The Journey to You | D.L.

36.

I walked around the car to get Beck but Nick insisted that he would grab him. I just nodded my head and noticed there was more pain in my lower region then there was a little earlier.

We walked up to the house with Nick carrying the car seat and me slowly walking next to him.

We knocked on the door and Maddie opened it and my heart dropped. I was supposed to be strong for her when she went through this. I don't want her to see me so weak.

"Hey guys! Um what the hell happened to you?" She asked looking at our appearance.

"Language!" My mom said walking up behind her but when she saw us she said, "what the hell happened to you?"

"It's a long story.." I said quietly and walked inside slowly.

I felt so ashamed of what I looked like and how I was walking. Why was I letting them see me like this.

"Okay babe lets go get you cleaned up." I said to Nick.

"Absolutely not. You take Beck and go relax on the couch. Dallas can help me." He said and Dallas nodded following him to the bathroom.

I sat next to my mom on the couch and set the car seat next to it since he was still asleep.

"Now tell me what is going on?" My mom told me and I felt my anxiety rise.

"There was um a situation." I said and she looked at me pushing me to keep talking. "I was uhhhm... raped." I said looking at my parents tears threatening to fall.

"What? By who? When?" They shot out questions and I could tell they were extremely worried.

"By Kevin Sr... yesterday." I confessed a few tears falling.

Eddie got off the couch and started looking for his keys. "Daddy please just sit down. We had a hard past few days so Nick asked Denise to take Beck for a little bit but after, we ran to go get him. When we got there Nick got him and then went back inside and beat the living shit out of him. I don't even know everything that happened. That's why he is all bloody." I told him and he looked at me not wanting to just let it go but he sat back down.

"Dems how are you doing and feeling?" My mom asked concerned.

"I'm okay. I'm just sore." I lied.

"Bullshit. Baby talk to me, it's okay." She begged me to y'all to her.

"Okay I'm really sore. I had flashbacks and it was so bad. I tried to fight him and get away but I couldn't. He just left me there after like garbage. Nick had come home and found me." I cried and she held me.

"I'm so sorry babygirl." She told me playing with my hair.

"Demi?" Maddie said and I looked up confused and realized she had heard everything.

"I'm okay Mads don't worry." I told her trying to convince her.

"No don't lie to me." She said

"I am. I've dealt with this a lot. I'm okay please don't worry." I told her.

"What do you mean a lot?" She asked. I had told her I was raped. But not how many times or by who.

"Madison come sit down." I told her and she sat next to me on the couch. "Growing up my dad Patrick wasn't always the nicest. He liked to do bad things to Me and Dallas. He had almost everynight. He did a lot of things that I don't think you are old enough to know about yet. But this has happened to me a few times so I know how to take care of myself." I told her and she started crying and held on to me. I winced in pain but I hoped she didn't notice.

But the only problem is that my mom did. "Maddie get off of her real quick." She did and my mom lifted up my shirt a bit and her jaw dropped and she started crying.

"Mama! Please stop crying!" I said crying myself.

Dallas came out and sat inveterate Maddie and I on the couch and I cuddled into her. We used to always cuddle after Patrick did something to us. It was just a comfort thing I guess.

I figured Nick had probably told her. "Dems baby you gotta let me see." She said and I sat up.

I had put on a sports bra so I took off my shirt. She gasped and so did everyone else in the room.

"Oh my god. Is that all?" She asked and I shook my head.

I put my shirt back on and I turned around when I heard Nick come in the room. "Hey babe, are you doing any better?" I asked and he nodded.

I went to stand up and walk over to him but he said, "No sit back down. You need to rest and relax." I did as he said.

Everyone in the room was silent and they didn't ask anymore questions. It felt awkward and I didn't like it. "You guys I'm fine really. You can act normal around me and not like I'm a broken record player."

"You're not fine. You were raped. No one is OK after that." My Dad said and I looked at him.

"I'm used to it. I bet in like a week or less I will be back to normal."

"But that's not healthy sweetheart." My mom said.

"Dems have you been taking your meds or going to therapy?" Dallas asked.

I looked at Nick concerned that he told her about my relapse. He mouthed that he didn't and I was relieved.

"No but that's not the point!" I tried to argue back.

"Demi when you lifted your shirt I could se your ribs. What's going on?" My mom asked.

I was getting overwhelmed with everyone asking me questions and shit. I got up and walked out back for a breath of fresh air.

"Hey." I looked over and saw Madison had followed me.

"Hey babygirl." I said.

"You know you don't always have to be okay. It's okay not to be okay sometimes." She told me and I knew she was right but I didn't want to accept that.

"I know. And I really am okay." I lied.

"I can see that you aren't. But I'm not gonna keep bugging you about it. But I just think you should talk to someone about it." She told me.

For someone so young she was pretty smart. I just wish I could have been like her.