the last straw

failure

Angie POV

the weekends is finally over, meaning Sierra and Avery came finally come back.

Mike, Georgia, and I were worried sick about them. Trinity was the only thing keeping us sane.

i was so nervous picking them up, but i couldn't show it. mike was a nervous wreck, so me freaking out would not be any help.

as soon as leslie pulled up to waffle house, avery came running to us. she would not let go of Mike for anything.

Sierra looked exhausted. she looks like she hasn't slept in a while. she came over and gave us hugs, but was silent otherwise.

leslie and mike, with avery hanging on to him, spoke to the social worker,

"are you okay, Sierra?"

all she did was nod her head, yes.

whatever happened at that house made Sierra go mute.

all i could was hug her. she hugged back.

when we got back to the house, Sierra said hi to george then went straight to her room to bed. i checked on her a few times.

Avery would not leave Mike's side.

she would not talk about what happened at leslie's house, but i was clear something did. she seemed like she avoiding me.

she also started flinching. i don't think Mike noticed it, but whenever he made sudden movements with his arms, avery would flinch, like he was about to hit her. George and I noticed it, and made eye contact when we noticed it.

we woke up Sierra for lunch around 3pm. she said was still tired, but she needed to eat.

at lunch, sierra said she wasn't hungry, but didn't want ensure.

avery still wouldn't leave Mike's side

"okay, what happened at leslie's house? why won't sierra eat, and why is avery so attached to Mike?"

"nothing happened." is what sierra said.

"okay, so look me in my eyes and say that again" i say.

"are you going to read me?" sierra ask.

"yes."

"i can't do that."

"so something did happen. what happened?"

"i can't say. please mom, i just can't. i'm sorry."

"but why not?"

"she said i couldn't."

George dropped a plate by the sink. avery dropped to the floor and started screaming.

"i'm sorry! im sorry! i won't do it again!" is what she said.

mike and i made eye contact. we were both thinking the same thing: we have to get the court decision appealed.

TIME SKIP TO LATER THAT NIGHT

we decided to talk to them separately, starting with Sierra.

"okay so what can't you tell us and why?"

"umm..." she said, avoiding eye contact.

"sierra, we need to know." mike said.

"...they just talked bad about y'all a lot. a lot of fighting and drinking." she said. "we don't believe them, though. i tried to explain manipulation to avery, but i don't know if she understood."

i knew she's hiding something.

"what happened to your arm?" mike asked. i just noticed she has a gash on her arm.

"he threw something and it almost of hit avery, but it hit my arm instead."

a wave of anger washed over mike's face. i put my hand on his arm to calm him down.

we talked to sierra for a little bit more. she said she as okay, just tired. we are getting her an extra therapy appointment.

next was avery.

she was scared of me. she said she didn't want me to hurt her. apparently, leslie said i was going to hurt her.

"avery, have i ever hit you? or hurt you?"

"no."

"i'm not going to suddenly hurt you, baby."

"she said that you're nice now, but you'll be mean when i mess up or get too close you to. she said that you sent sierra away because she was bad and you don't want her anymore."

"leslie said i did that?"

avery nodded.

"baby, sierra went to hospital for her eating disorder. she has problems eating and needed help. that wasn't angie's decision, i was me and sierra's." mike said.

"but why wouldn't you hit me? i deserve it for being bad."

"avery you're not bad, baby. you're 5 and the most well behaved kid, out of all 4 of yall." mike said.

"no i'm not. i cut myself."

"that doesn't make you bad, it means you need some extra help with dealing with stuff."

"you're just saying that! you hate me! ty hates me. george hates me. sierra and dad are going to be nice and then start hating me, too!" she yells, then runs off the bed to a corner to cry.

i don't know how to solve this.

"call the lawyer, i'm going to talk to her." mike says, and i listen.

——————-

MIKE POV

Avery was really dead set on my planning on hating her. no matter what i did, she kept saying that sierra and I are going to stop loving her, and try to hurt her.

"i tried pretending it wouldn't happen, but i know it will! you will hate me and try to hit me."

"avery, baby, i'd never hurt you. have i ever hit you?"

"no..."

"i would never do that."

"but you said i wouldn't have to see her again." she said, crying into my shoulder.

i failed her. i failed her so hard.