Bloom

Chapter 19

💜Grace💜

I've been having dreams and flashbacks about my childhood, stuff I never think of or even remember, for about a week. A week after all that other stuff happened too. The dreams and flashbacks are horrible. Every time I'm looking at the kid me being assaulted and my momma juts looks through the door smoking a cigarette. I feel like I panic at times too. I wanna talk to her about it.

After me and my momma hugged we walked to the living room and sat down. "What's been up baby?", she asked.

"Some strange stuff that I wanted to talk to you about.", I said.

"Like what?" I explained to her what's been going on and she just looked at me. "Get out." I looked at her confused. "Get out Grace!"

"Momma why are you acting like this? Is it true?"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!", she yelled coving her ears.

"You watched me g-" I was cut off by her smacking me. I held my cheek and looked at her. I don't know who this woman is. I got up and left.

💙Troy💙

Grace has been acting really weird for about a week. She flinches like I'm gonna hit her, she's having nightmares every night horrible ones, she doesn't hug me with both arms, she zones out, she cries for no reason, she doesn't wanna be alone with me, she doesn't even like me holding her, and she seems so fragile like if we argue or I raise my voice she's breaking down. I don't know what's going on but I want my old Grace back.

While I was changing Hazel in the living room I heard the door close. "I'm in the living room!", I shouted.

"What are you doing?", Grace asked looking at me.

"Changing Hazel."

"Move!" She moved my hand and took Hazel. She looked in her diaper then closed it. "You alright? He didn't hurt you right?"

"I didn't hurt her? Grace what the fuck is going on?", I asked standing up. She held Hazel close to her then backed away to the stairs. She went up the stairs. What the fuck is going on?

...

It's been two hours since I seen Grace or Hazel and it's been a week since Grace has been herself. I want my woman back. She went from being my Grace to being wild Grace to being Broken Grace and I don't know what's going on.

While I was pouring some juice Grace walked in. She started getting out stuff to make dinner. I looked at her and wanted to cry. The woman I love hasn't been here for months. I need her back. I walked to her and turned her around. I hugged her tightly even though she stayed stiff. "I don't know what happened or where things went wrong but please come back to me Grace.", I said. I let her go then started leaving.

"I'm sorry.", I heard Grace say with a crack in her voice. I turned and saw tears coming down her face. "I'm sorry for when I was partying and acting an ass and I'm sorry for now. I don't know what's going on. My mom smacked me today and I've been having dreams and flashbacks and I've been panicking. I'm so sorry.", she cried. I took the spatula and pan from her hands.

"Can I hold you?"

"Please." I held her and she broke down.

"What's going on baby?", I asked sitting her on the counter. I stood between her legs and looked at her. She broke down again so I held her again.

After a while she calmed down. "You ready to talk?", I asked? She nodded. Her phone rung. I grabbed and tried giving it to her she pushed it away. I answered it.

Me:Hello?
Unknown:Hello this is Doctor Taylor. Is Grace around?

I looked at Grace confused.

Me:No this is her husband though, I can take a message.
Dr.Taylor:I just wanted to tell her that we got her results back from her rape kit and she's all clean.

Rape kit?

Me:Okay I'll let her know. Thank you.
Dr.Taylor:No problem. Could you have her give me a call though? There's something important we need to talk about.
Me:Okay will do.

"That was Dr.Taylor.", I said. Grace looked at me with her mouth opened a little. "He said your results from your rape kit came back and you're all clean.", I said. She didn't move her eyes just got watery. I picked my hands up and rested them on my head as I took everything in and she jumped. She started breathing hard. "It's ok. I'm not mad.", I said calming her down. "Come on. Let's sit on the couch and talk.", I said helping her down after she got calmed. We walked to the living room then sat down. "Talk to me Grace.", I said.

"I haven't felt myself since my postpartum. I guess I've been being wild to feel ok." She grabbed my hand and held it tight. "When I was wearing that all black I was raped in someone's car in the parking lot of the club. I think I was abused when I was a kid. The dreams and stuff I've been having have been of the kid me being abused and my mom just watching. I talked to her today and she got mad and smacked me. I'm sorry.", Grace said as a tear fell. I hugged her.

"We're gonna figure this all out baby. It's ok." I pulled away and looked at her in her eyes so she knows what I'm about to say is true. "Grace I promise, I will never hit you or Hazel or do things that shouldn't be done to you guys. When you looked in her diaper earlier that hurt me Grace. I would never do nothing inappropriate with our daughter Grace and I'll kill someone if they did."

"I'm sorry. I just I feel like I gotta be careful now, I know you'd never hurt her." We hugged again.

"We gone figure out what's going on with you Grace. I promise.", I said.

💜Grace💜

I just got out of the shower. Troy took care of Hazel and now he's putting her to sleep. He made us some burgers for dinner earlier.

While I was drifting off Troy walked in with the baby monitor. She sleeps through the night most of the time. "You ready to knock out?", Troy asked.

"Kinda, not really.", I said as he sat down. "I don't wanna have a nightmare.", I said.

"I got you." He kissed my head. "Can I hold you tonight?"

"Yes." He presses play on the movie then got comfortable so did I in his arms.