Chapter Text
Dad wasn’t kind like Mary Ann’s dad. That’s what you went around thinking when you first started school. Mary Ann’s pa would always drop her off to school and pick her up with big hugs and sometimes gifts. His kindness extended to you, he’d pack you a lunch with Mary Ann’s.
Everyone says Mary Ann is a suck up because shes always around you, something you found odd. You weren’t as interesting as Lucy or Martha, why would she suck up to you? If anything you were grateful she didn’t avoid you like the plague. Everyone always seemed to hate you
In this moment it didn’t matter, you were spending time with Mary Ann's dad. “Mr.Andrew?” You call meekly from the living room. He rears the corner immediately. “Yes kiddo?” Sweet like candy his voice.
“Where is Mary Ann? I thought you’d say she’d been in here?” You question, fiddling your thumbs as you stare at the toy just beyond him.
“Mary Ann.. Mary Ann’s away now.” He whispers, you can’t make out his facial expression. He feels sad, you do what your mom used to teach you about when people were sad. “Oh..!” You hug him, your mom used to give you hugs like these before she passed.
“It’s okay Mr.Andrew, I’m sure she’ll be back soon.” He hugs back this time, a coldness runs down you spine. “Mary Ann.. Mary Ann..” He whispers. “Mary Ann was taken away from me Y. By none other then your daddy.” He whispers now, more pained and more.. angry then he was just a second ago.
Honking. Just from outside. He pushes you away then. “Don’t go anywhere.” He says sternly as he creeps to the window. There’s shouting. “You ain’t getting shit back Lewis! This kid is mine!” You tilt your head.
You knew he said sit still but things were getting loud and your little heart couldn’t handle all the shouting. With tears in your eyes you walk over to the kitchen, and out the door to the backyard. It was cold. You stare up at the sky and smile. Snow, first snow. Your mom used to cheer when she saw it out the window and she’d carry you all the way out to the front.
Dad would scold her, saying she was too frail. That didn’t make sense to you. Mama was strong. “Y!” Someone shouts from the house, it’s the kind of shout Papa would do if you did something wrong. You flee to Mr.Andrews shed, closing the door behind you. It was dark.. Really dark and you fight back tears. You’re deathly afraid of the dark.
Too short to reach the light string your hands fish for a flashlight in the bucket next to the door. With a shake you press the button on. Pictures. Littered across what seems to be a board of your father tied together with others using a red string. Sometimes the occasional photo of you and Mary Ann would appear.
The door blast open and you turn your head quickly to the source of the sound. “Y.. Come over here now.”
Mr.Andrew—
He swoops you up immediately, dropping something with a clang. “It’s okay. We.. We’re safe now.” You hum, an awful smell emits from him. “You.. Mr.Andrew..? You smell.. like..gross.” He chuckles at your failure to come up with the word.
Rotten.
“Mr.Andrew?” He hums as he carries you to the house placing you down into the dining chair. “Who was yelling outside?” He sighs as he wishes something off his arms and hands. ”No one important.” He says plainly.
Nodding you turn your head, you want to leave.
“Mr.Andrew.. My dad is waiting for me. I need to get home..” He shakes his head. “I’m doin you a favor kiddo.. I’m taking you off his hands.” You tilt your head. “I.. I don’t.. I wanna stay with dad!” He let’s out a sharp breath. “Look.. Y'know who was yellin?” You shake your head.
“Your old man.” He says, if you were smarter you’d hear the mockery of sadness he used. “He said.. You seem happier when you’re with me so he wanted me to care for ya.. He was shoutin for my attention.” Your face sours, papa was the only real connection left to your mom. Did he really think you’d be happier here?
“Oh.. Well that makes sense, you and papa are friends aren’t you.. That’s why you have all those photos of him, right?” He takes a second before nodding. “Best of pals.” He turns to you now, he has quite of bit of the red icky stuff on his button up.
“I was thinkin now that I have full custody of you, why don’t we go on a road trip?” Your eyes spark up. “Me and Mary Ann always talked about taking those when we got older!” He smile weakens, only slightly. “Why wait?” You giggle.
Jumping off the chair and moving closer to him, he lifts you up into his arms. “Can Mary Ann join?” You question. He laughs before grabbing a already full duffel bag next to Mary Ann’s room door. “Of course, she’ll always be with us.” You snuggle into his shoulder as the cold air hits you. Only turning to look at the car already running.
“Thank you Mr.Andrew for staying with me.”
“.. It’s.. It's no problem kiddo.”
—Papa
The cold air hits you before the image of your father, standing there. His friends are with him too. “..Papa..?” He grabs your wrist and tugs you out the shed, your cries come out louder as he hurts your arm. “What did I tell you about coming into strangers houses?” Shaking your head frantically, you tug at your arm to get away from his firm grip.
“They aren’t strangers papa! M-Mary Ann is-“ He scowls, his glare making the words choke up in your throat. One of his friends walks up to him, concern etched in his face. “Sir, the police are at the scene-“ He waves his free hand as he keeps dragging you to the kitchen door. “My child was kidnapped, we have good reason to be here.”
He nods and immediately scurries away. “You’re a fucking pain. This is a fucking pain.” Yanking you forward again. As you walk outside the coldnessjust off a second, your father keeps tugging at you. Your legs give out. “Mr.Andrew?” Mr.Andrew laid on the floor, his face in his slightly overgrown yard. You hadn’t seen someone lay face down like that since.. Since..
You whisper as your knees hit the floor. Your father pauses, watching your display.
“He’s.. He’s not moving. Papa that’s no good.” You whisper frantically. That’s what mom looked like, down on her bed. She wasn’t moving. “Papa he’s- No!” He picks you up now, turning you away from the body as your little body hyperventilates. He shushes you and for once in a long time picks you up.
He’s never been kind like this before, it’s soothing and it only takes you a few minutes to stop the hyperventilation. “Look.” He whispers calmly, he makes strides to the car as he talks. “What did I tell you about friends?” You manage to talk between sniffles. “T-They hurt you.” “What did they do to mommy?” He whispers, it’s cold and angry.
The words get caught in your throat again. “They.. They poisoned her.” He nods. “Who let them into mommy’s room?” You frown, tears running down your face and snot dripping onto your favorite sweater. “I did.” His hand soothes the back of your head from the headache you got from crying so hard.
“This is….retribution. Mama took Mr.Andrew and Mary Ann because she was mad at you.” That had to be true. Papa never lies. “Do you understand?” You nod, stiffly. “You’re being homeschooled by Ms.Ellis from now on so that we don’t have any more friend issues.” You snuggle into his shoulder, tired. “Does that mean I get to see you more?”
He nods. “If you're good, i’ll help you with homework.” You smile weakly. The car door opens, your too weak to look at them. “Everything handled Luis?” “Yup, we can go back home sir.” The car starts up. You’re about to doze off, just as your dad murmurs something.
“I’ll protect you forever, no matter what.”