We Have Each Other

4

She could hear her mum shouting with anger. It was as if the venom was travelling through the ceiling up to her bedroom, the muffled voice still crystal clear with annoyance. Kara let another massive tear run down her face. She reached for a tissue and clicked her phone to see a message Lily sent earlier, she almost smiled at the bright cheerful message that contrasted to her situation. She tip toed downstairs to try and hear what her parents were saying. As soon as Kara had realised her dad was leaving she was in a deep state of shock, just pointing mindlessly at her father and saying "Le le le leaving."

As soon as her mum heard her she sent Kara to her room and dragged her husband downstairs and through to the kitchen. Ever since then all Kara could hear was anger vibrating through the walls. As she sat on one of the middle stairs she heard her mum say:

"How could you do this to her Charlie, she was so happy when she thought you were coming home. You say she let you down but you let her down Charlie, you let Kara down."

"What she's doing Georgia, it's not natural." her father replied firmly

"It's our daughter being who she is. She knows that you may not like it but she is still fighting for you after what you have done and she is doing it her way. I am so proud to call her my daughter."

"That's it!" Kara's dad screamed with rage,"you don't think I love her? Of course I love her and I would love her more if she was normal!"

"You should love the fact that she is open about who she loves!"

"Well I know who I definitely don't love!"

"Who?"

"You!"

Kara's mum gasped and was silent for a second, Kara's dad used this opportunity to storm out the room and pass Kara who was sitting on the stairs as he looked at her with a disappointed expression on his face. Kara's mum suddenly ran to the front door and yelled: "You know what! After what you have done to Kara and to me, I don't love you either!"

That night, while both of them shared the pasta bake (eating out of the dish) Kara's mum confided in her daughter and told her what had been happening over the past couple of months.

Lily woke up to see her phone shining bright in the dark. She picked it up and saw the text message from Kara:

Dad was never coming back. He's gone for good.

Lily was so confused, what had happened? She read the texts from the past few days over and over until her eyes were sore. She then thought about everything until her head was sore. She then went back to sleep, knowing that tomorrow everything will be revealed.

Kara told her everything once she'd got into school. About how she went to her fathers office and he said that he was coming back. How he went to the house to collect more clothes and leave but Kara's mum took him downstairs to shout at him. But that wasn't all, Kara then cried,

"He cheated on my mother, it was only once but my mum found out and confronted him one night. She said that, that.."

Kara started crying uncontrollably, her lips quivering.

"Take your time," Lily said reassuringly, "I'm here for you."

Lily hated to see her girlfriend like this, she put her arms around her and could feel the tears welling up in her own eyes but she blinked them back. She had to be strong for Kara.

"Well, she said he hit her. My dad hit my mum, I was at your house that night apparently. She said it was a sub conscious reaction."

Kara burst into another set of tears. Lily hugged her tight. They then sat silently on that broken bench which seemed so small compared to the big problems they were facing.