Never should have happened

From Mum

*Liam's POV*

"I've gotta go out for a minute." I yelled towards Kate as she walked towards me from our room. "What? Why?" She seemed so genuinely confused, and I realised how suddenly I'd decided to get up and go. But I had to go buy something, something that I'd been saving for. For her. I hadn't planned to get this so quickly, Meg had warned me that she might not react how I wanted. But after this morning, I knew that I had to. So I tied my shoes. I stood up, walked over to Kate and kissed her on her forehead, which no longer had blood on it. "I love you Kate, forever and always." I turned to the door, and walked out. Not knowing what awaited me on my return. Not knowing if she'd be happy or not.

"I have a surprise for you!" I could hear my mum say from my door. Seriously? Why did she always feel the need to wake me up so bloody early? "What?" I moaned as I covered my head with my duvet. I could feel her still staring at me from the door way, so I got out of bed. She turned swiftly around and walked out of the room and down the stairs. I grabbed my dressing gown and wandered after her, not knowing what awaited me. I reached the end of the staircase, and saw her sitting at the table. "Please, come sit down with me." She reached out and patted the chair next to her gently, inviting me to sit down. I sheepishly joined her at the table. She was to chirpy. And it was scaring me. We weren't really that close, and we almost lived completely separate lives. We lived in the same house, shared the same meals, and the same lounge, but I don't believe I could tell you what she did at work today, and she wouldn't be able to tell you who my friends were. Not that I had any. But having her go out of her way to communicate which me, was weird. "So, what's up?" I asked staring into her eyes. She continued to smile, but her eyes turned sad as she saw how disinterested and bored I was. "I'm having a baby." She blurted out.

"WHAT?" I screamed jumping off the chair. She didn't even have a husband, after my dad died she hadn't wanted to be with anyone. How was she pregnant? How was this evening happening right now? "Calm down. It's not a bad thing. I'm in love." She was so at peace with her words, and I was freaking out. "In love? With who?" I was getting more and more agitated by looking at how calm she was. I had flashbacks to all the nights I heard her crying in her room, and the mornings I saw her with poorly covered bruises, and I got even more angry. As I stood up to leave the table, a truck pulled up in front of our house. "Is that him?" I could feel myself screaming so loudly it hurt my throat. "Is that the guy who has gotten you pregnant without even acknowledging my existence? Is he the asshole that beats you up at night? The one that leaves you with those bruises you try to cover?" I was almost in tears I was so angry. She just stared at me dumbfounded, I don't think she had ever seen me angry before. Ever since dad died, I kept mostly to myself. I ran out to the guy in the truck, as he stepped out of his monster of a vehicle, I hit him, my fist slammed straight into his nose. I felt it break beneath my knuckles. He looked at me and laughed, blood outing out of his nose and streaming down his face.

I remember my mum screaming and running out the front door. "Don't hurt him, you already control me, why do you need to hurt him?" The brute of a guy just laughed at me, laying on the floor, crying as I slowly passed out form the pain. I woke up in the hospital, no one near me. I called out for a nurse, but couldn't open my mouth because of the intense pain I was in. A nurse came into the room, she looked at the sadness in my eyes and gasped as if looking at me caused her immense pain. "It'll be okay sweetie. We are going to take good care of you." She had a sweet voice, it sounded like honey, if honey had a sound. "Mum?" I tried to form a sentence to ask about my mum, but I could only manage the one word. The nurse frowned slightly saying, "She went with that man, the father of her baby. She left you a note." I tried to cry again, but I couldn't even manage tears. The nurse apologised and left. I was alone again. I'd always liked being alone until now. I mustered all my strength and sat myself up. I reached over for the not my mother had left me. And begun to read it, through tear filled eyes.

The note:

Liam,
I'm sorry for all the pain I caused you, I never wanted you to get hurt. I'm sorry that Bruce attacked you (even if you hit him first) and I'm sorry that I've now left you. Your Aunty Diana will take care of you from now on. She lives down south, but she is going to come pick you up from the hospital. I'm sorry you had to see me at my worst time, but Bruce said he is going to take care of me and the baby, as long as I don't leave him, you will be safe. I should have told you sooner about what was happening, and I'm sorry I didn't. But just for today, hold on, hold onto hope, no matter the cost. I hope that in time you will be able to forgive me for what I've done to you, and to the memory of your father.

Keeps these quotes close by at all times, I wish I had have had them when I was your age, so I'm passing them onto you, because you deserve better than I can give you...

"You can't start a new chapter of your life, if you keep re-reading the last one."
"An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind."
"Be the change you want to see in the world."

I love you Liam, and I always will.
From,
Mum.