Perfected for Sin

2:7

"Momma?"

Tanner folded up the newspaper before looking over at Danny who still had slight bruising around her neck.

"What's up, kiddo?"

"Can you sit in the bathroom while I shower? Mac is at practice and I don't want to be alone."

"Yeah, I'll wait outside until you give me the all clear to come in."

"Thanks."

"Anything for you, baby girl."

Tanner helped the girl up the stairs and into the bathroom before closing the door, standing outside.

The tattooed girl sat on the sink reading one of Autumn's books.

"Do you ever feel okay again?"

Tanner was silent for a minute allowing her to go back to the times she hated the most.

"Yeah you will be. You'll find the person that makes you feel okay and understands what you need to stay okay."

"Is that mom?"

"Yeah it is. My old way of coping was to drink and hook up with people. I stopped when I met your mom, she made me feel good about myself again."

"I love Mac, Momma, but I just don't want to be touched, in an intimate way from her right now."

"You don't want to touched by your romantic partner and that's okay, Mac understands. Everyone needs space afterwards it's just the way your brain reacts.  I won't lie, you'll feel broken for a while but I promise it will get better. He'll never bother you again."

A while later Tanner stepped out of the bathroom so Danny could get dressed, she waited upstairs so the girl wasn't alone.

"How about we watch a movie?"

Danny fell asleep in the security of her Mommas arms with Tanner falling not long after.

In the kitchen Jasmine and Autumn made dinner, silently.

"How's school going?"

"Pretty good."

"Look, sweetheart, I know that your Momma and I's attention has been directed towards Danny a little more but you understand why, right?"

"I understand, mom. Danny always put me first now it's time we put Danny first."

"I'm proud of you."

Autumn placed a kiss against her daughter's forehead before starting to cut the carrots.

"Now I was thinking that for your field trip, Momma could chaperone because I'm working longer shifts at the hospital because we're short staffed. Would that be okay? If not I may be able to go."

"I guess."

"What's wrong? Be honest."

"Will she be okay to go? It's terrible to say but I just don't want her to freak out if she forgets."

Jasmine looked down at the wood floor ashamed of her, dropping her voice to a whisper.

"I don't want everyone to make fun of me."

Autumn stopped to think for a minute before breaking the silence.

"I'll take you."

They all sat around the table for dinner, listening to Mac talk about football and Jasmine about the upcoming school field trip.

"I thought Momma was chaperoning?"

Danny asked looking bored at her sister's excitement.

"No I'm going since I've been working a lot lately. I figured we could spend some time together."

Tanner just nodded her head at the new information before putting her plate in the sink along with Autumn's.

"I'm going to go watch the game upstairs."

"Alright, love, I'll be up in a minute."

"Hang out with the kids for a while, you've been working a lot lately."

After a few hours, Autumn made her way upstairs to find Tanner in bed almost asleep.

"I'm sorry, okay, but she expressed her concerns about it. That's what we have raised them to do."

"Why didn't she talk to me? I'd fix it."

"Love, you can't fix it. You can't just stop forgetting."

"What?"

"She's scared you'll forget and panic...... she's embarrassed."

Tanner stayed silent as Autumn got into bed.

"So you're embarrassed of me?"

"No, I'm just worried because you're not acknowledging the fact that you're not the same anymore. I don't love you any less, I've just learned to love you a little differently."

"It's okay to say you don't love me."

"Tanner Sin look at me!"

The tattooed girl turned her attention towards her pissed off wife.

"If I had a sliver of doubt in my love for you I would have taken the kids and left. Did I leave?"

"No."

Autumn straddled Tanner as the tattooed hands ran up her sides. She watched as Autumn pulled the shirt over her head.

"Good answer."

The shorter girl smiled before reaching to unhook her bra.

"Would I ever leave?"

"I think it would depend on what I did."

"Wrong answer, try again."

She dropped her hands to play with the string on Tanner's sweatpants.

"We're playing this game?"

"I mean I can put my shirt back on."

"No, no but I'll help you take this off."