Broken (Edited edition)

Easter

Mark says we'll leave after Easter, because he loves spending the holidays with family. I can't believe it's only been four months since I've been with Mark. It's felt so much longer, yet only four months. This morning we're going out for breakfast with both sides of his family." It'll be fun, don't worry. You'll be in between Nona and me." He says, helping me pull on my coat. I've been kind of sore since the black out, and Mark has been tending to my every need. I went to get up to go the bathroom yesterday, and he acted like I was going to vomit. But today, he seems a bit more calm. He's not freaking out at my every move, and he let me pour my own syrup on my pancakes. I button my coat up, and he pulls my hood out from underneath my coat. He covers the top of my head with it, and we walk out into the living room. Mark told me I had to look nice, and had bought me a dark midnight blue dress. It goes down to my knees, looks like I have an Alice in Wonderland dress on. My hair is curled, with a small bow keeping my bangs out of my face. I have a silver necklace on, and clip on earrings. Mark asks me to put on heels on today, and they hurt the tip of my toes.

Nona almost starts crying when she sees me." You so beautiful." She says, and rubs my cheek." You look beautiful too." I tell her, and she kisses my cheek. Mark is wearing a suit, and so is Thomas. Mark picks me up, and he carries me to the car. When we get into the car, I feel a sort of weight on my chest. A dinner, with family. That's just...weird. Isn't it? I mean, it's not even my real family. But, they feel like my real family. Mark and I sit in the back of the car, and I read in my head as Nona drives to the other Mom's house. I flip through pages as I finish each page, and finish over thirty pages before we get to the street where other Nona is." Hey, we're here. You get to meet all of your cousins today." Mark says, and I look at him." Cousins? I don't have any cousins." I say, and he grins." Now you do, my nieces are now your cousins. They're Dee's grandchildren." He says, and takes the book from me." You get this back when you talk for at least two minutes to one of them." He says, and I look heartbroken as he puts it in his jacket pocket." But...Mark."

"No buts, you need to start socializing now. You haven't left the house for a little bit. So I want you to at least speak to one of the girls. Only one, and you get the book back." He says, and we open our car doors." I don't believe that socializing will increase my sanity in any way. I believe that socializing starts with the parents, and when that is complete then they can slowly start with people their age. I have not been socialized with you a full 100 percent." I say, and he smiles." You will soon, but hang out with family." He says, and I sigh." Fine, I will." I tell him, and he rubs my hair. Nona knocks on the door, and the other Nona opens the door." Welcome, so glad you all could make it for Easter." She says, hugging to two boys, Nona, and patting my head." Come in, come in! I've just put the duck and turkey in the oven. Should be done by dinner time." She says, and we take our coats off." Wow, Dee sure is happy around the seasons." I say, Thomas smirks as he takes a soda from the cooler." That's basically our family kiddo." He says, and I walk into the living room. Tons of kids are roaming around having fun. Parents chatting while drinking a beer or water, smiling at one another.

Two girls notice me, smiling as they skip over to me. They both have brown hair, one's taller than the other with bright white teeth. She keeps smiling at me, her dark brown hair in long pigtails. She's wearing a dress similar to mine but it's red, matching her red lipstick." Hi, I'm Silvia. This is Sophia my sister. You must be Uncle Mark's daughter huh?" She asks, her voice is very loud. The adults look over at us, and I start cowering. Sophia, the other girl, stands there grinning like her sister. Her hair is one long braid, and she's wearing a pale green dress on." What's your name? How old are you? How long have you been with Mark? Are you his real daughter?" They continue to ask me questions, I start sweating. My hands are shaking, my heartbeat rising. I feel sick." Lyca? Is everything okay?" I turn around to see Mark standing there, and I fall into his pant leg. He touches my head slightly, and looks up at his nieces." Now I told you girls, you have to be gentle with her. Didn't I?"