Broken child | Adopted by Elizabeth Olsen

Chapter 19: Way down we go

Lizzie's pov:

When Scarlett gave birth to Rose, I, as her best friend, was always there for her. I was helping her with the little stinker all the time. Chris and I were (and maybe still are) like her best aunt and uncle.

Babies hurt themselves a lot. Here's a scratch and there's a bruise. We'd laugh at Scarlett for panicking so badly. She'd always repeat 'No mother wants to see her child hurt'.

We knew that, but it never hit me that much, until...now.

My sweetest girl was hurting. And I couldn't stop her pain, which made my own grow.

"Mama's got you" I keep repeating as I rock her in my lap

I don't care about the blood, messing my clothes. All I want is Tessie being okay.

I ask Theo to prepare a bath for her. When I was little, I used to have a lot of bad dreams. My mom would always put me in water and I'd immediately calm down. I remember that I felt safer.

I hope maybe Tessie will feel similar...

"Tessie, baby, it's alright" I comfort her, while pressing a towel onto her cuts to stop the bleeding

They seem deep. I hope we won't have to stitch them.

"Mama" she cries out, clinging onto me "I can't- I can't do this"

"I'm here. I'll help you" at this point, I'm crying right with her

"I'm so sorry. I- I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry"

"Shh. You're okay now"

When her loud cries turn into small sobs, I stroke her hair and tuck some of it behind her ear. It's all messy.

Our clothes are covered in blood. The towel is soaking wet.

Tessie's face is so full of different emotions, yet she looks so empty. Like she just cried out her last tears. It looks so puffy. Her eyes are bloodshot. Her entire is body shaking.

And all I can do is to hold her.

I'm helpless. I don't know how to ease her pain. Her heart wounds are so deep, I am not able to know how to heal them.

I take a closer look at my baby's body. At first sight, it's not possible to notice, but there are so many cuts and scars. On her wrists, arms. It's layers on layers.

She was hurting herself.

The fact that she's only 11, can't leave my head.

And...that her mother used to...hit her?

It makes me cry even more. How could she even do that?

I hold her so tightly. Like her life depends on it. Because it probably does. My child is hurting. And I feel terrible. I want to take her pain away, so she can feel free, so she can have a happy childhood.

Theo comes in and nods, showing me that the bath is ready.

Poor boy, doesn't know what to do. I wouldn't know either. I'm so grateful Tessie had him all that time.

He heads to the living room and sits on the couch. I can see, he's not doing so well now too.

"Are you okay?" I lip-sync, really caring about him

He nods and tells me to take care Tessie.

"I'll be fine. It's my best friend I'm worried about" he whispers

Tessie wraps her arms around neck and buries her head in it. I rub her back.

"Tessie?"

I only hear some more muffled sobs.