It didn’t make sense. His gaze rests on the girl, Kiki as she holds tight to her mother, was it out of fear or what? But whatever the case was, he was making sure that the girl was safe before he leaves if not, he would have to let child services handle the case. It’s things like this that aren’t paid attention to that you later regret to find a child has been brutally abused, physically, emotional and otherwise.
He wouldn’t let that happen. He might not know the kid but she seemed too innocent, too sad, too withdrawn for a child for him to let it go. Better for her to be in a peaceful loving environment than to be home with parents who would cause her to turn to a messed up kid, something worse if she survives their abuse.
He would know. He lost a friend like that. He didn’t listen enough, he didn’t care enough.. the boy was fifteen, he died of overdose. He later learned that his father was raping him and beating his mother. He couldn’t handle it and no one knew until they found his suicide note. So if he could help one child avoid that fate, He would gladly.
“I asked a question ma’ám, have you ever raised your hands on your daughter?” Deborah’s voice cuts into Sean’s thoughts
“What sort of ridiculous question is that? I love my daughter wholeheartedly I will never hurt her. No I have never and I will never “’
“Have you ever shouted on her?’’
“I scold her when she does something wrong”’
“Scold how??’’
“I believe you are an educated woman, if you don’t know what scold is, google is your friend”’
Kikina laughs
“Mummy scolds me when I eat a lot of chocolates after dinner after I have brushed my teeth. I am not supposed to take sweet things after dinner, mummy says it makes me super-active..I run around screaming and sometimes I fall asleep with my head hanging down my bed and sometimes while mummy is asleep”’
She giggles covering her mouth “I use her makeup and draw clown on her face”’ she laughs, Sean smiling, so does Deborah
“kikina is it?”’ Deborah turns to her, Kiki nods
“what happens at home on a normal day, don’t look at mummy, just at me, don’t be sacred okay, I won’t hurt you”’
Kiki looks up at her mother
“Kiki, me, look at me, tell me how mummy is with you at home “’
“’Mummy loves me”
“’Do you know that or mummy makes you tell people that?”’
Kiki frowns, Sean is attentive “Tell the truth Kiki” he encourages
“’You don’t talk to my daughter! You stay away from my daughter or I swear -”’
“Please, please” Deborah says “Kiki, go on”’
“Mummy loves me, and I love her and no she doesn’t tell me to tell people, she tells me not to talk to strangers. Mummmy-mummy reads me bed time stories every night, mummy prays to God with me and takes me to the pool every Saturday, I love my Aunty Tonia too. Mummy and her are best friend, . erm…mummy gives me by favourite food and -and”
“And what kiki?”’ Deborah asks, Kiki lowers her head
”’Go on” Sean says
Megan felt like flinging a chair his way… she bites her lips,
“’Mummy gets sad too, and I don’t like when she gets sad and I know it’s my fault”’
“What is your fault kiki?’’
Megan is staring at her daughter now
“I hear her cry sometimes in the shower or in the car, and she keeps looking at the picture of my grandpa and grandma, do you know I haven’t ever met them? But she cries and when I ask her she tells me she isn’t crying. And I feel bad because I feel it’s because of me “’
“Oh kiki”’ Megan breaths going on her knees facing kiki
“What about your daddy, is your mummy sad about your daddy? Does your daddy hurt you, does your mummy hurt you, tell me Kiki it’s okay”’
Kiki shakes her head, but her eyes pools “I haven’t met my daddy either, mummy says he went to heaven. Aunty, why did God take my daddy, why didn’t he let me see him and have him give me piggy rides and come to parents day to sit me in school or drop me at school or..or..” she sniffs “buy me ice-cream and tug me into bed at night. Why did God take my daddy without letting me tell him I love him too as I love mummy and have him… him hold mummy and tell her it’s all going to be okay and that she should stop crying and that I wouldn’t be naughty again, I won’t throw tantrums and I wouldn’t be sad again’’ she sniffs as tears fall down her eyes…
“’Oh kiki, no baby, no baby, it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault” Megan cries as she shakes her head, cleaning her daughter’s eyes.. “Mummy loves you so so much and it’s not because of you, Never!”
“’But why do you keep hurting and crying”
“Because, because “’ Megan trails off “Because mummies gets sad too, life, work, those we care about but it has nothing do with you sweat pea, I promise. Okay, mummy won’t ever cry again okay?’’
“Pinky-swear?’’ Kikina cleans her eyes giving her mother her little finger
“Pinky-swear!” Megan takes kiki’s finger and pulling it with hers, kiki smiles, her face brightens up again,
“Come here kiddo” Megan stretches her hands wide, Kiki laughs rushing into them, Megan kisses all over her face and kiki mimics her mother, Megan laughs.
*****
Deborah stares at the mother and child, straightening up… she turns to Sean, walking towards him… “Mr Sean, I do understand your concern, but if you have just witnessed what I just did, you would realise that there is no abuse here, but love and pain. Maybe from a deceased husband and father and a woman who has issues with her family but you can see that both mother and daughter love each other dearly and it’s not forced. And we have no idea what she had gone through or what both mother and child are coping with … I can state that a child who has no father figure, would feel that gap, there would always be a need she wants in her life and maybe who knows how the relationship was between mother and husband… whatever it is got the child sensitive but… bottom line, no abuse here Mr Sean, so I would ask if you would want to withdraw your filing?’’
Sean stares at her and at them..
True, a child who is being abused can’t show that genuine emotion towards her abuser even though forced. He may still be put off by the mother’s atitude towards him which still got him curious but…still.. he was too fast at judging. He was wrong. He almost separated a child from her mother, he felt bad, he felt shame “I withdraw” he states.
Deborah smiles nodding “Very well, I will handle it” she turns to Megan and kiki “Kiki, I am so sorry for any discomfort my presence must have caused you, I duly apologies . You have a beautiful daughter and whatever gap her father has left I am sure you are doing your absolute best to make her feel loved and she exudes same for you. I am so sorry, and I hope one day whenever we see we can be civil towards each other Mrs?’’ she says stretching out her hands
Megan straightens up, cleaning her eyes, kiki is hugging her again, but kiki is staring at Sean.. “Its Miss, Miss Megan Phillips”’
Sean looks up sharply
“Well Miss Megan Philips, have a good day and you kiki, be good to mummy okay?”
“’Yes” they shake hands,
Deborah nods to Sean and leaves.
That name, that name sounds very familiar, why did that name cause a frown? He couldn’t understand why.
That name, where has he heard it before? And who.. why did…Argh, he doesn’t remember.,Megan and Kiki are walking away.
“’Erm, Miss Megan Philips, I am so sorry, I didn’t realize … I just-”’
The slap caused him to stagger backwards..he holds his face
“You are a bastard, how dare you do this, reporting me to child services, you almost ripped my daughter away from me, she is all that I have, all that I have, All!! How dare you!!’’ the tears flows down her eyes..
“Mummy’’ kiki tugs at her hands,
“Mummy, don’t be mad at him, he is my friend, he wouldn’t do it again, right Uncle?’’ Kiki tugs at Sean’s hands, he looks down , blinking as his vision clears
He bends to her level as the pain stings his face “Yes, I wouldn’t. I am sorry kiki, do you forgive me?’’ yes, he messed up.
He almost destroyed a home, he deserved the slap.
Kiki nods “I forgive you.‘’
“Will your mummy forgive me too?” he says looking up at Megan, she turns away..
“You had no right, stay away from my daughter” Megan says pulling kiki away from him
Kiki turns to him “mummy likes flowers, white lilies’’ she whispers waving and turning away
Sean straightens up, touching his face.
Damnit !!’
Well, he messed up, he had to make things right..
Now, where would he get white lilies from?’’
TO BE CONTINUED.
