Reach out for me - TNN Story

Chapter 8 - Don't Pity me now

A/N - I know these have been quite sad and dark at the moment, but I promise there will be happier moments! Wait till Chapter 12 ( Most of this story will be discussing these themes and actions but in the process, it will help both of them to heal)
TW: ⚠️ Discussions of childhood abuse ⚠️
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They all watched as Maeve stood; leaning lightly against Charlotte's car, head in her hands.
Over the limited time Maeve had been here, she had made an impact on all the staff. None of them had seen how small she looked right now, all but Autumn. She after all had to help Maeve when she was younger and she had to sneak bandages and compresses and slings to nurse Maeve's injuries. She could see the pain.

Winter had gone out to his car, waiting for Autumn to come out of the nursery.
"What's in the letter my love?" Marjorie leans over Charlotte's shoulder trying to see, Charlotte pulls back. "She's just made him apologise for all the shitty things he's done to me... she didn't have to do this you know? She could have told either of you but she took it into her own hands." She looks between Autumn and Marjorie, knowing they'll agree, "I'm worried that there's more to her taking it on by herself. Did something like this happen in her childhood?" Charlotte now turns her attention to Marjorie.

"Err..." Marjorie scratches her head. Marjorie had cherished her childhood and never saw anything wrong with it. She always loved how her parents still treated her and Maeve equally during their childhood. Or so Marjorie had thought. Occasionally Marjorie would think she heard screams from downstairs, Laura and Mike would always diffuse and say she was hearing things. Or when she'd come downstairs and see that Maeve would sometimes have bruises and marks around her neck. Their parents told her that Maeve was just a problem child.

"Marjorie? Did anything happen?" Charlotte adds a bit suspicious of Marjorie's long pause.
"No, no nothing happened we had a great childhood. Here and there Maeve would have random bruises but that's it" Marjorie shrugs.

Her chest tightens as she realises how oblivious Marjorie has been her whole life about her sister.
"A lot happened...." Autumn croaked, her voice went hoarse and she realises then she'll have to tell them what happened, to support Maeve and Marjorie in the best way possible.
——————— 20 minutes Later ———————
Marjorie's POV:
I couldn't believe what I just heard come out of Autumn's mouth. No. No I don't believe them our parents could never do that, they're too loving and sweet. They treated us so well...

"That's a lie...., you're lying I would have known" I exclaim, how would Autumn know out of everyone? Her own sister.
I hear Autumn sigh and speak up, "I'm not lying... I had to help her. If only you were able to know how petrified she was at 8 years old.... That's when she came to me, 8. She asked- well begged me to teach her self defence." She clutches her chest and continues, Charlotte couldn't take hearing it, she apologised and went to Maeve in the car park filled with tears.
"She was scared of both your parents Marj...they hurt her, used her and pushed her to her limits. Marjorie it broke me when I saw her so hurt, so many times." Autumn coughs trying to regain herself. "And this happened?... when I still loved there?" I added, "yes and after too.." Aut replies.

My heart sank, how could I have not known? Why didn't I help her, I could have tried.

I felt Autumn's eyes fixed on me, steadily.
"It's not your fault Marjorie."
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Charlotte was in the car with Maeve and the ride home was silent, not a word muttered but both could feel each other's pain.

"Maeve... I'm so sorry sweetheart..." Charlotte mutters resting her hand on Maeve's thigh as she drives. A tear rolls down Maeve's face as she looks out the window, "You don't have to pity me because of what they said" she adds rubbing her eyes, they stop at a traffic light.
"I don't pity you sweetheart, I'm worried it broke me seeing you so hurt." She rubs her leg.

"Thank you for the letter.. he looked pissed" char chuckles. And Maeve smiles back. "He wasn't happy and I don't know what came over me..." Maeve grumbles and puts her head in her hands. "You did the right thing and I'm lucky you did it and Carly will be happy you got that letter from him" Charlotte pats her thigh and they get inside.

Charlotte drops her bag and starts to tickle Maeve, earning loud giggles from both women, "Lottie!!! Stoppp!!!!!" She giggles and she pushes her onto the sofa. "How about I treat you and we watch a movie and get a takeaway?" Char laughs.
"Don't pity me Lottie.." "I'm not, let me treat you" char gives her a hug.

Their takeaway ends up coming and Charlotte falls asleep on Maeve as they watch their movie.
Maeve's phone pings;
• Laura 25 missed calls
• Mike 10 missed calls
• Marjorie 18 missed calls
• Autumn 4 missed calls
• Amelia 7 missed calls

As Maeve tries to wind down from today, she scrolls through TikTok getting a message.
Laura: Maeve I know you can see this... don't think you can hide. Marjorie can't save you.
Maeve: leave, me alone Laura.
Laura: That's MOTHER to you, do I have to remind you of your place in this family? You're useless, disgusting a fucking waste of space - you make me sick.

Maeve throws her phone on the sofa and cuddles up against Charlotte.
—————— The Next Afternoon ——————
Marjorie's POV:
It's about mid day in the Knight Nursery and I need to desperately talk to Maeve, I feel so troubled knowing that I could have helped her.

I don't even knock and I just walk in and she's sat there in her chair, looking so numb and tired.
"Maeve I'm so so sorry-" I don't even have the chance to finish my sentence when she interrupts me, "No Marjorie I'm not in the mood..."
"But you have to listen I'm sorry I didn't know about what happened during our childhood-" I don't want to let go of this, I mean it.

She looks up at me now, clearly anger in her eyes.
"Our childhood?!?" She abruptly stands.
"You never were treated the same way I was! You looked up to Laura and Mike in happiness.... When I looked up they stood over me about to nearly beat me to my last breath..." I look at her in shock, I didn't know it was that bad.

"But they always gave you the same as me!" I raise my voice feeling defensive about her tearing our parents despite what Autumn had said.

"Don't you DARE say that I was given the Same as you! You were treated like a princess and had everything in a blink of an eye!!!" I saw that twinge in Maeve's eye... the same as she talked to Terry. Anger had fuelled my sister.

"I'm fucking sorry what more do you want me to tell you Maeve,!?! They said you were trouble when we were younger, I'm sorry!!!" I plead.

"DON'T. YOU. PITY. ME NOW..." Maeve thrashes out her arms in anger, signaling me to leave her office. Now so cold.
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Her office door swung violently open once again, she was definitely not in the mood now.
"Marjorie get the fuck out....I've told you to leave me alone now.." Maeve snarks not bothering to look up. "Now that's not how to talk to your mother~" Laura leans against the door.

As if this was slow motion, Maeve looks up tears already pricking her eyes fighting to escape.
"Get out Laura..you aren't supposed to be here." Maeve stands not daring to get closer to her "mother". That swollen pain seeps back into her chest, slowly loosing a way to breathe.
Laura smirks, smiling at what her presence had on her disappointment of a daughter. Laura moves and leans against the desk, looking down at Maeve.  "What a shit hole of a place you work in, you know they're missing you those men you left. Oh and how rude of you to leave Nick.. he'd done nothing wrong to you~" she harshly pats Maeve's cheek giving a bit of a red mark forming.

"Is it me or you've become fatter?? How will those men and Nick when you take him back feel? They'll have to whip you into shape." She taps again, Maeve being fed up.

On the outside of the door however... a tall woman in heals stands leaning against the wall and writing down the information she hears. There was so much her hand started to cramp.

"Amelia Roberts..., give Maeve some privacy." Charlotte drags her away, not being able to finish assessing what was happening inside the room, burning by the touch of the wall.

A/N - TY!!! This tooo quite a while to write, I wanted to give intention behind the movements :)