Then You Look At Me |COMPLETED|

Suppression

~How unfair, it's just our luck. Found something real that's out of touch. But if you'd searched the whole wide world, would you dare to let it go?~ Birdy.

Chapter Theme Song: 'Not About Angels' by Birdy.

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Third-person POV

It wasn't that her mom didn't know. She did.

The Monday morning following the week Jeff begun his abuse, Miranda waltz into Rainey's room, frowning when she saw that her child had not gotten dressed for school yet. Rainey was proven to be quite mature than other kids her age, and most mornings she would rouse before Miranda, take a bath and get dressed. Without a doubt, if her school were in proximity from their home at the time, Rainey would have taken herself to school as well; she was remarkably independent.

However, that was not the case that morning and Miranda was pissed to find her daughter logging behind of time. She had subtly noticed a change in other areas of Rainey's life as well; how she played with her food as if lacking appetite or how she did not seem to enjoy things she once did. Miranda thought it was only puberty and since Rainey behaved more developed than other kids, she just thought she was growing up a bit too early.

"What are you waiting on to get dressed? You're a big girl, do you need me to put your clothes on for you?"

Hissing, she moved over to her daughter, her expression disapproving as she reached for the small skirt lying on the bed. As she grabbed hold of her daughter's arm, her eyes caught something on her thin legs.

Red hand marks.

Miranda stared at the pink bruises in horror, swallowing a huge glob of saliva before looking at her child. "What happened to your legs?"

Rainey's eyes filled with fear. "Uncle Jeff did it. I told him I didn't like it, but he keeps doing it."

Miranda stiffened as her little daughter kept babbling on.

"Will you be mad at me? He said if I told you, you would hate me, and some really bad people will come for me and take me away from you. I don't want to be away from you..." She was on the verge of crying and Miranda stiffened as all the color drained from her face. She cleared her throat and lifted her child off the bed.

"Turn around."

Rainey whirled around and Miranda took notice of the long stretch of bruises at the back of the child's legs. She pressed a hand to her mouth as tears bubbled in her orbs. She had seen many cases like this before and immediately concluded that Jeff was abusing her child in more ways than one.

"Will you hate me, mom?"

She hung her head, fighting back the tears as she shook her head.

"No, Rain. I will not hate you. Let's get your skirt on."

Miranda took Rainey to school that morning, which was a usual duty done by Jeff but after what her child told her and the bruises she saw, she was reluctant. Once they arrived at school, Rain told her teacher that she preferred her mom dropping her off and that she did not want Jeff to do it anymore. The teacher looked at Miranda inquiringly, but she forced a smile and just said "Kids." Choosing not to reveal the situation.

Miranda drove back home that day and emerged from her car in fury. She plunged the door open with force. Jeff who was on the couch watching Tv, swung his head around in bewilderment as she stormed toward him.

"What's up with you?" He stood to his feet just in time for Miranda to have slapped him hard across the face.

"WHY THE FUCK IS THERE BRUISES ON MY KID?!"