My Little Angel

When we got home, I put Faith to bed. As I was walking out of the room I caught sight of the folder in Faith’s bag. I picked it up and walked downstairs into the living room.

“Hey, what’s that?” Johnny asked as I sat down on the couch.

“The files on Faith” I answered opening the folder.

On top of everything were baby pictures. Faith had a tuft of dark hair and her dimples were showing. She was staring up at the camera smiling, her hazel eyes twinkling.

“Guys, look at these pictures, she’s gorgeous.” I said passing the picture and others around. The guys were saying how cute and adorable the pictures were. I picked up the paper under her pictures and looked at her birth certificate.

Name: Faith Hope Sanders
DOB: March 3, 2007
Mother: Abigail Jenna Chapman
Father: XXXXX

The bunch of x’s through the father line made me angry, Abby knew she could have told me. Stupid bitch, leaving our daughter alone while she goes does god knows what.

But all my anger evaporated when I saw the tiny footprints on the next page. They were the length of my forefinger and the width of my pinky. So small, but seeing it makes a big impact on my heart. I wish I could’ve been there when she was that small, I would’ve given her the world.

“Dude, her foot was so small!” Zacky said looking over my shoulder.

“Yeah man, I know,” I said

Next were her medical papers and social numbers. She didn’t really have medical papers because she has no insurance. She hasn’t ever been to the doctor!

“Oh my Johnny Christ, she’s never been to the doctor! How could she have never been to the doctor? What about when she was sick or when that sadistic bitch cut her hand!” I nearly shouted.

“What?!” the guys exclaimed.

“Dude, that’s just not right. How could someone have a child and not even take care of her. Gosh, I hate that fucking bitch, if she were anywhere to be found I would kill her!” Brian said

‘I would so help you man” Jimmy said. His face was serious, something that’s not normal for him.

“Here’s the police report from when they found her.” I said as the guys crowded around me.

Details:
Child was found hiding underneath a cover on a bed that lay on the floor. She appears to be scared. She is undernourished and filthy. The house is dirty and we found a bag of what appears to be coke in Ms.Chapman’s room. Bottles of liquor surrounded the house. Not a safe environment for a child. Upon taking the child we discovered bruises on her stomach and legs, obvious signs of abuse. Upon examination the child remain silent. But when given food and fresh clean clothes she begins talking just small words, only slightly understandable–

I stopped reading, sick to my stomach and not wanting to read anymore. I breathe deeply as I looked around at the guys. They all were slightly green.

‘How can anyone do that to a child?” Brian asked. Only to be answered by silence. No one could answer that question, no matter how much we needed an answer. I closed the folder and threw it across the room, letting the papers fly out.

I was filled with so much rage I couldn’t even breathe naturally. To calm myself down, before I did anything drastic, I jumped in the pool. Minutes later, I heard several more splashes. I resurfaced and looked at the other guys who had the same murderous look on their faces.

“If I ever see that bitch again I will murder her.” I said in a deathly calm voice.

All the guys nodded, a silent joined answer that they would help. We got out the pool and dried off with towels. The guys wanted to go home but first, I grabbed the police report and carried it outside.

Jimmy poured lighter fluid in the grill and dropped a match. I dropped the paper into the grill and watched as flames engulfed the horror of Faith’s old life. When all the embers burned out, the guys went home to change saying that they were coming back later. I nodded and gave them all hugs before shutting and looking the door.

I walked into the living room and looked at the papers lying on the floor. I gathered them up and put them back in the folder, except for the baby pictures. I tossed the papers in an old trunk in the attic and locked it.

I went into the hall closet and got the extra frames my parents gave me when I moved in. I placed the baby pictures in frames and put some of them in the living room and the rest on my dresser. I placed the one of her smiling on my nightstand, angling it towards my bed so I could see it every morning.

I got in the shower, and then went to lie on the bed next to Faith. I stared at her, quietly stroking her hair. I lay there staring at her angelic face until I fell asleep.