The Sun and Her Moon | CHONI |

Sixty One

It was finally the day Cheryl had been waiting for, if the doctor told her she'd have to wait even longer to have her cast off she thought she might explode with frustration. She didn't feel any pain in it anymore, she knew it would take a lot of work for her to be able to walk like she did before but at least she wouldn't be sat in that dreadful wheelchair all day. 'You ready babe, Veronica and Archie are going to be here soon to watch Tommy' Toni smiled as she walked into the bedroom. 'Yes I can't wait, fingers crossed it's good news' Cheryl smiled. 'Well then let's get you downstairs and ready to go'. Just as Toni said that she heard the front door open. 'Hey guys' Veronica yelled upstairs. 'Hey, we'll be right down' Toni shouted back. She helped the redhead downstairs and back into her wheelchair before the headed into the lounge to their friends and Tommy. 'Hey guys, thanks for this' Cheryl smiled. 'No problem, we're gonna have lots of fun right Tommy?' Veronica smiled at the little boy who nodded happily. 'Well, I should get Cheryl to the hospital. Tommy be good for Ronnie and Archie' Toni smiled. They said their goodbyes before Toni got Cheryl into the car and made their way to the hospital.

Just as Cheryl had hoped her leg had healed and the cast was coming off. She was finally getting back to normal. The doctor had her trying to walk on it and she could, not too much but enough for her to at least get around the house. She had gotten in touch with a physical therapist and had her appointments booked in ready. She was just so relieved that she could do things for herself now and Toni could relax without being by her side constantly to make sure she was okay. Of course she would still need a little help every now and again but she could accept that for now. Toni was glad to see her happy too, the redheads smile as Toni had her arm around her helping her to the car made her heart melt. 'Are you nervous for later babe?' Cheryl asked as she put on her seatbelt and watched Toni get into the car. 'Honestly yes' Toni breathed 'but it's something that needs to be done'. Cheryl had given Toni the contact details for the solicitor she had suggested and she was coming to their house this afternoon to arrange everything. She had already gave her some information over the phone as well as a way to get in touch with Tommy's father so he could get prepared for the court battle.

When they got home Cheryl was greeted with a hug from her best friend. 'It feels good to be free right?' Veronica laughed. 'It does' Cheryl said as the brunette helped her to the couch. The couples chatted in the lounge for a while Tommy was upstairs playing in his bedroom before they left to go out for lunch. 'We need to speak to Tommy before the solicitor gets here, she may want to speak to him and I don't want him getting upset' Cheryl suggested. 'Yeah your right' Toni nodded getting up and shouting Tommy down from the bottom of the stairs. When he ran into the living room he saw his mother's sat on the couch waiting for him. 'Come sit down baby, we need to talk to you' Toni said softly. Tommy did as he was told taking a seat in between Cheryl and Toni. 'What's wrong?' he asked. 'So we need to talk to you about your father' Toni started. 'Why? I thought we didn't have to see him anymore' Tommy's bottom lip trembled. 'I know baby but there is a nice lady coming today and she might want to talk to you about him. You have to answer her questions honestly okay?' Toni explained as Tommy nodded his understanding. 'Mommy has to do this baby but it'll all be over soon and if you get scared or upset you talk to Mommy or Mama okay?' Toni didn't like the sad look on Tommy's face but he nodded his understanding again, letting everything sink in. 'Okay baby you can go back and play now or you can stay down here with us' Toni said hoping that keeping it short would make it easier for him to understand. 'I want to go and play' Tommy said quietly as he got off the couch and disappeared upstairs. 'I hate that I have to do this to him' Toni said sadly. 'I know babe but at least it's on your terms and not Tommy's fathers' Cheryl said gently.

Toni busied herself cleaning the house, even though it didn't need it, anything to calm the racing thoughts in her mind. She was pulled from her erratic cleaning by a knock on the door. 'She's here' Toni said in a panic. 'Babe calm down, I'll get it' Cheryl said as she slowly walked to the door. The redhead answered the door with a smile 'good afternoon Cheryl, it's good to see you again'. The solicitor was an old friend of Cheryl's. 'Good afternoon Isabelle, please come in. Don't mind me either I've recently broken my leg so I'm just getting used to walking again' Cheryl laughed as she shut the door behind her 'Toni is just this way'. Cheryl led the solicitor to the lounge and Toni stood up immediately to meet her. 'You must be Ms Topaz' Isabelle smiled. 'Please call me Toni and please take a seat' Toni said taking a seat herself as Isabelle did the same. Cheryl took a seat next to Toni taking her hand. 'So I managed to get in contact with Mr Lopez, he seemed very eager to have some contact with Thomas' Isabelle said as she looked down at her paperwork. Cheryl felt her hand being squeezed tightly by Toni at the words they had just heard. 'Since you are covering all the costs and want this dealt with as soon as possible I've managed to get a date at Centerville family court two weeks from now. It's important we get all of the details of your case so we are fully prepared. Is everything okay so far?' Isabelle asked. 'Yes' Toni nodded everything feeling a little fuzzy as she tried to get her mind around what was happening.

'Okay, I've printed off the numerous photographs of the abuse you suffered at the hands of Mr Lopez, these will definitely help your case. You said the night you fled you ended up at a women's refuge where months later you built a new life for yourself and Thomas?'. 'That's right' Toni confirmed. 'I know this may be difficult but can you give me details of the abuse you suffered at the hands of Mr Lopez and how that made you feel?' Isabelle asked. 'Do you want me to leave?' Cheryl asked before Toni spoke, she knew some things but she didn't want hear more than Toni wanted her to. 'No please stay' Toni said her hands still wrapped around the redheads. Toni shut her eyes and took a breath before speaking, she was terrified and she didn't want Cheryl to think of her any differently. Toni decided to just get it all out at once and then she could answer any questions afterwards. 'It really started after I had Tommy, it was minor really compared to what it turned into, him pushing me out of the way during a disagreement, he would scream at me when Tommy was new born because he wouldn't stop crying. It gradually got worse, he'd hit me where no one could see the bruises but eventually he didn't care about what other people thought because most of the time after him beating me he would lock Tommy and I in a room so no one could see what he did to me. At this point it was only me he was violent against, don't get me wrong he was verbally abusive to Tommy but he hadn't laid hands on him yet. His drinking got worse and if he thought I had done something wrong I would be punished, I couldn't say no to him for anything. I belonged to him, that's all he used to tell me. He'd force me to... have sex with him whenever he please, he liked to see me cry. I was just there for his personal use, he saw me as property not a person, it wasn't until he hit Tommy I knew I had to leave and that's when I did' tears were streaming down Toni's face and Cheryl was trying her hardest to be strong for her girlfriend but after hearing the horrific things she had to live with she couldn't hold back the tears, she'd never hated someone she's never met so much. 

'I'm sorry you had to go through that Toni, I just need to ask you a few questions alright? Just because these could come up in court and I want us to be prepared' Isabelle gave her a soft smile. 'So my first question is why didn't you leave sooner?'. 'I was scared, scared of getting caught and scared of him taking Tommy away from me' Toni answered. 'Okay Toni and when you say he locked you in a room do you know long it would be for?'. 'For as long as he pleased, the longer he was out, the longer he would keep us locked up. So anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks depending on my injury'. 'Okay Toni, you're doing great. You said he assaulted Tommy, do you have evidence of that?'. 'I don't but the refuge do, they helped us seek medical attention and took photos of Tommy and myself'. Isabelle nodded 'if you can give me their details before I leave, I'll get them to send me everything over. One more question Toni, when he would rape you, you said he enjoyed that he was making you cry and causing you pain, was this on more than one occasion?'. 'I lost count of times it happened, after Tommy I never had sex willingly with him, so every time after that was forced' Toni nodded. 'Okay Toni, I have enough from you, I'm sorry you had to go through all that again but it will help your case. Can I speak to Thomas?' she asked. Toni nodded 'Cher would you call him down, I don't want him to see me like this'. 'Of course' Cheryl nodded. 'I think its best that I speak to Tommy alone just so the courts are satisfied his words are his own, are you comfortable with me recording his voice' Isabelle asked. 'That's fine' Toni agreed taking herself into the kitchen as Cheryl called Tommy from the bottom of the stairs.