Melwood: Another Chance

19

"He wants to take Cal away from us" I sob.

"Mama what do you mean?!" Cal cries

"Well" I say trying to calm myself down so I don't freak Cal out as much "you remember that man we took you to see? Your- your father?"

"Yeah.."

"Well he went to someone who can decide who gets to look after you, and he asked them if they could get him permission to have you live with him.."

"But I want to live with you!" He screams

"I know baby, but everything is going to be okay.. Chris and I won't let him take you." I say as I bring him into a hug and stroke the back of his head.

"I don't want to leave you, mama. I don't want to" He says shaking his head, sobbing.

"Baby, I know.. I know and I'm going to do everything I can so you can stay with me." I say to Cal. I look over to Chris and see nothing anger on his face.

"Chris.. hey, look it's going to be okay, okay? We will sort this out and we will win... we will win" I say trying to convince myself more than anything.

"Okay.." Chris replies. "When is the court date?"

"uhh 4 weeks" I say, shaking.

"Well do we have anything we can use against him? Anything that could help our case?"

"There is something... but I'm not completely comfortable doing it.." I reply slowly, knowing he is going to ask what it is.

"If you don't mind me asking.. what is it?" He asks carefully.

"Well umm.. it's.. The only person who knows is Chyler, she helped me with most of it and, well I haven't told anyone else about it because I'm scared of what might happen... and I guess I still don't tell anyone because whenever it happened he would say if I told bad things would happen and-"

"Mel, it's okay if you don't want to tell me, if you don't want me to know that's okay but could you let the court know about it some other way?" He cuts me off

"No- no you need to know.." I reply, meeting his eyes

"Only if you want me to, Mel"

"Cal, baby can you get up for a second?" I ask my son who is clinging to my shirt like his life depends on it, in a way.. it kind of does.

"No mama" he replies flatly.

"Okay.. okay" I say as I stand up and hold him on my hip. "So I guess I just show you, right?"

"I guess? But Mel, if you really don't feel comfortable doing it then you don't have to"

"No, if it means I get to keep my baby then I'll do it." I reply as I start to life up my shirt, revealing a myriad of scars that I've tried so desperately to hide over the past three years.

Chris' face fills with sadness and sympathy, he observes the marks that are left from my previous marriage. He brings his eyes to meet mine and all I can see as I look into them is pure sorrow.

"Mel... I- I'm so sorry"

"No don't apologise.. it's not your fault, you had nothing to do with this" I pull my shirt down and hold Cal with both hands "it all happened way before I met you"

"Yeah, but I still feel so bad you had to go through that.. does he have..?" Chris asks as my points to Cal who is still holding on to me with all his strength.

"No- no no he doesn't," I reply stroking Cal back.

"Oh that was a stupid question, I'm sorry. You left before he was born, he only met him last week. I'm sorry my brain is just-"

"Hey, no it's okay. That wasn't stupid" I say as I sit down next to him. "You're just worried.... so am I, but I really believe that it's okay, it's all going to be okay, it has to be. I can't believe I trusted him.. this is all my fault"

"It's not your fault, he manipulated the situation... like you said, everything will be okay"

I couldn't say anything else, the words evaporated before they made it out so, I just sat there hugging the two people I loved and needed the most.

@/arrowversetrash