one comment on this I will post another chapter on  Christmas. So Happy Christmas and happy readings!Dedication to Lucyrose679 for being my first fan! )