I was in the backyard, laid out in the grass with Tank running around me with a puppy-like demeanor. I had rolled up the sleeves of the shirt Enzo had lent me and let the sun sink into my pale skin. My fingertips were skimming over the surface of the grass and I relished the feeling. Being in that dark and dank basement for so long, it was easy to forget how the simplest things, like fresh air, could bring such joy. The sound of the backdoor opening pulled me out of my peaceful musings.

"I've made some breakfast baby girl." Enzo called out from the doorframe.

I stood and wiped the grass off of my pants and headed into the house with Tank in tow. I stopped in my tracks when my eyes found Fiero sat at the kitchen bar, digging into his own plate.

"Hey kid!" he waved enthusiastically with his mouth full of pancakes. The contrast between this childish man and the man that beat my uncle to a bloody pulp made me wonder if he had an identical twin.

"Good morning." I mumbled, keeping my head down. I didn't want to do anything that would snap him back to that scary man he was in uncle's home. This was the longest I'd gone without getting hurt in some way or another and I didn't want to do anything to ruin it.

"Come here baby." Enzo waved me over to him. He picked me up as if I weighed nothing and sat me in the bar stool next to Fiero. My body was full of tension sat next to him but with my own plate of pancakes and sausage in front of me, I picked up my fork and began eating. Enzo chose to eat his breakfast standing up at the counter opposite us. This was how he ate the evening before. He didn't strike me as someone who ever relaxed.

I had only gotten through one pancake before I had to stop. My stomach just wasn't used to eating so much and if I continued, I knew I'd make myself sick. I was lucky if I got to eat once a week at uncle's house. This was my second meal in less than 24 hours and my stomach couldn't take it.

"Did you not like the pancakes kid?" Fiero asked pointing his fork to my nearly full plate.

"I can make you something else baby girl." Enzo offered. His brow was furrowed in concern.

"I did like them." I insisted. "I just get full easily. I think my stomach isn't used to having so much food. Uncle said I couldn't eat too much or people wouldn't want me anymore." My voice trailed off at the end of my sentence as my uncle's voice filled my mind. If I overfeed you, it'll be bad for business. I chanced a glance over to Fiero, and I saw his eyes darken, reminiscent of the terrifying man he had the potential of being. Enzo's expression mirrored the man's next to me.

"I'm sorry I'm being wasteful." I said quietly, hoping my small apology would keep me from getting a punishment. They were getting upset with me. I always ruined everything.

"I finally allow you to eat and you go and do this?" Uncle screamed at me.

The customer of the evening had beaten me so badly, even sitting up caused wave after wave of nausea. I tried to force myself to eat anyways and had ended up throwing up all over the concrete floor.

"You're a wasteful little bitch!" He grabbed me by my hair and pushed my face into my own sick.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to!" I pleaded with him. The room was spinning around me as I fought to stay conscious. He yanked me up by my upper arm and threw me into the "bath corner".

"Your mouth must taste awful, doesn't it pet?" his voice dangerously quiet now. "Let's rinse it out for you." He shoved the hose into my mouth so forcefully, I almost threw up again. Then he turned the hose on. I thrashed and tried to fight against his grip on me, trying to pull in air around the harsh flow of water going down my throat.

I thought he would drown me. I nearly welcomed it, but I wasn't that lucky. I woke up shivering and more broken than I had been before "dinner time."

"Nora." I jumped at the feeling of Enzo's hand over mine.

"I'm sorry." I pulled my trembling hands into my lap and kept my head low. I could feel my breathing getting heavier and the panic was setting in. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." My fingers gripped at the hair by my temples and pulled hard.

It took Enzo one second to be by my side and pull me into his arms. I wrapped my legs around his waist and pushed my face into his shoulder. The hyperventilating was getting worse. I clutched at his dress shirt as he walked us into the living room and sat us down on one of the leather couches.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." I kept sobbing into his shoulder. You're being a bother again you stupid girl.

"Shh. You don't have anything to apologize for sweetheart." He rubbed comforting circles on my back and rocked me gently.

Stop it Nora. You have nothing to cry about so just stop it. You're being ridiculous. He's going to get tired of having to comfort you all the time. You're just a waste of time to him. Stop crying.

As hard as I tried, I couldn't argue with my inner voice. I was causing Mr. Enzo trouble and he wouldn't put up with it forever.

When I had calmed down, I couldn't bring myself to pull my face away from his body. I was so embarrassed that I had lost control like that in front of them.

"You get panic attacks." Fiero stated plainly. Enzo rearranged me so I was sat across his lap now instead of straddling him.

"Sometimes." I whispered. "It's been a little while since I've had one. That one wasn't so bad." I fiddled with the buttons on Enzo's shirt.

"What triggered this one kid?" Fiero asked, coming over and sitting beside Enzo and I.

It took me a second to think about how I should respond to this question. They didn't need to know the details of what uncle had done to me and I didn't think I could talk about it even if they asked me to.

"I'm not supposed to waste food. I got a really bad punishment the last time I did." Was all I replied.

Enzo's hold on me tightened protectively. I almost expected Fiero to become angry again at the mention of my past life, but instead he smiled at me unexpectedly.

"Well, it's a good thing you have your big brother Fiero here to make sure that never happens again right?" he gave me a playful poke in the stomach.

It was as if the poke had started a bloom of hope in my gut. I nodded and gave him a real, genuine smile.