I'll Tell You My Story, If You Promise Not to Tell
Finally
Jenna's POV
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The police and dad talked and argued for hours. I sat on the floor in my room holding the black and white cat. and my bag.
When the yelling stopped I peered out my window at the outdoor scene. Dad was getting handcuffed and taken away.
A police woman opened my door, smiling a little.
"Hey sweetie," she said kindly "can you come out here please?''
I was on the verge of tears, happy or sad, I wasn't sure. I couldn't choke out any words so I just stood, dropping the cat into my bag and following her out.
"Honey, did your dad ever hurt you on purpose?" she said in the same tone.
I nodded, tears building up. "A lot. Since I was six"
"How old are you now?"
"Thirteen next month."
She nodded, writing on a palm sized black notepad.
"Can you tell me about the time he hurt you?'' she said calmly.
"Well," my voice cracked a little "he was almost always drunk. Until very recently, like when he broke my arm." I gestured a little to my cast
"Can you tell me specific times?"
"I-I don't want to talk about it much...one of my teachers found out and I wrote stories for him. Can I just give you the notebook?" I just remembered him putting it in my bag before I left.
"That would be good"
I stumbled in the dark to my room. Then I got my backpack, pushing through other stuff until I found the half-full blue notebook. I smoothed the bent cover a little and handed it to the lady.
She opened the cover and skimmed the pages.
When she looked up again she spoke. "Sweetie, do you have other family?"
"My mom might still be alive...but I'm not sure." I thought for a second "But I haven't had much contact with any other relatives so I dont really know if..." I trailed off.
She spoke on a crackly walkie-talkie and then turned back to me. "We're going to take you to a children's shelter until tomorrow, it's getting late. We'll get you a temporary home until we trace your mom. You should get clothes. I put my hobo bag on the table and walked to my room again. I found an empty backpack an threw in my favorite clothes, a toothbrush, deoderant and a few other care items. Then I thought about mom's note. I could wear her necklace and ring now and not fear consequences. But Mr. J had it.
When I went back out I asked if I could go to school tomorrow.
"You sure you want to go?"
"Yes."
"Most kids wouldn't."
"I need to talk to my teacher again."
Her expression said "Whatever floats your boat."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The police and dad talked and argued for hours. I sat on the floor in my room holding the black and white cat. and my bag.
When the yelling stopped I peered out my window at the outdoor scene. Dad was getting handcuffed and taken away.
A police woman opened my door, smiling a little.
"Hey sweetie," she said kindly "can you come out here please?''
I was on the verge of tears, happy or sad, I wasn't sure. I couldn't choke out any words so I just stood, dropping the cat into my bag and following her out.
"Honey, did your dad ever hurt you on purpose?" she said in the same tone.
I nodded, tears building up. "A lot. Since I was six"
"How old are you now?"
"Thirteen next month."
She nodded, writing on a palm sized black notepad.
"Can you tell me about the time he hurt you?'' she said calmly.
"Well," my voice cracked a little "he was almost always drunk. Until very recently, like when he broke my arm." I gestured a little to my cast
"Can you tell me specific times?"
"I-I don't want to talk about it much...one of my teachers found out and I wrote stories for him. Can I just give you the notebook?" I just remembered him putting it in my bag before I left.
"That would be good"
I stumbled in the dark to my room. Then I got my backpack, pushing through other stuff until I found the half-full blue notebook. I smoothed the bent cover a little and handed it to the lady.
She opened the cover and skimmed the pages.
When she looked up again she spoke. "Sweetie, do you have other family?"
"My mom might still be alive...but I'm not sure." I thought for a second "But I haven't had much contact with any other relatives so I dont really know if..." I trailed off.
She spoke on a crackly walkie-talkie and then turned back to me. "We're going to take you to a children's shelter until tomorrow, it's getting late. We'll get you a temporary home until we trace your mom. You should get clothes. I put my hobo bag on the table and walked to my room again. I found an empty backpack an threw in my favorite clothes, a toothbrush, deoderant and a few other care items. Then I thought about mom's note. I could wear her necklace and ring now and not fear consequences. But Mr. J had it.
When I went back out I asked if I could go to school tomorrow.
"You sure you want to go?"
"Yes."
"Most kids wouldn't."
"I need to talk to my teacher again."
Her expression said "Whatever floats your boat."