🌸GIA🐰

Dollhouse

Gia was born and raised in North Carolina in the countryside with an abusive and alcoholic father. He would beat her, her siblings, and most of all, her mother Nicole. Nicole and Bradley never did wed or become engaged, though they did form a relationship before trouble in paradise hit. The entire family was frightened and constantly on edge from Bradley's outbursts, worrying when he'd crack next. Whenever Gia went to school, she didn't want to leave. She felt safer there than at home.

Bradley Fitzgerald was a cold and bitter man, heartless with hatred at the world and the very concept of life. He also was known not to take care of himself. A prime example of bipolar disorder, Bradley could appear to be calm as ever, but just one small thing would be enough to set him off. He had many moments where he was civil, though nothing good or bad came out of that either. As long as he had his alcohol and cigarettes, he was occupied. He had a known criminal record, though none consisted of any murders. However, many assault and robbery charges were involved prior to meeting Nicole. She had no knowledge of this when beginning to date him. The truth unraveled as time went on and things began to spiral downhill. It's unknown how Bradley ended up this way, as he had no known family to anyone.

"M...Mr. Rivera? C—can I...u-um...stay? Please?" A stocky deer lion sat at his desk grading papers. He had a lion's mane, antlers, feline nose, fangs, and a lion tail, but fluffier like a deer's, as well as an elongated snout similar to a deer's. "Why, what's the matter, Gianna?" "I'm *snff* scared to go back...D-Daddy is...mean." Any logical kindergarten teacher would know that's the voice of a child that's been abused and is living in an abusive household. Mr. Orlando Rivera put on a heartwarming smile. "Okay, kiddo. Whadd'ya say we do some extra work and get ahead of all your classmates?" Gia seemed to already forget all about home and her dad. "Yeah!" She smiled and jumped up and down with excitement.

The rest of that day was spent doing arts and crafts and coloring in pictures. Mr. Rivera had called Gia's mother in advance to tell her where she was. Eventually, though, it had gotten late. "Gianna, I really hate to say this, but we need to get you home." She instantly dropped to the floor to grab onto his ankle. "No, please! Don't make me go back there!" Mr. Rivera kneeled down so he was eye-level with her and gently unlatched her little hand from his ankle to straighten her up. "Listen, Gianna...I know your father can be...mean...which is why I'm going to talk to him and make sure he never hurts you or you family ever again. Ok?" Her voice softened, and she seemed to trust him. "Ok."

They soon arrived in front of her house. "Now, I'm going to have a few words with your father. You stay here and do some more activities for class. Think you can do that for me?" She nodded and smiled, then Mr. Rivera was off. It didn't take long for the door to be answered.

A rough looking rabbit opened it, which could only be Gia's father. He had dull, dirty blonde stubble covering his entire lower face; deep bags under his eyes; notched ears; a lean and malnourished build; bloodshot eyes as if he hadn't slept in days; and messy, matted, blonde, short hair. He wore a white, stained wife-beater and baggy, beige sweatpants, wearing no shoes. When he spoke, his voice was deep, gruff, and cold. "Who the hell are you?"

Mr. Rivera grimaced at the sight of the deadbeat, alcoholic bum, but kept the comments to himself. The last thing this situation needed was a brawl between a teacher and their student's abusive father. "Just came here to have a few words with you, Mr. Fitzgerald. That is if you don't mind, of course." "Hell, I gotta few minutes, I guess. Wife's makin' dinner now. Whadd'ya want?" "I came to discuss Gianna's life here at home. Would you say the environment is...safe?"

Bradley chuckled with a hack in his lungs, "Heh. She told you I was mean, didn't she? That damn kid. She tells all her teachers that." "So it's not true? You treat Gianna well?" "How's any of this yer' damn business?" "I take the livelihood of my students very seriously, Mr. Fitzgerald. With all due respect, I want to make sure she's not in any potential danger. She was terrified to come home today. Do you know why that is?" "And you believed that liar? Everything's fine here. Ask my wife or my other two pathetic, good-fer'-nothin' kids, even though they can't talk fer' shit." "Alright...I will." Mr. Rivera made his way into the house, leaving Bradley outside.

The moment Mr. Rivera entered, the strong smell and overwhelming of cigarettes and liquor hit him. 'Jesus, I feel so awful for this girl. A six-year-old putting up with all of this. She's a strong kid, that one. And to think of her siblings, Ember and Toby, who are only infants...' Gia's mother snapped him out of his thoughts. "Mr. Rivera! What are you doing here? Where's Gianna?" "She's in the car doing homework. I needed to talk to your husband about his—behavior, and he sent me in here to ask you if this so-called-behavior is true."

Nicole panicked, "Oh, Mr. Rivera—you really shouldn't be here! If Brad feels like he's being accused of something, he can get really, really violent—even if the accusation is true!" "Mrs. Fitzgerald, I may not be a cop or the FBI, but I need to ensure that you and your children are safe. A rabbit cannot take down me with big cat genes in my blood, no matter how many steroids he injects." "B-but he's got a gu-"

Their conversation was quickly cut off as Bradley slammed the splintered door open with a terrifyingly calm voice, "Alright, buddy, party's over. I think you should leave now." Mr. Rivera turned to Mrs. Fitzgerald to give her a knowing look that he'd protect her. She nodded and smiled as he slowly strode out of the house. Something about that smile seemed plastered and fake...but maybe he was just imagining things.

Gia had plenty of teachers like this who came to confront her father, but left the home each time with uncertainty. Even when they reported him to the authorities, he was left off the hook each time with no real compelling evidence. The family's bruises were healed each time the feds stopped by, and Brad claimed the kids were just delusional. After all, what happened in that house stayed in that house. But how much longer would that abuse go on?