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Jimmy had left me another crib in the living room. This one was covered in a faded fabric full of monkeys and bananas. I looked inside to see a stuffed bear and a stuffed monkey. I careful put Hunter down inside of it.

“There you go, monkey,” I told him, letting my lips curl into a smile.

I had to start cooking dinner, but I didn’t want to leave him. Tommy left the house a couple minutes ago, but what if he came back?

I walked towards the kitchen with shaky legs. I made sure to stay close enough so that I could hear him whenever he cried. When he did cry, I would drop what I was doing I ran right over to him. His face would go red as he screamed and cried and kicked his arms and legs out. I would pick him up and bouncing him lightly while I cooed to him. If that didn’t work I would check his diaper and then try to feed him. I only breastfed him a handful of times, but I never seemed to get used to the feeling.

I thought about what Tommy had told me. In less than two months he’ll take the two most important people out of my life: Jimmy and Hunter. I had to tell Jimmy what his plan was, but I was afraid how Tommy would react. He would definitely get his revenge through Hunter.

If Tommy was going to get punished, I was going to have to make sure it was bad. If I lied to Jimmy about what Tommy did and make it sound much worse than Tommy would get an awful punishment. They would believe me. When Tommy bit me they believed me.

There was a mark though. There was proof that Tommy had touched me and that was what upset Jimmy so much. There was no mark now. It would just be my word against his.

I opened up the cupboards and looked through them. I had to leave marks on myself somehow. I found a rolling pin and sat down on the floor. I rolled up the hem of my long red skirt, leaving my pale legs exposed. I raised the rolling pin and brought it down onto my flesh.

I bit down on my lip as I fought back a scream. I didn’t want to wake up Hunter and have him screaming. My legs burned and the skin began to tingle. I looked down to see a red bright red mark. How long would this take to turn into a bruise?

Raising my arm up again, I tried my hardest to bring it down even harder. I fell down to my side as the tears burned my eyes. My mouth filled with blood as I bit down on my cheeks. I gasped out for air. I took deep breaths to try and dull the pain.

“Two more,” I told myself. Two more marks on my legs and Jimmy would freak. He’d probably even kill Tommy.

The thought made me smile. A life of not being always tormented would be wonderful. I wouldn’t be scared anymore. Jimmy always protected me, but Tommy was smart. I knew I had to outsmart him.

--

When they came back inside, I already had dinner on the table. I was sitting in my chair and I had Hunter in my arms. I avoided looking at Tommy as soon as I saw him. I needed to act afraid.

Jimmy leaned down and kissed me and then pressed his lips against Hunter’s temple. They went to wash up and then gathered around the table and began to scarf down the food. I kept hunter in my arm and up against my chest as I ate. I made sure to keep my eyes on my food and on Hunter.

As I began cleaning up the dishes, Jimmy took Hunter out of my arms. He brought him into the living room and I began to clean up the kitchen. I looked over my shoulder to see Tommy leaning up against the staircase. His arms were crossed across his chest and his eyes were on me intensely. He didn’t say anything so I continued to stare down into the soapy water.

When I finished, I turned around to see that Tommy was still standing there. I took a deep breath and went to walk into the living room. As I passed Tommy, he reached out and grabbed my arm. He pulled me back and off to the side so that Jimmy and Charles couldn’t see us.

“We need to talk about earlier,” he growled at me.

“Let me go.” I tried to pull my arm free. His grip tightened and his hand shot out over my mouth to stop myself from screaming.

“If you dare tell Jimmy what I told you,” he started, “you’ll regret it.”

This was my chance. I had been checking my legs all day and they have turned a dark purple and blue colour.

My heart was pounding as I bit down on Tommy’s hand as hard as I could. He took his hand off of my mouth and slapped me across the face. My cheek stung. I had to use this to my advantage.

I let my legs give out from under me. Tommy was still holding my wrist and was all that was stopping me from lying across the floor. I let out a few loud sobs and I cradled my cheek.

“Stop!” I yelled out. “Please, Tommy! Just stop.”

I continued to sob as I heard Jimmy and Charles run out of the living room.

“Let her go, Tom!” Jimmy barked.

I looked out with my tear-filled eyes to see Charles’s hand on his shoulder. That was the only thing stopping Jimmy from ripping Tommy off of me.

“Thomas,” Charles said strictly. “Let go of Juliet.”

Tommy let go and I crumpled down onto the ground. I continued to sob as I got up off of the floor and ran towards Jimmy. I wrapped my arms around his neck and buried my face into him. His arms slid around my back and held me tightly to him.

“I didn’t do anything to her,” Tommy said.

“Then why were you touching her?” he asked. “Why were you touching my girl?”

“She started attacking me!”

Hunter began to scream. We must have woken him up. I wanted to run and hold him, but I couldn’t do that right now. I need to do this to keep us safe.

“No I didn’t!” I pulled my face out of Jimmy’s neck. “You covered my mouth and I couldn’t breathe.”

“Is this true?” Charles asked him. His tone was surprisingly calm.

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“Tell him what else you did,” I sobbed. “Tell him!”

“What?” Tommy’s nostrils were flaring and his face was turning red. I was really getting him angry. “I did nothing else to you.”

“You came into the house earlier today.”

I felt Jimmy’s fingers curl tighter into my waist. I looked up at him to see his jaw was clenched.

“When did you come in?” Charles asked him.

“I didn’t,” he said through his teeth.

“When he was supposed to be with the chickens,” I told them.

“How would you know that?” he asked wryly.

“Because you told me!”

Hunter’s screams became louder and it caused my stomach to twist into a knot. I couldn’t stand to listen to him cry.

“What happened when he came inside, Julie?” Charles asked me.

“He started grabbing me,” I said.

“Where?”

“My legs.”

“You did what?” Jimmy yelled at him. “I’m going to kill you.”

“She’s lying, Jim,” Tommy said rolling his eyes. “She always does. I was never in here today and I never once touched her.”

“Then why am I covered in bruises?” I asked Tommy.

“Show me, Julie,” Jimmy said letting me go. “And I swear, Tommy. If there is one mark on her I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Language, James,” Charles scolded him. “Juliet, show us the bruises.”

I nodded my head and wiped the tears off of my cheeks with the back of my hands. I began to roll up my skirt and I revealed the dark bruises that were scattered along my legs. I heard Jimmy let out a deep breath and crack his knuckles. He lurched forward and I watched as his fist connected with Tommy’s nose. Blood began to gush down his face and Tommy swung out and punched Jimmy in the stomach.

Hunter continued screaming. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I ran into the living room and picked him up out of his crib. I began to rock him softly as he continued to kick his arms out and scream.

“Boys!” Charles yelled out.

When I came back to the stairs, Jimmy and Tommy were separated but they were both bleeding. Jimmy’s lip was already starting to swell and blood was trickling down onto his chin.

“I’m tired of this fighting,” Charles said. “Tommy you have touched Juliet one too many times.”

I let my lips curl into a smile. I was standing behind Jimmy, so Tommy was the only one who could see it. He scowled at me.

“I’m going to have to break some traditions here,” Charles continued, “but the only way I see you leaving James’s girl alone is if you have your own. You’ll be getting yours a little early. I’ll go out tomorrow night to go get her.”

It was Tommy’s turn to smile. Mine dropped when I realized what he was thinking.

We would no longer be waiting two months. When he gets his girl, he’ll make me run away with him. My plan failed.

I no longer had two months. I only had one more night.