||Sinner|| (a Reddie fanfic)

Chapter 13

Richie wiped at his eyes with the sleeve of his shirt as he walked around the back of Beverly's house. He knew if her dad was home she would be in a lot of trouble if he saw Richie, but he saw his car was not in the driveway. Thank god.

Creeping around the back, Richie sniffled slightly and then knocked on the back window which he assumed belonged to Bev. Her curtain moved slightly, and then her face appeared in the window.

She looked relieved at first, then concern took over her features when she noticed Richie's puffy eyes and red nose. Bev quickly disappeared from the window and then the screen door clicked open.

Bev's head poked out from the door, and she quickly ushered Richie inside. Before he could even get a word out, she threw her skinny arms around his body and pressed her face into his chest. The top of her head rested under his chin as he hesitantly wrapped his arms around her.

"What happened?" Her soft voice carried up from under his chin.

She knew something was up just by seeing his tear streaked cheeks. Richie sniffed, willing himself not to cry again.

"My dad. It's getting bad again." Richie murmured quietly.

"Rich, it's okay now, your safe here."

Bev rubbed soothing circles into Richie's back. She knew they didn't know each other well. She also knew he needed this. He was deprived of affection, from not only his dad, but his mom also.

"I-it's not me Bev. I'm scared. He was throwing things at my mom." Richie shifted on his feet, gently untangling himself from Beverly and leaning against the wall.

Beverly realized, with a start, that he left his mom at home alone with Wentworth.

"Rich you didn't leave her did you?"

"He told me he would make it worse for her if I stayed. I- I didn't know what to do."

Bev sighed and said gently, "You have to make sure she's okay. Go home soon Rich."

"I know. I needed to tell someone. And I trust Bill with my life, but he doesn't get it like you do."

"I know, this is really hard. I wish I could have you stay a while but your mom needs you." Beverly guided Richie towards the door. "My dads gonna be home soon anyways so you gotta go. Go home and sneak through your window or something. You have to check up on your mom, even if your dad told you not to."

"Thank you Beverly." Richie walked over and hugged her tightly again.

"No problem." She closed the door lightly behind him as he left.

Richie walked home quickly now, his legs moving at a brisk pace. He began to worry, thinking the worst had happened while he was gone.

Relief washed through Richie as he climbed through his window and landed softly into his room. He could hear his mother talking in the kitchen, which meant she was okay, for the most part.

Richie tiptoed once more down the hallway, looking for his mother. He saw her standing against the counter staring blankly at the wall.  His stomach did a backflip. He could see the many small cuts littering her face, along with a bruise blossoming along her jaw.

Wentworth was nowhere to be seen, so Richie took a tentative step out into the kitchen. Maggie looked up at her son, tear tracks washing away some of the blood on her face.

"H-he left." She whispered.

"Mom you need to go to the police." Richie kept his voice steady, but his hands shook as he clasped them together.

Maggie took a trembling breath, "it's not that easy Rich. Your father- he'll find out and hurt me again." Tears welled up in her eyes as she gave Richie a pleading look.

"Mom, you can't just let him treat us like garbage. He'll never stop if we don't say something."

"Rich, you can't!" Maggie slammed her hand down on the table, and then collapsed into a chair. She sobbed, "he'll hurt you, hurt me! I can't have anything else happen."

"Mom," Richie quietly interrupted, "He's been hurting me for a long time."

Maggie looked up from the table slowly. "What do you mean?"

"Whenever- whenever you leave. I'm tired of it."

Maggie tried to hug Richie, but he stepped back, expressionless. "I'm going to authorities, whether you come with me or not."

"Baby."

"Not now."

And with that, Richie walked out the front door for the second time that day.

Whoo-Hoo:) another chapter finally done. Updates are slow, but I'm getting there I promise. Thanks for all the support you guys have been showing on this story. I never thought people would actually enjoy my writing, but here we are.

-Do you guys think Richie is actually going to authorities?

-and do you think the authorities are going to believe him if he shows up?

-Emma

Word count: 830