Diamond Tears

Chapter 16

Addison

Dear Reagan,

Growing up as a little kid was pure hell. Imagine being pushed off a cliff over and over again. That was me. My mother didn’t want another child, especially a girl child, so I never received love from her from the beginning. It was dad, granny, and Tris who really looked after me, and made sure that I was really taken care of...and that all my needs were met. I was always forced to go to hockey practices and games, and to be cruel, my mom wouldn’t let me bring a book, because I had to “support my brother, because one day he’ll support me.” My ass.

Zachary was a mastermind at getting me in trouble from a young age. He was constantly getting me in trouble, always hitting or pinching me, and if I was to do anything back, he would tell mom, and I would carry the blame. As we grew up, lies got bigger, and my mother’s hatred grew, too. This is what it’s always been like...treading water around them, scared to drown. I can’t say Zachary is a nice person, I don’t think it’s in his blood. He’s evil, plain and simple. When he fools people, I can see the mask, and I know what’s behind it. My lesson to you, my dear daughter, is not to be fooled. By anyone. Observe people, and know if they have a mask, because if you don’t they’ll destroy you.

It’s the Thursday before winter break, and God decided to bless us with a snow storm. Nobody goes to school tomorrow anyways, so winter break has officially begun in my book. Not only am I counting down Christmas, and New Year’s, but the days until you arrive. I’m excited; I’m filled with so many emotions because I can’t wait. Twenty-seven more days until I see my daughter.

Sawyer

I wake up holding Addison in my arms, the sun peeking through her thin curtains. Wait, what? Tris and Devon actually let me spend a whole night? Major victory for me.

Addison stirs, and suddenly jumps up, gasping. “Sawyer? Am I still dreaming?”

“No…” I reply, frowning. “Is this usually how you wake up?”

“Yes!” She gets out of the bed and looks at the clock, shocked. “I actually slept a whole night.”

“Actually, that’s normal,” I state, confused.

She starts to cry. “No, you don’t understand, Sawyer. I used to have these horrible nightmares, and I would never get an ounce of sleep. I would sit in my bed, replaying what happened over and over-”

I pull her closer to me, wrapping her in my arms. “Shhh, it’ll get better, Addie, I’ll be there for you. I promise.”

These days, I was promising a lot.

I was called urgently to the house, and since my mom doesn’t demand a lot from me, I knew that something was wrong. Especially if she asked me to bring Addison. My mother answers the door, her face covering so many emotions at once, especially worry. And my mother loves to worry.

“Hi, mom,” I say, while Addison gives a polite smile.

“Is everything okay, Mrs. Johansson?” she asks my mother while we take off our jackets.

“No, I think you need to see for yourselves. It’s Miami. Ever since she started dating Darren, and I knew that there was a change in her behaviour. When I asked her about it, she said it was nothing,” mom says, leading us up the stairs. She faces us before opening my sister’s bedroom door. “I should’ve known better.”

The second my mother opens the door, I feel blinded, like someone slashed my eyes with the sharpest knife in the world. Messy doesn’t even begin to describe my sister’s room.  It looks like the most deadly tornado in the world ripped through and destroyed it. Clothes everywhere, broken glass, it was the real deal. It actually looks like a movie set, that’s how bad it was. Miami sits in the corner of the room, wearing nothing but a tank top and boxer shorts. Looking closer, I notice something else. Her entire body is covered with bruises, and instead of seeing ivory skin, I see black and blue.

“What the hell?!” I yell. “What the hell is going on, Miami?”

Addison punches me-it actually hurts-in the arm, and glares at me. “Yelling isn’t going to solve anything.”

“Do you have a better plan to get information out of her?”

“Yes,” she hissed. “And you're going to watch it work.”