Right Place Wrong Time

chapter 10

*MATT POV*

I plucked the baby into my arms and rocked her backwards and forwards, as she quietened down, I rested her head against my shoulder and carried out of the nursery. As I got to the living room, I heard Tia and her mum talking; I waited outside for a little while and just listened.

“So how long have you been together?”

“About 2 weeks,” Tia laughed, “it all moved quite quickly.”

“Yeah no shit!” her mum laughed, “Are you happy though?”

Tia paused before she answered.

“Yeah, I am.”

“I saw the way he looked at you,” her mum said quietly, “it’s the same look your dad used to give me.”

“Mum don’t.” Tia pleaded.

“Tia, I’m being honest, he’s really into you.”

I took the silence that followed as my cue to enter the room.

“I think she was missing her mummy,” I smiled, handing the baby over to Maggie. She cooed and she picked her little girl out of my arms. I went over and took a seat next to Tia.

“Tea?” she offered.

“No, I’m alright thank you,” I said quietly, “I should get home, mum will be wondering where I am.”

“Ok, well thanks for coming round!” she replied

“Any time, see you soon yeah?”

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Tia smiled

“I’ll text you,” I promised. I planted a soft kiss on her lips, “nice to meet you Maggie, I’ll see you again soon.”

“Nice to meet you too darling!” she called after me as I left.

On my way home I couldn’t help but think over the conversation I had heard between Tia and her mother; I was glad that Tia was happy with me, and I got the impression that her mum approved of our relationship. The comment her mum had made about the way I looked at Tia had shaken me a bit, the way I felt about Tia wasn’t something I had ever experienced before, I didn’t want to just have a physical relationship, she was attractive but her personality was what infatuated with; despite the obvious pain she had fought through in her life, she was fun. She wasn’t going to let me call the shots and I liked that, she knew what she wanted and she had the determination to get it.

“you’re useless,” I heard my Dad’s booming voice ring through the house as I stepped through the door, “I ask you to do one thing and you mess it up, are you genuinely that stupid?”

I rushed to the kitchen to see my mum with her back up against the wall, my Dad’s hands were clenched against the wall either side of her head. My mum let small pleas escape her mouth between the sobs.

“Stop crying, you’re pathetic.” He spat.

“Get off her.” I demanded solidly. My dad looked up and his face dropped at the sight of me, I could see worry in his eyes, I was the only person he was remotely scared of. He took his hands away from the wall, glaring at my mum as he did so.

“You got lucky.” He croaked at her, stomping out of the room.

My mum sank to the ground, sobbing into her hands. I walked over and sat down next to her, putting my arm around her back and pulling her closer to me; allowing her to sob into my t shirt.

There was no point asking her what had happened, from the smashed mug on the floor, I could tell. Dad never hit my mum, he had made that mistake with my sister and he wasn’t stupid enough to allow himself to get caught again.

“Are you hurt?” I whispered.  She lifted up the sleeve of her jumper, revealing a large burn. I silently lead her over to the sink and ran cold water over her arm as she gasped at the impact. “I’m sorry Mum, I should have been here.”

“None of this is your fault Matthew,” she replied quietly, placing a frail hand on my face, “I should never have taken him back.”

“Why don’t you go and have a rest,” I suggested, hearing my father exit the house, door slamming behind him, “you can stay in my room; I’ll stay down here while you sleep.”

“Thanks angel,” she said, accepting my offer gratefully, “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

I simply smiled in response because, in truth, we both knew that if I wasn’t still here, there’s a high chance he would have killed her.

So once again, our Sunday routine began, mum went upstairs to sleep and I waited for dad to come home from the pub. Dad returned home drunk and tried to pick a fight with me. I pinned him to the floor and he retreated to his bed. I went to my room and sat on the bed next to my mum as she slept, staying awake until my Dad left for work the next morning and I was sure she was safe.

Luckily my Dad worked away, so during the week and on Saturdays he wasn’t home, we only had to deal with him on Sundays. That was still one day too many.