the last straw

custody

Sierra POV

after mom left, i laid in bed for a while. i couldn't sleep, so my mind was flooding with thoughts.

i really do blame myself for this. Avery can't live with Leslie again. It was so bad last time she did.

when my thoughts got dark, i went out to find mom. she was talking to dad and the lawyer in the living room, with trinity in her playpen.

i couldn't l interrupt them, so i started play with Trinity. she cheered me up almost instantly. she was giggling and wanted to keep playing with me.

i think i see what Ty meant when he said i matter to the family.

after a while, mom got away from dad and the lawyer and came over to me and trinity.

"she looks so much avery did." i say, smiling.

"reminds me of her, too. always smiling and goofing off." mom replies, smiling. "y'all mean the world to me."

all i can do is smile.

Time skip a month

we are in family court. my heart is racing. leslie is sitting across from us. i'm shaking so bad. i'm holding dad's hand to calm down, but it's not working.

leslie keeps looking at me. she makes me nervous. i remember how she made me feel. how she hit me. how avery was terrified of everything and everyone after we got back to dad's house.

this is all my fault.

time skip to after the hearing

despite all evidence of her abusing us, leslie going to jail, and both me and avery saying we didn't want to see her again, then judge ruled that we go to her house for one weekend every month. we go over on fridays and come back on sunday nights.

avery started crying immediately. she runs to dad,
who picks her up and tries to console her.

leslie looks sad at avery's reaction, but i know it's fake. she doesn't care about us.

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AVERY POV
TIME SKIP A WEEK

we have to go to leslie's house. i've been crying all day because i don't want to go back.

they said i would never have to go back.

at least i have Sisi to go with me.

we have to meet her at a waffle house. a social worker is there to make sure everything is okay.

when i see her, i realize this is real and im being ripped away from my real daddy and mommy.

i start screaming and trying to hold into mommy.

"please don't make me go! i don't want to leave!" i cry into mommy's shirt.

"it's going to bed okay baby." is all she says and she rubs my back.

"i promise i'll be there with you all the time, Avery." sisi says.

"I DON'T WANT GO!"

"great doing Michael. you turned my kids against me." she kneels down in front of me. "you know, i had you. you came from me, not her."

i start screaming again and hug mommy tighter.

the social worker steps in and says everyone needs to be civil and talks about how the adults needs to work together for me and Sierra's sakes.

after everyone ate, it's time for me and sierra to go to leslie's house. no matter how much i kicked and screamed, they made me go.

i held onto Sisi's hand the whole car ride to her house.

——————————————
Sierra's POV

i have to be strong for Avery. right now, i'm all she has. no matter what, i have to protect her.

when we go to leslie's house, the first thing she did was introduce us her to husband, King - the one that hit me - and her step kids, Trayvon(16) and Shayla(14).

she explained how she was different now, and how they both went to anger management. she said wants to be in our lives. i don't care. i know what she did to me and ty, physically, and how she traumatized Avery mentally. nothing she does can change that.

she said wants a new start with us. she wanted a job from us. avery and i both refused, then she said we were ruining her idea of a new perfect family.

"you're not my family." is what avery said.

"you are so rude, young lady. seems like you picked up some traits for you father." is what king said.

"don't talk about it my daddy!" avery yelled back.

"don't get yourself in trouble, little girl. watch who you're talking to." kind said.

avery was about to keep arguing but i told her to calm down and not make it worse.

"let's hope you listen now, compared to last time we saw you." king said to me.  "would hate a repeat."

TIME SKIP TO LATER THAT NIGHT

despite us having separate beds, avery instigated on sleeping in my bed beside me. she was scared of being alone and thought i would leave her if she wasn't with me at all times.

there was a lot of yelling that night from leslie and king. he got drunk, and lease didn't like that.

they were throwing things and cussing for hours.

avery started silently crying into my chest. i out my headphones on her and let her watch youtube until she fell asleep.

at some point, king bust through the door of the room we were sleeping in and started yelling at me. he was yelling that i looked like my dad too much and how i didn't need therapy, i needed a beating. he said all my mental issues were caused by dad and i need a real man to show my how to deal with stuff.

he took off his belt and hit the side of the door multiple times. this woke up avery, who started crying and screaming again. she ran to me and hugged my side while king was in a drunken rage.

he threw something from the dresser at us. it hit my arm and my arm started bleeding and throbbing. thankfully, it missed avery completely.

avery started screaming. trayvon and shayla came to get king, and put him to his bed.

leslie came to talk to us. she said that avery screaming will alert neighbors and how king was right about dad spoiling us.

"he shouldn't have taken y'all away. y'all are so spoiled and ungrateful, it's crazy. angela doesn't even know how to be a mom. y'all are worse off than the last time ive seen yall."

before she left, she told me clean up my arm and whatever king broke. avery stayed crying in my bed while i cleaned, as i told her not to help so she didn't get hurt by the glass.

after i cleaned up everything, i still heard yelling. avery was finally asleep.

i couldn't sleep. something might happen to avery if i go to bed. so i stayed up all night. i heard so much yelling and breaking.