1. One last cigarette

Chapter 37: Listen

*PAST*

"Mummy are you okay?" I asked noticing the bruises around her wrists and throat. My Mummy never played with me and Alex anymore if she did she would always get 'punished' like my Dada put it. He's a big meanie when it comes to us.

Before Mummy could answer my question Dada grabbed her roughly while whispering something into her ear. I couldn't hear what he was saying but when Mummy started crying I couldn't just let him get away with I, at school the teacher says we shouldn't let bullies hurt other kids, so I couldn't let my Mummy be bullied because of something I said.

"Stop!" I screamed as hard as I can when he tightened his hold on her wrist. Both of them looked at me shocked but mums face turned into a worried one while Dada turned bright red releasing her wrist when he threw her on the floor.

"What's wrong Noah you don't like me touching MY wife?" Dada stood up while pulling me into my room leaving a crying Alex with my mum.

"Listen carefully Noah I keep repeating myself every night but it seems you don't understand" he spat out strapping me to a wooden chair. Dada removed his belt and walked around the chair.

"What do I do to your mother?" Dada asked us this question every night and I always said love her like he told us but at school I spent most of my time in the library reading and I found a book explaining a love that could never die with different stories and all of them had happy endings.

Lost in thought I took too long to answer so he opened my palms and brought the brown belt down, repeating his question I answered him truthfully this time "You abuse mommy!" I shout out when he gave me another lash.

"I love mommy that's why I do this Noah!" he growled continuously hitting my hand on the same place. "That's NOT love!" I screamed out hoping he would stop. If he asked nicely I could teach him the real definition of love.

"Pain is Love Noah!" he kept saying and I kept arguing.

*PRESENT*

"Since that night he strapped me to that chair every night after dinner till I could no longer remember what the real definition of love was Sofia, but I knew whatever he did to my mother I could never do to you so if we got to close I pushed you away hoping you would stop taking over every thought I had but the less attention you gave me the more I craved and I'm not telling you this for you to forgive me I'll earn your forgiveness but I told you so you could understand why this is so hard for me to understand" I added still holding her hand in my lap.

We've been sitting in the same spot for hours and Sofia kept silent the whole time while listening to every word I spoke. Seeing a few tears roll down her cheek I quickly wiped them off "Hey...hey what happened, did I say something?" I asked frantically holding her face between my hands.

Shaking her head she removed my hands but kept them intertwine with hers. "No it's not something you did, Is that why you reacted like you did when you found my drug stash?" she asked moving closer.

Nodding my head Sofia jumped on me wrapping her hands around my neck "Are you okay pretty boy, do you need anything?" he whispered hugging me close before letting go.

Chuckling at the blond sitting in front of me I stood up with her and sat her down on her motorcycle "It's a long time ago pretty girl so don't get all emotional on me, now would you bless me with you riding skills that I keep hearing about" I winked walking back to my motorcycle grabbing a helmet for her.

"Come on princess I don't have time for that!" she yelled racing past me.

Getting on I stopped in front of the she devil making sure she couldn't go anywhere. "Safety first" I added pulling it over a Pouting Sofia's face hitting the helmet lightly I sat down and stopped next to her. "But what about y..." before she could finished I screamed go and in seconds she overtook me gliding around the corners like it was nothing.

Doing a few laps we stopped and I pulled her helmet off seeing her messy hair sticking to her forehead and placed them behind her ear. "You feel blessed yet?" Sofia joked softly shoving my shoulder.

"Well come on " I held my hand out and Sofia hesitantly accepted it looking confused as to where we were going.

"I'm driving this time, you okay with that?" I made sure she was before sitting in front of her. "Yes I'm fine with it but I can't just leave my baby in the middle of nowhere Noah" she informed sitting down behind me. "James said he'll take it home so relax" I waited for her hands to wrap around me but she kept them around her exposed shoulders and I realized that she was getting another side effect of not taking any drugs for a while now.

Grabbing my jacket I brought with just in case I told Sofia to pull it on "Thank you I don't know why I'm cold all of a sudden it's like 40 degrees" she laughed nervously.

"Soph you know we're proud of you" I made sure she knew Alex was proud of her progress too and James after he found out about her little problem.

"Thank you" she whispered placing her arms around me. "No helmet this time princess" she joked around ruffling my hair.

I took Sofia to an amusement park and we rode almost everything, she's really a hand full and I lost her a few time but I bought one of the collars they use on kids and she's been glaring at me since I put it on a few hours ago. "Look at me all you want love I'm not losing you again".

"Bite me" Sofia muttered under her breath but I heard, seeing that we waited in a line Sofia stood in front of me so I leaned down and softly kissed her neck before lightly biting her before she could stop me. Jumping away she slapped my chest pointing her finger in my face.

Sofia wanted to go on the Ferris wheel so here I was holding her hand while she rambled on about everything she saw but I just kept looking at her. Laying her head down on my shoulder I could hear her even breathing knowing she fell asleep. When we had to get out I picked her up bridal style and walked to my motorcycle. Wrapping her legs around my waist I placed her head in the crook of my neck and drove slowly making sure the wind wouldn't wake her up.