Chapter 11
I woke up early the next morning at Rachel’s house. Sunlight was already filtering through the curtains, but I felt like I hadn’t slept at all. My cheek still throbbed faintly where David had slapped me, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw Mia lying on the floor covered in food.
Mia was still asleep in the guest room. I quietly got up and went to the kitchen. Rachel was already there, making coffee. She handed me a cup without saying anything at first.
“How are you feeling?” she finally asked.
I wrapped both hands around the warm mug.
“Numb,” I admitted. “And scared. But also… relieved. Like I finally did something I should have done years ago.”
Rachel nodded.
“David called me last night after you went to sleep,” she said. “He wanted to know if you were here.”
I looked up sharply.
“What did you tell him?”
“I told him that if he wanted to talk to you, he could call your lawyer. And that he should stay away until things are settled.”
I let out a shaky breath.
“Thank you.”
Rachel sat down across from me.
“Julia, I need to ask you something. Are you really ready for this? Divorce is ugly, especially when there’s a child involved. And with Margaret in the picture… it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
I stared into my coffee.
“I know,” I said quietly. “But I can’t go back. Not after what happened last night. Not after seeing the way David looked at me when he chose his mother over Mia. Something inside me broke. And I don’t think it can be fixed.”
Rachel reached across the table and squeezed my hand.
“Then I’m with you. Whatever you need.”
We sat in comfortable silence for a while.
A few minutes later, Mia walked into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes. She was still wearing the pajamas Rachel had given her. When she saw me, she immediately came over and climbed into my lap.
I held her tightly, breathing in the scent of her hair.
“How are you feeling, baby?” I asked softly.
Mia was quiet for a moment.
“My tummy hurts a little,” she said. “And I had a bad dream.”
I kissed the top of her head.
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
She shook her head.
“I just want to stay with you today. Can we not go home?”
My heart clenched.
I looked at Rachel, who gave me a small nod.
“We’re going to stay here for a few days, okay?” I told Mia. “Just you and me. We’ll figure everything out together.”
Mia nodded and rested her head against my chest.
For the first time since last night, I felt a small flicker of hope.
We were out.
May you like
We were safe.
And no matter how hard the road ahead would be, I would do everything in my power to make sure Mia never had to feel that kind of fear again.
