Mindless Love 2

Chapter 2

Serena

Daniel stood before us, his eyes bloodshot. After a few moments he stumbled into our bedroom, and closed the door behind him.

"Well, I think that's our cue to go." Leah said, standing up from the couch. Chres agreed and stood up with her. "Come on Amira, its time to go." He said to her.

A deep frown settled on both Amira's and Sapphire's faces. "Auntie Lee, why can't I stay?" Amira asked Leah.

"Its getting too late, so we have to go. But I'll take you and Sapphire out for ice cream next weekend. " Leah promised her niece.

"Yay!!" Both girls exclaimed in unison.

"Say good night to everyone and go brush your teeth." I told Sapphire. She hugged Leah, Chres, and Amira then skipped off to the bathroom.

Leah gave me one last reassuring hug before she left, and I shut the door behind her. But as I turned around, I was struck in my face, making me fall to the ground.

"What the hell do you take me for!?" Daniel slurred angrily,  his eyes an unnatural shade of red. Just great. He was drunk.

I didn't reply as I held my hand over my cheek, not believing that he had just hit me. He promised that he would never do it again.

Daniel forcefully pulled me to my feet and slammed me against the wall adjacent to the front door.

"What do you take me for woman?" he repeated, screaming in my face. "I went to the salon to pick you up and you weren't there!"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" I shoved him away from me, getting angry my damn self.

"You weren't there when I went to pick you up. Where were you?" He glared at me and I narrowed my eyes.

"I waited for you for half an hour and you didn't show up! I can't be waiting for you like that when I have to get my daughter!" I screamed. Before I could even blink, Daniel punched me in my eye. "Your daughter? I've been taking care of that child all her life and she's your daughter?"

I didn't dare say anything else to Daniel,  in fear of getting him angrier. He was drunk, and he isn't rational when he's drunk.

"Mommy?" Sapphire was stood in the living room, watching the scene unfold before her.

"Go to bed baby, I'll come read you a story later." I told her. She was frozen In place, looking at Daniel and me in complete terror.

"You heard her , go to bed!" he yelled at Sapphire, and she scurried off to her room.

Once Sapphire was out of sight, he slapped me one last time before going to our room and slamming the door behind him. I slumped to the floor and held my head in my hands.

Why didn't I leave him? Well, he said it himself. He's been supporting Sapphire all her life, and I wasn't able to do it by myself. Without Daniel, Sapphire and I would probably be on the streets. I needed him.

****

"Sapphire, lets go!" I shouted to my daughter who was still in her room. It was Monday morning, and as usual, we were running late. I didn't have to work on Mondays, but I still had to get my daughter to school. Usually Daniel would take her, but after last night's blowout I was pretty sure that Sapphire was afraid to be around him. Frankly I was too. I had to cover up my face with a layer of make-up so my bruises and black eye wouldn't be noticeable.

I remember last night how terrified Sapphire looked when I walked in her room to read her a story.  When I asked her why she was so afraid, her response was that she thought that I was Daniel and that he was going to hurt her next. I knew that Daniel would never hurt her, but her saying that broke my heart.