Mommy's House

20

"WHAT IS WRONG? You were crying," Sir pointed out as Bella shoveled a copious amount of the fast food on the table into her mouth. She scarfed down french fries and a half of a burger within a matter of seconds, while Mommy stared at her with a judgmental gaze.

"You are going to get fat if you continue eating like a pig," Mommy said, slapping at Bella's hand when she reached to eat more french fries. Bella swallowed what she had in her mouth and stared at Mommy with swollen eyes. "Nobody will want you if you continue. You should be happy that I am feeding you at all."

Bella nodded quietly. "Thank you," she whispered, her fingers spreading against her knees as she stared down at the wooden table in front of her.

"Why were you crying? Tell me now, you have no reason to be upset," Mommy asked, gripping Bella's wrists with her wrinkled, cold fingers and staring into her eyes. Bella found it difficult to stare back into the beady, black irises, so she adverted her gaze almost instantly.

"Uh, just... my older brother, he yelled at me," Bella mumbled. She didn't know why she told the truth, but what she did know was that she immediately regretted it when she noticed Mommy's eyes darkening as she stood to her feet.

"Why would he yell at you?" Mommy growled, her eyes narrowing.

Bella swallowed and shook her head, looking at Sir who seemed angry though the hood covering his eyes made it difficult to decipher his expression.

"I- he didn't, I promise," Bella said, watching as Mommy started for the basement door and gestured for her boyfriend to follow her. "Please don't hurt him, he's been through enough!" Bella yelled after them.

When they were already down the stairs, Bella grabbed a packaged burger and shoved it in her dress before she started down the steps after them in panic. Her heart was racing and her lungs were pinching together, not allowing any air through.

When she got down the stairs, the door to their room was open, while Mommy and Sir stood there staring hungrily at Cole. Bella walked inside the room slowly, guilt clouding her eyes as she bit down on her lip.

Cole didn't seem worried, but Elliot had his head buried in his arms and his body was shaking with sobs.

"Did you yell at my daughter?" Mommy asked, her words a dull growl as Cole leaned his head against the wall.

"Yeah," Cole answered, and Bella shook her head, hot tears piercing the corners of her eyes.

"Why the fuck did you do that?" Mommy tilted her head as she knelt to Cole's level, staring into his eyes. "Huh?" she tormented. "Are you jealous of her? That she looks more like me and you look more like your disgusting father?"

Cole's tired, electric irises stared at Bella, holding a hard gaze. Bella's eyes softened and begged for forgiveness, but it didn't seem to faze him.

"No, it's because she's fucked up," he said, his eyes never leaving Bella's. "That's why."

Bella swallowed and stared at the ground as Mommy roughly grabbed the bottom of his shirt. Her hand flew up to cover her mouth as Mommy forced him to turn around, his shirt off. She noticed healed marks littering his back already, it wasn't many but the large slashes seemed extremely painful.

"Come here, Sweetheart," Mommy ordered, and Bella looked at her.

"W-why?" she asked quietly, rubbing her eye.

"Come here," Mommy repeated, her voice stern this time.

Cole stared at the wall, his forehead pressed against it as he knew exactly what was going to happen.