Don't Forget

*May 2002*

John heard the shrieking and immediately got out of bed. He went to the living room where Mia was writhing in her sleep on John’s old couch. “MMMNoooo! Stop! Stop it! Don’t touch me! Stop it! Please!” She shrieked.

John put his hand over his mouth as he backed into the wall behind him. This had been her state every night since he first brought her home from the office. John didn't know how much more they could take.

“Mia baby, wake up.” He said shaking her shoulder, “Open your eyes sweet heart.”

She opened her eyes, they were wild. She looked to him and started sobbing, “Please don’t touch me.” John quickly removed his hands.

“You’re safe,” He said sitting on his knees in front of her.

“Daddy?” Mia finally recognized him and launched onto him, “Daddy, I was so scared.”

“I know baby.” John lifted Mia and sat on the couch with her curled in his lap. She had gained a healthy amount of weight thanks to him. She didn't fit quite as comfortably as she had when she’d first arrived.

“Did I wake you up again?” she asked sniffling. The sobs were subsiding now. John reached across her to get the tissue box off the coffee table and put it in her lap.

“Yeah,” John said, “It’s a dad’s job to wake up early to his baby’s shrieking though. I’m used to it.” Mia blew her nose and then nuzzled her father’s chest.

“Was I a cranky baby?”

“No you were a happy baby.” John said, “When you were about six months you got a nasty ear infection. We were up most nights. It probably wouldn't have lasted so long if your mom remembered to give you your ear drops. We’d argue about it all the time. Finally I just took some time off work and fully nursed you back to health. The bottom line is, this is just like that. Sure it’s not exactly curable, but I’m sure we can find a way to deal with it. It’ll get better.” John noticed Mia felt even heavier against him. He looked down and she had fallen back to sleep.

He carried her to his bed and carefully tucked her in. He went to the kitchen and pulled out his cell phone. He clicked dial on Mark Butler.

“Hello?” Mark’s voice rasped after a few rings.

“Sorry Mark,” John grimaced, “I know it’s late.”

“More like early.” Mark scoffed. John glanced at the clock on his microwave: 4:00 am, “How is she? You got Mia now don’t you?”

“Yeah I have her. She’s safe… when she’s awake anyway.”

“Having them night terrors eh?”

“It’s awful,” John slumped in his seat, “The neighbors give us dirty looks and she’s afraid to close her eyes for too long. I have to do something about it.”

“Well there’s a place just down the road from here that I believe is still on the market. I could look into it for you.”

“Would you? That would be great.” John said, “At first I thought moving her so soon would be a lot for her. Now…”

“City life ain't all it cracked up to be?”

“City life is what did this to her.” John said.

“This is great news!” Mark said, “The sooner you get out here the better.” Mark sounded too lively for the early morning. “The boy hasn't left his room all week. We had to start forcing him to eat his meals with us or else we’d never see him. He needs to be around a real flesh and blood girl.”

John didn't like where Mark was going, “Isn't Conner a little old for Mia?”

“Connor still reads his comics and plays his video games. Mia may be too old for him.” Mark snorted, “But I’m not complaining.”

“Mia’s a sexual assault victim Mark.” John wasn't laughing.

“Rape victims need to be around men folk so they don’t start hating them.”

“And how far up your ass did you have to dig to pull out that load of bull shit?”

“C'mon John, do you really think I’d raise a sexual predator?--Wait! Don’t answer that.”

“Let me know about the place.” John said before hanging up. He sighed leaning his head in his hands.

He hoped he was making the right decision for Mia. All he wanted was to give her back everything Rosa stole. Her innocence. Her childhood. Maybe American Canyon would be better. At least the neighbors wouldn't hear Mia’s shrieks.

“Dad?” John jumped and looked to see Mia standing in the door way to the kitchen, “I woke up and you weren't there...I was afraid you left me...”

Mia crossed her arms hugging herself. A mannerism picked up from her mother no doubt. It still kind of freaked him out how alike they looked. Maybe she’d look more like you if you were there… He shook his head to try to shake the thought.

“Take a seat.” He said standing up. Mia sat at the table across from him. John put a hand full of raisins on the stove in a pot of water with a little bit of salt to boil and pulled out his plain oat meal and put it on the counter, “I don’t know what your mother told you about me, but I ain't the running type.” One conversation with Mark and his grammar began to slip, “Do you want anything special in your oat meal?”

“No” Mia shook her head.

John had given her a hair cut himself. Her spirals formed a cloud around her head. He wasn't sure if he had done a good job or not, but Mia insisted that she loved how free it made her feel. Would she still feel so free when he told her about his plan, “What is it? Do I have something on my face?”

John smirked, “No you don’t have anything on your face.” He sat across from her again and laced his fingers on the table, “I have news.”

“Is it bad news?”

“Depends… how would you feel about moving out of Seattle? Just getting up and out of here. Go some place more quiet where you could have your own room and bed to sleep on.”

“For real?” Mia asked. She was smiling so wide it was infectious, “We could just move?”

“I have a friend looking into it. If it’s something you want”-

“Yes it is something I want very much.” Mia said.

“I thought maybe you’d want a little consistency after… everything.”

“Let’s be honest,” Mia said rolling her eyes, “Your neighbors hate me and I hate my school, and if we move somewhere where the neighbors aren't so close…”

“Then it’s settled. We’re moving to American Canyon.”