Shackles on the heart (Book #1)

2. Birthday of sorrow

(Third person's POV)

3 months later.

The beatings for Carine didn't get any better. In fact they got much, much worse. RaeAnna even got hit trying to stand in front of her mother to protect her from getting hit again. He left her with a bruised and cut cheek, not caring whatsoever.

Her moms bruised face and body were finally healing. The only reason for that was because William wasn't around to do it. He had been gone for two weeks, doing God knows what. RaeAnna didn't miss him.

It should have been a good time for the siblings, but it was the exact opposite of that.

Instead of her mom Carine being happy about him being gone, she was majorly depressed. RaeAnna didn't understand why. She should have been happy he wasn't at home to beat on her, calling her every name in the book. All Carine did was lay in bed, doing absolutely nothing except drinking vodka all day long. Why was she acting like this? She couldn't possibly still love that shell of a person, could she?

Dakota wanted to see his mom. He really missed her. RaeAnna told him that she was very sick and needed to rest to feel better. That was the only thing she could come up with as to why their mother was absent. He respected that. He's bigger than his age, she thought. He didn't ask anymore questions about their mom or throw a tantrum about not being able to see her; he simply accepted it.

RaeAnna had to make food for her younger brother, put him to bed, made sure he brushed his teeth, like their mother did, everything she should be doing right now. She was okay with taking care of her brother. She didn't mind, but it should still be a mother's job to do. A nine year old shouldn't have to do this. She was still just a kid after all.

RaeAnna couldn't go to school. Her mother was way too drunk to take her. She also feared her brother being home alone with her. Who know's what could happen to him while she's just in there passed out on the bed? He could get hurt.

She wished her mom could just pull herself together for them, having high hopes it would happen.

"RAEANNA!" Carine yelled.

RaeAnna quickly rushed to her side to see what she needed. "Yes mama?" She said sweetly.

"I-I n-need more vodka." She slurred, in her drunken state.

"No! You have had enough mama! That's all you have been doing for two weeks. Please just stop and go to sleep. You need to rest."

Almost instantly after those words left her mouth her mom flung an empty vodka bottle straight at RaeAnna. She dodged the bottle just in time. It shattered against the wall in a thousand pieces.

She stared at her mom wide eyed. Carine has never done anything like that. She felt sad, hopeless. She thought her mother would never try to hurt her like William did, but sadly she was mistaken.

"I-it's your f-fault he left. HE LEFT BECAUSE OF YOU! You s-stupid girl!" her mother wept. RaeAnna couldn't believe her ears. It was her fault? How could that possibly be true? What did she do to deserve such harsh words? She left the room immediately, with a few tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Why are you crying Rae? What was that loud noise?" Dakota's soft, sweet voice interrupted her sad thoughts.

"It was nothing baby, I just accidentally dropped a glass. I'm just crying because I'm so happy to have you as my brother Kota." She held onto him as if he were her life line.

"You silly sissy!" Dakota giggled.

"You're only supposed to cry if you are sad or get hurt."

"Well Kota, people can cry when they are happy to." she lied. She wasn't happy, but her brother made her feel better. She couldn't tell him what happened. He wouldn't get it. He's much too young to understand. RaeAnna should be naive to these things, but she was anything but that.