Help.

2

Flashback:
I covered the fresh bruise on my eye the best I could with some make up. He hit me harder than he ever had last night. He claimed that I was cheating on him with Mitch but I wasn't. I had to hurry and pick up Leah from day care. I was late again because of Alex.

I got there only a few minutes later than I said I would be there and that made me glad. I walked in greeting the day care lady before signing her out. Leah ran up to me with her best friend Katie. Leah told me something funny that Katie had said and I smiled the best I could but I could barely focus with the throbbing from my eye.

"Your eye looks weird." Katie said and I tried the best i could to smile and act like it was nothing.

"Yeah daddy what happened?" Leah asked but I just smiled weakly at her.

     "I accidentally hurt myself baby but it's okay." I said and picked her up.

     "Bye Katie!" Leah exclaimed and Katie waved before running back to the table with a teacher to continue playing cards with her.

     I carried Leah out to the car and buckled her in her car seat. "Are we going to uncle mitchies?" Leah asked as I got into the drivers seat.

     The realization hit me, there was no way I could hide this from Mitch if he saw me. I had to wait until the swelling went down and the bruise was easier to cover up.

     "No honey," I said trying to come up with some sort of excuse. We always went to Mitch's house after school. "I'm not feeling that well so we're just gonna go home okay?"

     "Okay." She said aviously disappointed, "Can you feel better soon so we can see him. You're a lot happier around him." She said ending in a whisper.

     "I'm what?" I asked looking back in the review mirror and she shuts shook her head.

     "Nothing." She said and I let it slide. I didn't want to press it and have her repeat on what I thought she said.

      Mitch couldn't find out. I'll never let it happen.

Present:

Mitch set her down and she ran into his living room and Mitch giggled following the young girl.

"Okay so what are we gonna eat for din din, LeLe?" he asked looking in the cupboards, "We could eat some mac and cheese-" he stopped when Leah came into the kitch with a serious look on her face.

"Uncle Mitchie? Can I tell you something?" she asked and Mitch kneeled down next to her.

"You can tell me anything, LeLe, what's wrong?" Mitch asked picking her up and bringing her to one of his bar stools and sitting her down.

"Papa is hitting Daddy." she whispered but Mitch heard her loud and clear he just couldn't process what was happening.

"What?" he asked sitting next to her.

"Daddy lies to me and says nothings happen but you can't lie about tears. He cries a lot after Papa leaves with a bottle and just holds me. Daddy doesn't think I know what's happening but I do. I don't understand though because daddy says that there is no hitting so I don't know why Papa isn't in a time out." Mitch's heart started racing.

"Are you sure it's not playful?" he knew it wasn't but he was hoping.

"Papa always yells calling you and him mean names and makes marks on his face that daddy covers with the pretty powder stuff. Uncle Mitchie? What does slut mean? Papa calls you and daddy that a lot and I don't think he's using it nicely."

"It's a really bad word that you will learn when you are older but I want you to promise to never call someone that." Mitch told her and she nodded.

"Uncle Mitchie?" she asked looking up at him with a sad face.

"Yeah Leah?" Mitch asked brushing some hair out of her eyes.

"I think it's happening right now. That's why Daddy dropped me off cus he didn't want me to see it but I saw Papa slap him and he was really angry at Daddy before we left. And Daddy said they were going to have a serious talk but I know what that means. There's always Papa yelling and Daddy yelping and crying. That's why he was crying in the car." she started crying and Mitch immediately picked her up and his keys that were lying on the counter.

" It's okay, we're gonna be okay. I'm gonna go get your daddy back Okay? Everything is going to be okay." Mitch didn't bother strapping her in just set her in his lap as he sped to Scott and Alex's house.

"Uncle Mitchie... I wish you weren't my uncle." she said as they were driving catching Mitch of guard.

"Why?" mitch asked confused.

"I wish you were my other Dad. Daddy gets along with you better and loves you lots more than Papa. Plus you would never hit Daddy. You know the rule. You get put in a time out." Mitch started to cry. He couldn't believe that this was happening to Scott this entire time.

"Hey Lele?" Mitch asked with tears running down his cheeks. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"How long has Papa been hitting your Daddy?" Mitch asked his voice cracking on his words.

"Since I can remember... Uncle Mitchie I'm sorry for making you cry I just couldn't hold it in anymore."

"No, no, honey you did the right thing." He pulled up to the house and could hear the yelling from inside the car. He ran out with Leah in his arms stopping when he saw a neighbor.

"They've been at it for awhile now. I'm about to file a noise complaint they won't even open the door." Mitch was about to get angry but realized that he didn't know what was actually happening.

Mitch was about to say something when they heard a loud thud and glass shattering. Leah screamed and Mitch's eyes widened along with the neighbor's.

"Call 911!" Mitch yelled before setting Leah down with the neighbor. "Leah stay with your neighbor I'll be right back." he didn't even wait for an answer he just sprinted to the door barging in.