Unplanned

Forty One

Demi

"He-He's gonna come home and I'm not gonna be there. He's gonna know and then-and then he's gonna hurt Riley and...." my leg shook as I sat on Odell's couch, hyperventilating as I anxiously picked at a thread on my sweater.

"Demi stop" I recoiled from Odell's touch as he pressed his hand to my knee. "I'm sorry, D" I curled into myself, sobbing into my knees. "Demi, you're safe. I promise. He don't know where I live" I tensed as something touched my foot. "That's just Riley, D" I removed my head from my hands, sobbing harder at my daughter's face. I lifted her onto my lap and held her tightly against my chest as I sobbed into her neck.

"Mama O" I choked on a sob as she lightly pat my back like I do when she's crying or I'm trying to settle her to sleep.

"I'm so sorry, Riley" she squirmed from my grip but remained on my lap. She pressed her hand to my damp cheek. "I love you, Baby Girl" her lips twitched into a smile.

"Wuv Mama" my heart completely melted.

"Can you call the police?" I kept my eyes on Riley as I played with the light curls to her hair. "I-I don't want this anymore" I briefly glanced to him as he nodded. He didn't say anything, he just pushed himself up from the couch. Riley watched Odell as he left. She glanced back to me as I softly caressed her rosy cheek. "I'm supposed to protect you, huh? I've done such a shit job at that so far" she dropped her head to the side. "I love you so much, Riley. Momma is so sorry" she pressed her hands to my cheeks forcing my lips into a pout. She giggled as she leant to peck my lips. "You're my world, Jellybean. Nobody is ever gonna hurt you and if they do, they've got me to answer too" Riley cuddled herself into my chest. Odell took a seat on the couch beside me when he returned, wrapping his arm around me as I leant into his side. I felt safe in his embrace.

"Why didn't you ever say anything, D?" I just shrugged. I don't know why I didn't earlier before the threats started and I was physically scared for everyone's lives. "The police are gonna be outside when he gets home. We'll need to take photos of your bruises, D, for evidence. They might wanna take you down to the station to ask you questions" I nodded, moving away from Odell and letting Riley slide off my lap as she squirmed from my grip.

"Can you call Dallas?"

"You want me to call your parents too?"

"No" I shook my head. "I-I can't be dealing with that right now" he nodded, leaning to softly kiss my damp cheek. Riley toddled in circles around the living room, giggling as she repeatedly stumbled over her feet. It was the vibrating of my phone in my pocket that pulled my eyes off my daughter. I froze at Jace's caller ID. I blankly stared at it until he hung up. I lowered it onto the arm of the couch, dropping my head into my hands as tears burnt the back of my eyes.

Odell wrapped his arms around me once he returned, turning my phone off after it rang again. Riley had settled herself on the floor, playing with some of her toys that we'd brought over. It was silent between us until the buzzer rang. Odell moved off the couch to open the door for who I can only assume is Dallas. I began to twiddle my fingers, keeping my eyes on Riley who was still entertained with her toys. I hadn't even realised that Dallas had been let in until I heard her.

"Demetria?" tears burnt at the back of eyes from her tone. "Do you realise how worried we've all been about you? You can't just disappear for 4 days. We went to the police, Demi" I glanced down at my hands as I bit down on my lip, tears lining my lower lid. "They wouldn't do fucking shit but..." she sunk down onto the couch beside me. "Don't you ever ignore my calls or messages again, do you understand?" I nodded, glancing to her as a tear rolled down my cheek. She released a breath and then wrapped her arms around me. I cuddled my face into her neck and started to sob. "Demi, what's wrong?" she cooed, her fingers softly combing through my hair.

"I-I'm sorry."

"What's wrong with your Momma, Ry?"

"Mama" I kept myself cuddled into Dallas but I glanced to Riley as she placed her hand on my leg.

"Hi Jellybean" she held her arms up for me to pull her onto my lap. I pressed a kiss to her temple as she cuddled into me. I played with her light curls, keeping my eyes off Dallas even as I felt her eyes burning into the side of my face.

"Demi?" she softly wiped the tear from my cheek.

"I had an abortion" I kept my gaze down. "Jace, he..." I took in a breath, blinking as tears fell from my eyes. "He's been-been abusing me" I held tighter onto Riley as what I've been living for the last few months finally sunk in. I've been in an abusive and controlling relationship. He was never someone who cared about me. He never meant any of his apologies and I was too blind to realise. It took far too long for this.

"Have you called the police?"

"O-Odell has" I quickly wiped at my cheek.

"Why didn't you say anything, Dem?" I just shrugged. "Oh Baby" she wrapped her arm tighter around me.

"I just-I didn't want him to hurt Riley if-if he found out I said anything. He-He threatened you too and-and Madison" Dallas began to play with a strand of my hair. "Dallas, I don't want him to hurt anyone" I finally glanced back to Dallas. She looked on the verge of tears herself.

"He won't, Dem. You're safe, Baby."

"I-I feel so guilty for aborting the baby but I-I couldn't have them" she lightly wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"Don't feel guilty, D. You did what you had to, for yourself and the baby. You don't need to feel guilty."

"J-Jace said that if I-I didn't abort them, he-he'd do it himself" her eyes filled with anger and her jaw clenched.

"You didn't tell me that" I glanced to Odell who looked as angry as Dallas. "I wanna beat the fucking shit outta him. I swear, if I ever see that fucker again he won't be able to fucking breathe" I jumped slightly at the loudness of his voice.

"That won't help anything, Odell" Dallas retorted, keeping her eyes on me as she wiped my cheeks. "But I'd love to beat the shit out of him too" there was a light knock on the door. My heart froze out of pure panic.

"What-What if it's him? He'll be back from work by now. I-I don't..." I panicked, my eyes following Odell to the door. Thankfully there's a peephole which Odell looked through.

"It's just the police, D."

——