Ruby(Red 2) JC [Revised]

8: Her Dysfunctional Parents

"You are nothing but a filthy bitch!"

Aerin forced shut her eyes as she saw her father slap her mother from the door, her mother crying and pleading for mercy. It was nothing new for her. She had been witnessing all of these since she was five, her father coming home drunk and beating her mother.

"You dare to spy on me? You thought you could tie me up to yourself, huh?" Her father yelled.

"And you're not even giving me money. I NEED MONEY, NICHOLE!" he continued, his voice escalating with every word.

"I won't give you any money. You cheat on me and then you are the one blaming me? YOU HAVE A DAUGHTER!" Nicole screamed back, her voice shaking with anger and despair.

Aerin, unable to bear the sight any longer, stepped into the room. "Stop it! Leave her alone!" she shouted, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and defiance.

The scene was one of chaos and desperation, with Nicole's cries echoing through the room as she confronted her abusive husband. Aerin, at just twelve years old, stood witness to the violence and turmoil that had become all too familiar in her household. Her father's behavior had reached a breaking point, his drunkenness, gambling, and infidelity tearing apart their family.

As Aerin watched her mother suffer at the hands of her father, a sense of anger and determination welled up inside her. She couldn't bear to see her mother endure any more pain and decided to take matters into her own hands. Running to the basement, Aerin retrieved a heavy hammer, a tool that would soon become an instrument of justice in her young hands.

Returning to the scene of the confrontation, Aerin's resolve was clear. With a cold determination, she approached her father from behind, the weight of the hammer held firmly in her grip. In that moment, she made a decision that would change the course of their lives forever.

With a single, decisive blow, Aerin struck her father, the force of the impact rendering him lifeless on the floor. The room fell silent, save for the sound of her mother's sobs and the realization of what had just transpired sinking in.

For Aerin, it was a moment of clarity amidst the chaos—a desperate act born out of a desire to protect her mother and herself from further harm. Though the consequences of her actions would be profound, she knew that she had done what was necessary to break free from the cycle of abuse and violence that had plagued their family for so long.

As they stood in the dimly lit basement, the weight of their actions hanging heavy in the air, Nicole struggled to find the words to convey her emotions. Finally, she broke the silence, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Aerin, what have you done?"

Aerin met her mother's gaze, her expression unreadable.

"I did what needed to be done, Mom. He was never going to change."

Nicole's heart ached at the resignation in her daughter's voice, the burden of years of abuse evident in her words.

"Let's bury him in the backyard and move somewhere else, probably to Grandma's?"

As they drove away from their former home, the weight of their secret hung heavy in the air. Nicole stole glances at her daughter, marveling at the calm facade she presented despite the gruesome act they had just committed. Aerin's composure both reassured and unsettled her, a testament to the strength and resilience she possessed.

In the days that followed, they settled into a new life in Los Angeles, finding solace in the familiar surroundings of Nicole's childhood home. With the support of her late father's resources, Nicole's business flourished, providing them with financial stability and a newfound sense of security. Aerin, too, thrived in her new environment, immersing herself in her studies and carving out a path for herself far from the shadows of their past.