All of the Good Things

The Ugly Truth

Kenny sat on Toni's bed and watched as she grabbed what looked like a jewelry box from off of her shelf. She came back and sat near him holding the box in her lap.

"When I was little, I had a favorite uncle. He used to take me to the park, play games with me, take me to the store and bought me anything I wanted. He treated me like a princess. He was the closest thing I had to a dad."

She paused as a few tears ran down her face. Kenny reached out and wiped them away. Toni gave him a weak smile before she continued.

"The night after my seventh birthday he told me he had a gift for me. He came into my room and sat on my bed and gave me a doll. I was so happy because it was one I had wanted and was begging my mom for. I jumped in his arms and gave him a big hug. It was a normal hug until he started to move his hands lower." She closed her eyes remembering that night.

Flashback......

Toni tried to move out of Marcus' grip. "What's wrong baby girl?" He asked

"Nothing. I'm just a little sleepy now." She said

"But I didn't give you the second part of your birthday gift. Don't you want to know what it is?"

"Umm I guess." She said unsure

"Ok you have to lay back for me ok. Can you do that?"

Toni looked at the floor not sure if that was ok. She was young but something about it didn't feel right.

"I don't know."

"Come one baby girl. It's just a new game I want to play with you. You wouldn't say no to your favorite uncle right?"

She hesitated before doing what he said. He went and locked the door before coming back over to her bed.

After what felt like forever he was done. "See baby girl that wasn't so bad now was it?"

Toni just sat there quietly. "Come on lets get you in the bath." He got her cleaned up and put new sheets on her bed before tucking her in.

"Happy Birthday baby girl. And remember this is our secret game ok?" Toni just nodded her head quietly

Marcus gave her a kiss and walked out of her room.

Flashback Over......

"That was the very first time. He would come into my room and do that almost every night for the next 5 years."

Kenny just hugged her as he let a few of his own tears fall. All he wanted to do in this moment was protect her and keep her safe. He wanted to kill Marcus for what he did to Toni.

He let her go and let her continue talking.

"The last time was a day after school. My mother had gotten home from work early and caught him. He went to jail that same day. I thought after that, it was over and I'd never have to be reminded of it again." She paused as she fiddled with the box in her lap.

"A few weeks later when I was getting checked out, the doctors noticed something. They did an ultrasound and sure enough it was a baby in there. I cried, I screamed. I wanted to get rid of it. I was only twelve!" She exclaimed

"It was too late. I was too far along to have the procedure so I had to carry to term. All the kids in the neighborhood stopped playing with me and I started to be bullied in school. Everyone thought I was just some fast little girl." She let out a shaky sigh scared to continue.

"Eventually it was time to have the baby. I was terrified, I didn't know the first thing about giving birth. The plan was to give the baby away but when she came I couldn't do it. She was so innocent and pure. I felt like she was the one good thing that came out of that situation. A little part of me grew up that day."

Toni paused, finally opening the box. She pulled out two hospital bands, pictures and a few papers.

"These are me and Jacie's hospital bands from the day she was born." She said handing them to Kenny.

His eyes widened as it clicked in his head. Now he knew why Toni and Jacie were so close, she was her mother.

She showed him the pictures from that day. He gasped as he looked at a picture of a much younger Toni holding a newborn Jacie. She looked so tiny in the bed and visibly tired but still she had a small smile on her face looking at Jacie. He couldn't believe she was so strong.

"I told myself I would be the best person I could be for her. I made it my vow that I would never let anyone hurt her. I never loved anything more than I love her. And to think I thought that I wouldn't be capable of that."

She smiled a little thinking of Jacie and how happy of a child she was.

"I understand if this is too much for you. I know it's alot." Toni said

"What? It's a lot I'm not gonna lie but I said I love you for a reason and I meant that. I'm not going anywhere and I'm never going to let anybody hurt you ever again. What did I say to you at the beginning of this?"

Toni smiled remembering. "You said I gotchu."

"That's right, I gotchu and I always will."

Toni hugged Kenny and cried in his shoulder. She felt so relieved that she was able to tell someone. It felt like a big weight had been lifted if her shoulders.

But there was a fear lurking in the back of her mind. What was Marcus up to?
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Thoughts??