Chapter 3

It took us about 30 minutes to get done eating. Mom was helping Elliot do dishes, and Elli and I went up to my room. I told Elli she could sit on my bed while I finished unpacking and we could talk while I was unpacking. She had tried to help me unpack but I denied her help.

I wanted to just get everything out of boxes and into sections and areas I was going to put stuff away. She tried to ask why I had to unpack but I just told her that everything was going to be explained down stairs with everyone down there.

"So how long do you think your mom and Elliot was it? Will be done with dishes. They are taking a long time to get it done."

"Um yeah that is going to be awhile, because Elliot put a lot of time into breakfast and it was a big breakfast so there were a lot of dishes. I saw about half of them before you got here and the other half was what was on the table."

"Wow that's a lot of dishes"

"So until then I am going to get as much packing done as I can, and no I don't need help I am just getting things out of boxes and in the general area I want it to go."

"So where is your dad?"

"Um Elliot put him in jail because of the abuse and mom found out too."

"Well that's good, but you sounded kinda sad about it."

"Well I feel like my mom broke but won't show it, but I am not sure."

We were talking for about 25 minutes before we decided to go down stairs to see if everything was done and if we could talk now. Elli was getting really impatient and I was getting really anxious and overwhelmed. She seemed to not care about what she might and will here. She was really confused about Elliot and why I was unpacking my things here and a lot of other stuff.

"Hey, I was about to come get you two. Come on, we are done with everything, and Elliot is waiting on the couch." My mom had come around the corner telling us that everything was done.

"Okay mom, we were coming down stairs to see if you two were ready."

Once we all sat down on the couch there was a long awkward silence, and I did not like that because that just added to my anxiousness and worry. We all sat there for what felt like an eternity. It was dead silent and I hated it. I was trying to think of what to say and it looked like Elliot was trying to do the same along with Elli, while mom just sat with her head hung low.

"Um Elli, Lexi's mom told me that you two were dating and I am unsure of how to bring this subject up."

"Why? What is it?"

"Um, Lexi's dad told me that he wanted me to marry Lexi. I accepted, because with the way he sounded over the phone he sounded very abusive. Yesterday I went to meet lexi and I walked in on him beating her so I sent him to jail and brought lexi here. I was abused as a kid so I know how it feels so I wanted to save someone and this was the perfect chance to save her."

Lexi sat there shocked. She looked like someone told her that all her favorite things were taken away. She sat there for a few minutes before she looked at Elliot then back at me. She had tears in her eyes and I felt so bad. I didn't want her to cry. I feel as though her crying is going to be all of my fault.

"Is it true? Why didn't you tell me this morning?"

"I'm so sorry. Everything was just moving so fast and I needed to tell you in person and I needed help to tell. My dad told me yesterday that is why I didn't call you last night. I'm so sorry. Everything is just going so fast and it is talking time to process in my head. First I got told I am going to marry someone I don't know, then my dad started to beat me, Elliot came in, stopped him and sent him to jail. Next thing I know I am moving in here." I started to get teary eyed and lexi started crying

"I don't want to lose you. You are the only person that keeps me happy, you are the only reason I am not dead!"

I hugged Elli trying to calm her down but it was not working because I started to cry too. Elliot just sat there and my mom was in the same position. I held Elli until she started to move so I let go. She sat up and turned to my mom.

"Why didn't you stop him? She is your baby girl isn't she?"

"I tried to stop him, I tried to tell him no but he was trying to hit me and that was the first time he showed aggression to me. So I was in a state of shock so bad that I couldn't even move when he started to beat lexi. When he did that I almost blacked out until Elliot got there and stopped him. So I promise I tried. I would put my life on the line to protect her, but I was in such shock that I could not do anything."

My mom started to cry. I stopped enough to try and calm Elli down again. I just held her until she stopped crying and after about 20 minutes she fell asleep in my arms. Elliot offered to carry her to my room but she was light and I could carry her myself. She was smaller than me so it was easy for me to carry her. I changed her into some of my clothes and wiped her face down with a warm washcloth. After that I laid her down on my bed and I laid down with her. I cuddled her and after about an hour of thinking of what I was going to do next and everything that had been happening I started to cry again. I took about 15 minutes to calm down enough to take a shower and get back in bed with Elli and fall asleep with her.

I woke up to my mom knocking and her walking in. she asked if everything was okay and I said it was fine and she left and I went back to sleep.