Delicate Hearts

Eighteen

They didn't deserve the life she held in her arms, the small fragile baby had been born in the back of a tattoo parlour where you would pay someone to deliver the child. The hospital was too expensive, although there were charity hospitals she could have went too. 

An ex-midwife delivered the baby for the small price of  one thousand dollars. Which Wayne Brown raised by selling drugs.They had been excited the entire pregnancy, they had managed to scrape enough money together to buy a cot and pram. They had searched charity shops each day, that was how they had the clothes.

They lived in a run down two bedroom house, the walls were bare, the furniture ruined, the floors rotten. The garden was overgrown with only a green metal shed.

Their bedroom only consisted of a mattress on the floor and wardrobe.

Melissa and Wayne were both heavy drug addicts, heroin and cocaine. Melissa stopped throughout her pregnancy. She hoped the baby would change her.

When little Meredith arrived weighing only 6 pounds and an ounce they were overjoyed. She was the most beautiful baby girl.

After a week the novelty wore off for them both, the realisation of how expensive a baby is took its toll. Melissa began doing drugs again when Meredith was only 4 weeks old.

Wayne was barely there for the first two years, he was in and out of prison. Which left Meredith and Melissa.

Although addicted to drugs Melissa loved her daughter. She spent her days at the park or the local community centre. 

Due to the background a social worker became involved , the social services helped with money for clothes and everything little Meredith needed until they were satisfied. Like most cases of drug abusing parents the second they had been cleared the house became a local drug den again.

When Meredith was only two and a half she felt her first harsh slap. Wayne was angry that she had eaten the last biscuit, he beat her with his belt until her skin bled. 

Melissa at the time had been sober for 4 weeks, she had been distraught and tried to leave Wayne, but like most toxic relationships she stayed with him.

3 years old 

She was happy, he had been gone for a couple of months, she had new clothes and made a few friends in the neighbourhood. She was such a well manoured child despite who her parents were.

She always smiled and laughed. Although her blonde hair was almost always dirty she had this sparkle in her eyes.  She brightened the room when she walked in.

Melissa was happier when Wayne was away, she almost always managed to stay sober. 

One night he came home, he hadn't been back in 5 months. Melissa watched as he picked Meredith up by her hair, he carried her upstairs where he proceeded to smash up her bedroom. He threw out all of her toys, her bed and used a knife to rip her mattress apart. 

"This is your new bed bitch"He hissed placing a large suitcase in the corner, he placed a sheet on the bottom, a small pink cushion and a blanket.

The three year old had already learnt not to cry around him, he had thrown all of her toys,  comforts and and drawings. He ruled the house when he was home.

Melissa managed to salvage a small white bunny, Meredith would hide it in one of the suitcase compartments.

To begin with he would still cook and feed her dinner, he would cuddle her and chase her around the garden those rare moments would be when he was sober, twice a week for his meetings.