The One Who Was Taught To Survive

I felt like I couldn’t move, I started to get tunnel vision; the abuse and neglect coming back. “River, breathe baby,” Matt gently stroked my hair, standing in front of me and leaning down to where we were at the same eye level.

I heard the door open and close and everything moved in slow motion, “River?” I took a slow deep breath in and looked to my right seeing Jimmy’s blue eyes bright with concern mixed with confusion.

“My…parents,” I repeated softly shaking my head.

“Yeah, they’re here River, they’re worried about you,” Jimmy said softly pulling me into a hug. This act of concern pulled me out of my trance.

“No, I need to get out of here, I have to go they’ll try to take me home,” I turned to run and Matt caught me.

“You’re not going with them River, I don’t care what they say I won’t let that happen,” he kissed my forehead.

“Neither will I,” Jimmy reassured me.

I nodded and allowed them to lead me into the house, we entered the living room to find them sitting on the love seat while Bobbi sat in the recliner across from them. “River?” My mom stood up, looking hysterical as she hurried over to me and embraced me in a hug.

I stood still as a statue in her arms looking at Matt and Jimmy for help as he approached us. “River,” he tried to join the hug and Matt stepped in between him and me. Mom pulled away a look of concern on her face.

“What are you doing? He’s her father,” she stated irritated.

“Step-father,” I whispered and walked over to Bobbi and hugged her.

“You had me scared baby, where were you? Why didn’t you answer your phone?” Bobbi asked me softly stroking my hair away from my face and wiping the tears away that had sneaked down my cheek.

“I was at Matt’s, I’m sorry, I didn’t hear my phone,” I said and sat next to her.

“We’ll talk about that later Baby,” Bobbi said relieved but yet with a stern tone.

“Why are you calling her baby? You’re not her mother,” My mom snapped.

“I might as well be, she’s been living under my roof for the past few months, before that she was homeless, I took her and Jimmy in, and I’ve fed, clothed, raised, and housed them,” Bobbi gave her a stern look back.

“Excuse me?” Kevin asked, “She was not homeless, she was a runaway.”

“What’d you do to our baby?” My mom, Angela demanded.

“She wouldn’t harm your daughter,” Matt stated matter-of-factly squaring up his shoulders. “In fact, from what we’ve been able to tell you two are the cause of all her problems.”

“How dare you,” My mom started. “We’ve done nothing but love her.”

“See, Angela? I told you we shouldn’t spoil her, she’s a rotten brat who doesn’t respect anyone,” Kevin spat.

“YOU WERE THE ONE WHO RAPED AND ABUSED ME!” I screamed at him. “Why the fuck would I respect you?” I felt my fists ball up in my hands, my nails slicing into my palm.

“Kevin wouldn’t do that River, he loves you. He bought you a BMW for god’s sake and you will NOT Make up lies,” Angela scolded me, disgusted that I’d make the accusations, but there was a hint of fear in her eyes.

“You selfish, superficial bitch,” I started towards her, Jimmy stepped by my side, ready to pull me back if need be.

“You better watch your language young lady,” Kevin snarled at me.

I ignored him and still locked eyes on my mother, “You KNEW he was abusing me, that he was RAPING your daughter. Yet you did nothing. You looked the other way, and for what? Because you couldn’t please him? Not my fucking problem.”

“Kevin wouldn’t do that, and I did no such thing,” Angela glared at me, “You will not accuse us of such things.”

I spit at Kevin, “I sold that car, for $2500, about what, 20,000 less than what it was worth?”

“You bitch,” he took a step towards me.

“What are you gonna do? Rape me? Just like you used to? I piss you off so you fuck the rebellion right out of me? Fuck you Kevin, go back to fucking your secretary. She’ll lie for you,” I snarled at him.

Kevin had moved towards me, now was standing a foot in front of me and he raised his fist to hit me when Matt hit him. “Don’t you ever fucking raise your fist to her.”

“HEY,” Bobbi growled loudly, holding a cell phone in one hand and a 9mm in the other. “You two,” she pointed the gun at both my “parents”. “You two get the fuck away from my children and get the fuck out of my house.”

“She’s our daughter,” Angela insisted.

“You two caused irreparable damage, she has PTSD from both of you, and? She ran away from you 6 months ago, she’s been enrolled in school for 6 months, and you didn’t look for her once, she’s not your daughter because you two are not parents,” Bobbi said calmly. “You will leave my house, and she is staying here. She turns 18 next week, it’ll take you atleast 2 months to have a case against us, so help me god I’ll go and testify against your pathetic asses.”

“Me too,” Jimmy said standing next to Bobbi.

“Me three,” Matt said standing there intimidatingly and pulled me close to him.

“Me four, I’ll stand up and show the court just how you hurt me. I can relive every detail since I was 12. Just let me go if you ever loved me at all Angela,” I stated with a snap in my voice.

Kevin growled at us, “Let’s go Angela, she clearly thinks that she knows better. So fine. Don’t come back to me after you wind up in a gutter hell hole, River.”

“Don’t worry, she’ll have a real family to take care of her,” Bobbi snarled at him. “Now get the fuck out.”

Kevin and Angela walked out of the house, slamming the door behind them. That was it…that was the last time I’d ever see my parents.

Notes

Next time will be a longer chapter, but this is one of the major scenes. We're probably a few chapters out from this story ending and the sequel beginning. Thank-you to everyone who comments and reads.