The Blaze Before Dawn

Without You

Rosa carried Tommy around as he slightly whined.

"Ya mama will be here soon honey." She said as she tried to stir the pot and have food ready before Blaze came back.

A few minutes later Blaze walked through the door with crutches on. She saw her son and her darkness turned into light. She put her crutches to the side and sat down as Rosa handed Tommy to Blaze.

"Mommy's baby!" She said smiling in excitement to see her son. as soon as she laid eyes on Tommy she instantly fell in love. She often called him bash because she hated Tommy and didn't really want to call her son that. Baby Tommy was the joy of her world, her heart, and her happiness. She'd never been in love like this until she saw her son. She thanked God for this child and thanked God that baby Tommy chose her. She wanted to keep him away from all the dark things life had to offer including his father.

When she contemplated suicide she just couldn't do it. Even though the life she lived was hell she couldn't destroy herself or what was growing inside of her. Every time she sees baby Tommy's face she sees the beauty of life and loves the fact that she kept him. Though he was a product of non-consensual sex and the product of her abuser; she was in love and knew his life deserved a chance no matter the circumstance.

She really wished Bash was Rome's son but she loved her little angel even though he was also Tommy's son.

Rosa instantly noticed that Blaze did not return how she left. She had a black eye, a cut around her lip, and her ankle was sprained.

"Buenos Diaz Blaze, how was the trip?"

"It was great thanks. Did bash give you a hard time?"

"That's good and child I have seven children so nothing I can't handle." She chuckled, "so what happened to your ankle?"

Blaze looked up and hurried up and said she was running down the beach and tripped on a stick. Rosa knew that was absolute bullshit. Truth is Tommy is utterly abusive. All the broken bones and bruises, the houseworkers were no fools. Truth is while they were in Puerto Rico, he told Blaze to cover up previous bruises from his abuse while they were on the beach but she forgot to and he felt like she was secretly screaming for help.

Once they got back to the hotel room he punched her in her face multiple times and choked her and pushed her down the steps of his suite. L

Blaze had no idea how violent Tommy was. His rants were constant and extreme. She was terrified of him, and especially feared for her son. He had sent her to the hospital more than she could count and doesn't go a week without violently putting his hands on her. She just sat and daydreamed that this house belonged to her and Rome and that Kelani, Eighties, Blaire, and Kailyn would all come through the door and celebrate life with her. It all hurt so bad still.

Tommy walked over and grabbed Bash from Blaze. She hated Tommy touching her son. She sat there and watched intently. Freedom was now a memory to her. Everyday she wondered how Kelani was doing. If Blaze could redo life she would've much rather struggle then to kill people and lose all her loved ones.

She sat with her son in her lap in his room watching cartoons. He was six months and it had been a a year and some change since the tragedy. She knew there were more years to come in captivity. Everyday without Rome hurt more and more. And she knew it would've been his 21st birthday today. She wondered how his mother and sister were taking things. She missed him beyond words and she was still very much in love with him. She still refused to fully accept Blaire being dead and unable to save her.

Her son fell asleep and she laid him down and went into the bathroom and got nude. She was tired of looking at herself all battered and bruised up. The girl she was looking at wasn't who she really was. She knew she had to look out for Bash and protect him, it wasn't about her anymore.