Bitter A Prequel: the Marjorie and Siobhan Backstory

Returned Changed

TW: mention of the injuries in the aftermath of abuse, suspected child abuse

Marjorie's eyes began to flutter open, but she kept them shut in the dark. For a moment everything was right in the world, and then reality began to sink back in, and she remembered her friend was gone. As her senses began to awaken, she realized her bed felt oddly tilted.

She opened her eyes to find ocean blue eyes staring back at her. She sat bolt upright from the shock, but also because part of Marjorie thought she might have finally lost it. Was she imagining her there? She flicked the switch on her bedside lamp, and there she was.

Marjorie noticed Siobhan's eyes were darker and more sunken in than usual. Neither spoke as Marjorie's mind began to panic. She surveyed her friend's body. There were bruises around her wrists that were in various stages of healing. She could see yellow ones that looked like fingerprints and deep purple ones that seemed to come from something thin being wrapped too tightly around them. As she looked her over, she saw other healing and fresh bruising. It left Marjorie wondering what bruises her clothes might be hiding.

She moved to pull Siobhan into a hug when Siobhan jerked away. "Do not touch me." She said it as if each word had its own punctuation. Marjorie was startled and maybe a little bit hurt. "Jorie, please, just lay with me. I want to be close, but you can't touch me right now. I just can't right now. I can't ..." As she trailed off, she began to cry.

Marjorie watched as the tears came down her face, but she didn't say a word. She just settled back on the bed taking care not to touch her friend or bump her in any way. They lay facing each other. Their noses barely separated, but not quite touching.

Marjorie didn't want to pressure Siobhan, but she wanted to know what happened and how she got into this state. She knew her own eyes were full of questions, but her friend's eyes didn't hold answers. They were devoid of everything. Almost dead. The tears burned the corners of Marjorie's eyes, and she felt the warm streams escape and make trails across her cheeks to the pillow below.

Her heart was breaking for Siobhan, and she still wasn't sure what happened. Siobhan drifted off to sleep, Marjorie finally dared to gently draw her hand into her own. "I will protect you now, Jorie, no one will hurt you here."

Meanwhile...

Charles was sat at his desk on a Saturday morning which was not where he wanted to be. He was accustomed to playing golf on the weekends. He certainly hadn't planned on having to clean up this mess.

"Pastor Serpent, please?" The receptionist might have answered, but he knew full well he would be in his parish office. He always was on a Saturday unless he had the girl on some trip. Charles had thus far turned a blind eye to what Sam was doing to the young girl, but that was about to stop. His investment wouldn't work if the girl wasn't around to make it happen.

"This is Pastor Serpent. How can I help?"

"Sam, this is Charles Van Gould." He could hear the man go still on the other end of the phone. "I need you to listen to me and I need you to heed this one and only warning. The girl is here. She made her way up the latter in the wee hours of the morning. You know our deal. If something like this happens again, not only will my investment in your church be withdrawn, but you will pay for the breach with your own flesh. The girl will stay her until she is ready to leave. There will be no more church trips for her, and if you ever put one finger on her again, I will end your life, and they will never find your body. Understood?"

Sam replied that he had understood with a shutter in his voice. Charles knew the man would not cross him again. He was known for being ruthless in business, but only few had known the cost of crossing him. Now he was left with one task. He called his travel agent and made all the arrangements. "Oh, no, just for one this time. Thank you."

He found Aileen in the lounge. "Good morning, my dear, I was thinking about how hard you have been working around here and I believe you deserve a treat." Her attention was piqued. "I have booked a solo trip for you for two weeks. How does that sound?" Nothing was ever good enough for her he thought as she negotiated for her sister to come with her. "That is fine. I will call my agent back and make it a trip for two."

With her out of the way the girls will have free rein, and after all this time he may finally find a way.