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THE MORNING AIR was cold, the sun hadn't fully risen yet, cascading soft pinks and orange colors through the sky. charlotte pulled the blanket closer to her chin, curling into a ball, eyes bloodshot from the tears she'd shed. her cheeks puffy, the door slowly creaked open, her mother slowly came into view. sitting on the girls bed.
running a hand through the locks that covered her face. her eyes softening apun seeing the girls state, the guilt slowly seeped through beth. wishing she could go back in time and fix what she'd started, get rid of any ties to gang friend she had.
put the safety and well being of her family above everything else. she felt like she failed a mother, watching as her daughter was held a gun point, yet not being able to do anything beside try to talk their way out of the problem.
"i'm sorry" beth mumbled, leaning against the girls head board, fingers gently rubbing the girls scalp. charlotte sighed softly, setting her head in her mothers lap. "what'd you guys do?" charlotte questioned, sleep still in her voice. her eyes barley open as she stared at her bedroom door.
beth hesitated, not wanting to drag her daughter into the mix of what they'd done, not more then she already had. yet, she also knew that charlotte would go ask annie if she didn't believe her mother.
"we robbed a grocery store. we didn't know the money belonged to him, now we have to pay him back." beth told weakly, feeling the girl stiffen beneath her, though she slowly nodded her head.
charlotte didn't pry more then that, partially because she was still processing everything that had happened within the last twenty four hours, and the fact she kept seeing herself back at her old house, stuck inside with a drunk father.
"i was scared, yesterday. ironically enough it wasn't because of the gun" charlotte paused, sucking in a sharp breath of air. "it was because it reminded me of before. when he'd get angry, he'd break things before he took it out on us" charlotte muttered softly, eyes squeezing shut as tears welled up in her eyes again. "it's been years. i thought i was over it all, thought i'd moved passed it, but that made me feel like i was back." charlotte confessed softly.
beth's hand went rigid, her fingers pausing in the girls hair. listening to charlottes voice, because beth felt it too. the feeling of anticipation waiting for when the anger would be targeted at herself next, waiting for when something would be thrown at her, when fists would be thrown.
it felt like a reoccurring nightmare, one that had kept her awake all night.
beth couldn't make out words, her mouth went dry. "i'm sorry." was all beth could manage to get out, her eyes burning.
