The baby was most definitely his, the doctor told him they weren't sure what happened, but his sperm count was well above normal. Khalisee suggested that maybe he should start wearing a condom, he slapped her, told her maybe she should get herself fixed. She watched as Mama's belly began to grow, and she worried.
What if it was another girl, what if Mama treated the baby like she treated her, what if Byron treated the baby like he did her. She didn't know what to do, but she knew that there was no way she could leave the baby alone with them.
So she stayed, she turned 18 and she still stayed. She was in her final year of school, and with the extra work she put in she was hoping to graduate by the middle of the year. She needed a diploma if she were to carry out her plan.
Nothing changed between her and Byron, he still came to her bed many nights, and caught her alone many days. Now there was no pretense of being her prince charming though, now he just took what he wanted and left her, most of the time without a word.
It was during one of Byron's night time visits that her plans changed. Mama went into labor and came looking for her husband, and she found him, riding her daughter. Byron quickly threw on clothes and didn't say a word to Khalisee, but she could hear him as they left for the hospital, hear him placing all the blame on her. She knew when Mama returned, life in the house was going to change, and not for the better.
She wasn't sure what she expected when they returned from the hospital two days later, she knew better then to think anyone would call her. When they arrived back, Khalisee had been sitting on the couch, she had already completed everything she needed to do to be ready, so all there was left was waiting, and now that was finally over.
They didn't say a word to her as they walked past holding the baby, but she saw the pink blanket, and she knew, she had a sister. When they returned into the living room Khalisee stood up, prepared for the tongue lashing she knew she was going to get, instead her mother raised her hand and hit her, her hand landed sharply across her face, stinging and bringing tears to her eyes, the next hit wasn't with her opened hand, the next hit was with her fist, she punched her. She tried to get away, but Byron blocked her escape. The blows rained down on her until darkness finally overcame her and she slipped away, wrapping herself in it's comforting embrace.
She came to and found herself still lying where she had fallen. She was sore, and bruised and as she became more aware, she began to remember, the blows from her mother's fist, and then the sharp kicks administered to her ribs and back. She rose slowly, checking for any serious damage and besides a sharp pain in her side when she breathed, everything seemed to be in working order.
"I think you know, you have to go. Your mother doesn't want to see your face, ever again. I sent her away for a few days to recover, you have until tomorrow to pack your stuff and get out." She heard a baby cry from the nursery, and watched as Byron rose up to tend it.
That night, she finished packing a few things, then quietly she slipped down to the nursery, and there she laid eyes on her sister for the first time. "Shhh, we are getting out of here, you won't have to grow up here, we will find something, somewhere and it will be so much better!" She lifted the tiny baby from it's crib, and hoisted the diaper bag she had packed onto her shoulder, with her other hand she grabbed the suitcase, and slipped out of the house. They walked a few blocks to the nearest park, and there, she called a taxi. "We need to go to the bus station please." she almost couldn't get the words out to the driver, she almost couldn't believe this was really happening, she was finally breaking free.
As she watched out the taxi window, she wondered what would happen tomorrow, when Byron realized his daughter was gone, would he hunt her down? Would the police catch them? She didn't know the answer to that, she just knew she had to do everything she could to keep them safe. "We are going to be just fine, Juliet, you'll see, it will all work out for us!"
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