Every bone in her body wanted to run as far as she could as soon as she stepped out of the vehicle. The entire journey to the nursery had felt like hell, all she could think of was her face. In all honesty in this moment she had forgotten about the bruises that littered her body and the abuse she had faced because all she could focus on was her appearance. She looked ugly and that's all she cared about. What would everyone think of her if she turned up in this manner? She could hear the laughter echoing through her mind once they saw her.
She stood frozen to her spot, her legs refusing to take a single step towards the building. That was until she felt a rough hand tug at her arm, pulling her across the car park.
"Don't make me have to drag you in their Siobhan you've embarrassed me enough as it is. Move." the blonde barely cared about the threat but the thought of getting humiliated even further her pushed her towards the door of the building. She just wished that of all people she did not see Vivian today. She had told the raven haired woman far too much, if she saw her today alarm bells were certain to go off in her head.
As much as she wanted her to notice, to soothe her as she cried she knew it was not realistic and would cause issues for everyone.
Once the pair had got to the door of the nursery, she frantically put the code in as her hands shook violently. She heard the man beside her scoff at her attempts, seemingly getting rather aggravated. Eventually, the two walked into the building, speed walking towards the office. Roger didn't want to be there any more than Siobhan did but he was insistent that he kept an eye on her. He truly hated coming to the nurseries, in actual fact he just hated children in general.
The door to Marjorie's office felt like the entrance to her own personal hell. If it had been Autumn there who she was to work with, it may have made the situation easier. Autumn kept to herself, she asked no questions and simply minded her own business. Marjorie however was a very chatty woman and if she felt as if something was wrong she would ask, no doubt. The times in which she had opened up to Vivian already replayed through her mind daily, a stab of regret in her heart that refused to leave. He had forced her into silence and isolation for so long that it felt criminal to speak up to anybody who offered help. Each time, he was there screaming in her brain, stopping her from opening up to anybody. Since dating Roger it had been as if a tight muzzle had been placed over her face, unable to speak, unable to fight back, just forever controlled by him and his ghastly ways.
The second she stepped into the office she could immediately feel the stares burning through her skin. It was very rare that the blonde came in, especially with her partner.
"Oh! Siobhan it's nice to see you... and Roger" she swallowed hard, trying her hardest to make the situation less uncomfortable. Her attempts failed immediately, the tension in the room slowly building.
"Marjorie" the blonde spoke, her eyes permanently glued to the floor. Roger simply nodded before rolling his eyes, clearly unamused by the interaction. The fact that he was stood with her made her breath catch in her throat, he had been getting sloppy lately. What if he hurt her in front of Marjorie? What if he belittled and humiliated her? The silence throughout the room was deadly, neither of the women daring to speak.
"Well. I am going, I was just dropping Siobhan in. Have a good day Marjorie." his voice sharp and threatening, his hatred for both of the women evident as he spoke. He pushed himself out of the office and began to walk back down the hallway towards the car park.
As he walked, he bumped into somebody their shoulders crashing against eachother. He hadn't been paying attention to his surroundings, truthfully he didn't believe he should have to. He was the owner of this nursery, they could accustom to him.
"Watch where you're going do you kn-" he cut himself off as he looked at the woman who he had crashed into. Vivian. He had immense amounts of hatred in his heart for hundreds of people he had interacted with, but this woman threatened him. She threatened his masculinity, his power and his control and for that he despised her the most out of the all. He would never admit it but he was humiliated after their interaction in the hospital which angered him even further.
"My apologises" her sarcastic tone did not go unnoticed by the older man. Before he could reply the pair heard a small voice pipe up from the side of her.
"Mummy who's this?" Roger instantly noticed the way her eyes shot open, he could sense the way her heart was pounding against her chest and at that he grinned widely.
"This is nobody Jamie. We have to go now" she shot him a look of warning as she sped down the corridor. She loved Siobhan with every fibre of her being but there was no way in hell that she was going to let Jamie get hurt in the process of helping her escape. He was her everything, her world, and she would do anything for that kid.
Roger made his way out of the building, a plan already forming in his mind. He couldn't help but smile as everything came together, she would not get in his way.
Meanwhile in the office, the two woman had barely spoke, Siobhan not wanting to discuss what had happened and Marjorie too afraid to ask. They had simply greeted one another and got to work, no questions asked. That was until Marjorie's thoughts began clawing away at her, making her unable to focus on any of the work before her. She deeply inhaled before asking the question she had waited so long to ask.
"Siobhan." the blondes eyes darted up towards her, knowing exactly what she was about to say. "Are you okay? I know we haven't gotten on in the past but that doesn't mean I won't... help you if you need it." she felt her eyes soften as the older woman spoke. It frightened her when people were gentle and kind with her, it was such an unusual phenomenon to her that it terrified her. It felt fake, as if there was a hidden agenda. What were they trying to find out?
"I am fine Marjorie." she sighed, slouching her shoulders and turning back towards her computer, hoping that the conversation would end there.
"So tell me. What happened to your nose? What are the bruises from that you hide underneath your scarves and long sleeves? What did I see in the car park the other day?" as much as she didn't want to push the blonde, it pained her to watch her continue on the way she had. Vivian had told her to leave it but in truth, she just couldn't.
As much as Siobhan felt grateful that somebody had noticed, had cared enough to notice, she couldn't help but feel furious at the exchange. How dare she interrogate her on something so serious in a place so public.
"That's enough." she shouted, catching the other woman off guard. "You can keep yourself and your conspiracy theories far away from my life." at that she got up from her desk rushing to the bathroom to console herself before she broke down in front of her.
As she crashed into the staff bathroom she was glad that nobody had been in there. She rushed to the stall at the end, locking it and bringing her hands up to cover her face. Slowly falling to the ground, she now sat crouched on the cold tiles on the bathroom, afraid to move.
She had to get out of there. She had to get out of that town. She had to get out of that relationship. She had enough and she would no longer continue to sit and suffer like this.
She would leave. Disappear without a trace.
She continued to sit on the cold floor, a plan forming in her mind, taking in to account specific times in which her partner would be out, what she would take with her, where she would go, what money she would take. All of it was planned exactly to the T.
There was one and only one flaw in her plan. Vivian. The woman she loved with her whole heart, who had given so much to make her happy and to give her a chance at friendship. She couldn't put he in danger by giving her the knowledge of her disappearance, Roger would immediately turn to her to get information. If she didn't have it, he would have no reason to continue harassing her and interfering with her life. It was for the best she told herself again and again. Yet she never believed it.
For the remainder of the day, the two women sat in silence as they worked. Siobhan was desperate to get out of there, so she could finally escape this hell in which she was living.
As the clock finally struck 5pm, she raced out of the office, awaiting Roger's arrival. It might have seemed odd but she was overwhelmingly excited for him to get there, she wanted to see him. To sit in that car and know that he would never see her again. She would be free.
She smiled slightly as the car swiftly pulled into the car park. It was time.
