Proud - Keep You

Chapter 2

The following Monday morning, I woke up with Claire gone. She’d have gone to work, as she has to get up early in the morning for it. Although, I got up and started doing my morning routine, before starting to make my way round to (Your name)’s.

Monday mornings, Wednesday afternoons, all day Friday and Saturday mornings, are the days that I see Ivy and (Your name). I have to see them at different times and days as I have to flex around the time of (Your name)’s job and my job, plus Ivy’s home school and play house time.

Smiling, I walked up the pathway to the front door of (Your name)’s house, that had the sun shining on it. Although, I noticed an unfamiliar atmosphere upon the house: it seemed down, dull and dark. I don’t know what’s been going on, but as I look over to the living room window, the curtains are pulled. She must still be in bed.

Knocking gently on the door, I waited for a couple of moments, before the door opened ajar, although a gold chain lock appeared, before a face appeared around the door “hello?” (Your name) asked bitterly. Strange, she never acts like that to someone at the door... It’s usually a nice, bright happy voice to someone. “(Your name), are you okay?” I reply, as she looks at me through squinted eyes and ignores my question. “What’d you want?” She again asks bitterly “it’s Monday... I’ve come here for you and Ivy... Like I usually do,” I say softly, but confused “yeah... And,” she hisses, as I’m taken aback. Something must have happened, which is hunching why the curtains are pulled, the lock on the door and her attitude. “(Your name), are you okay?” I sigh in an exasperated way “yeah. Why?” She’s now sudden and short with her answers, “I’m asking, and I’m worried... Why are you acting like this?” I ask her worriedly, as she sighs and looks down, before shutting the door. Although, I hear her fiddling with the lock, before she opens the door back up and invites me inside.

I step into the house, and the lights are not on, meaning the house is dark. Instantly I notice that Ivy isn’t at home. “Where’s Ivy?” I ask as she leads me into the kitchen, although she sighs “sit down...” She whispers before going over to the kettle and switching it on “Ivy is at Fay’s,” she says quietly “why? You knew I was coming round,” I snap “I know... I’m sorry, but this house isn’t safe for her, so... I told Ivy to stay at Fay’s... If you wanna leave and find Ivy there, then go ahead. I ain’t stopping you,” she says quietly, but I can sense the desperation in her voice. Although, as she gets two coffee mugs out the cupboard, I notice a small rectangular box of contraception pills just by the kettle along with a box of antibiotics. Now things have just started to get a little freaky!

First, the atmosphere of the house, secondly the curtains, thirdly the chain lock on the door, fourthly the attitude and the difference in her voice, fifthly the lights are switched off,  sixthly Ivy is not at home, seventhly the box of contraception pills and antibiotics. Something must have defiantly gone on!

Just as I was adding everything up in my head, (Your name) sits down in front of me with a mug of coffee in her hand, while she passes me a mug of coffee as well. “(Your name)...” I whisper to her, as I take hold of her right hand that is laid on the table, but she starts to tremble, this makes me frown and become scared for her. “What’s wrong?” I whisper, although she remains silent with tears in her eyes, before looking down while shaking her head. Although, I get up and kneel beside her “baby... Tell me, what’s wrong?” I ask her once again, but again... She remains silent. “I know there is...” I whisper as I have hold of her hand still, and my thumb was running over it gently “Tell me, what happened. Why are the lights switched off, the curtains pulled, why does the house seem so dark and evil... Hey? What’s with your attitude and the difference in your voice? Why isn’t Ivy at home, the lock on the door that you have never had? All I wanna do is help you. (Your name), how long have you known me? You know all I want is you to be safe and happy, and if I can help... By a mile I’ll be the first one there to help you. So please... Trust me, I feel like I’ve suddenly lost you, what’s happened? I know something has, otherwise there wouldn’t be antibiotics or contraception pills just over there,” I whisper to her, as she sits there and bursts out crying, even though tears have already fallen.

After a few moments of silence, she manages to calm down and look at me in the eye. “It’s Kevin... He escaped from prison and came after me and Ivy last night for telling you everything. He locked Ivy in my bedroom, even after everything I tried to do to help her, and then he dragged me into the living room and...” She paused to burst out crying “raped me on the sofa,” she whispered the last bit, as my heart crumbled to nearly nothing. All of that happened last night, and I wasn’t there to help them! I felt like I had failed them, even though I had just said that I’d be the first one to help them with anything! “Oh, my, God,” I whispered “I’m so sorry,” she whispered “what? Why baby? Why are you sorry? There’s nothing for you to be sorry about! I’m just gonna beat the shit out of him,” I said softly to her, as she whimpered. “I understand now with the pills. Do you want me to accommodate you at my house?” I asked quietly, as she sat there and shook her head while wiping the tears away “you sure? I want you to be safe,” I said quietly “thank you Aston, but I’ll be fine,” she whispered as I smiled at her.

(Your name)’s POV:

You smiled down at Aston, as he was still kneeled beside you. You turned down his offer for you and Ivy to stay at his, because you already had a plan... A plan that will be made secretly, and told to those you know will keep it safe.