Everything Has Changed

Prologue Part Two: Eight Months Ago (still)

Prologue Part Two: Eight Months Ago (still)

I stare at the message on my phone when I reach my driveway.

Dad: come home. We need to talk

I hold my phone tighter and start up the driveway. I go up the path to the front door, and thankfully, the door is unlocked.

I push it open, my heart slamming against my chest.

The moment I open it, I hear footsteps.

I can feel my entire body telling me to run, but I can't.

But when my Dad enters the hall by the door, I calm down.

"She's not here." He says.

I let out a sigh of relief, my shoulders slumping with the stress leaving my body. He flicks on the light and walks over to me, grabbing my chin gently.

"She left bruises on you." He whispers.

"It's not the first time." I murmur.

He doesn't look surprised.

I frown. "You knew?"

"I found out last night." He says calmly.

"How? Did Mom tell you?"

"Of course not. She'd have to think it was wrong first."

If Mom didn't tell him-

"Danny told you." I say flatly.

I told him to promise me he would never tell! He swore to secrecy.

"He's worried about you, Gracelyn. Really worried."

"He's a snitch!"

"Grace, your mother and I are getting divorced."

My eyes widen.

"You can't get divorced!" I say. "If you do, on her days, she's going to kill me!"

"No she won't." Dad says. "Because I'm fighting for sole custody."

"And if you lose?" I press. "What if you both lose? No Dad, this is a horrible idea. Just send me to Danny's house!"

"Grace, if I send you to Danny's, your mother can call the cops and tell them that they kidnapped you." He says softly. "Trust me kiddo, if I could, I would."

I sit down on the couch in the living room and bury my face in my hands.

"Grace, from now on, you stay out of the house if I'm not home. Do not come home if I'm not home. Go to the library. Find a job. Anything, just stay away. I don't want her putting another hand on you."

He sits down next to me and sighs, putting his arm around my shoulder. I drop my head on his shoulder and stare at the coffee table. "Why didn't you tell me she choked you? She's never laid a hand on you before this."

"The only reason she didn't was because you were there to stop her." I whisper. "Are you moving out?"

"I'm going to make her move out. You're not going over there even if you have to sleep in my car. I don't care."

I sigh softly.

"Dad, what if the judge sees both of you as unfit parents? What if they put me in the system?"

"I've spoken with Caleb and Beatrice." He says calmly. "They're not going to let that happen. If you can't live with me, you'll live with them and Danny."

I nod. "Okay. I'll find a job so I don't have to be home."

"I put a deadbolt on your bedroom door." He adds. "Keep it locked and never let her in."

"Okay." I mumble. "I'll find a job and save up for a car or something."

"Good idea. I'll tell you what." He says. "I'll give you half of what you save, so if you save ten thousand dollars, I'll give you five thousand dollars. Then you have fifteen thousand to get a car and use the money to fix it or something."

I nod again.

"Alright."

We sit in silence for a few more minutes and then he lets go of me and pulls out his phone.

"I'm going to take a picture of your face and neck for evidence." He informs me. He taps his phone screen a few times and then points the camera at me. I shut my eyes and I can see the flash go off behind my eyelids.

"Alright." Dad says. "Now go on up to your room and do homework or something."

"Okay."

I rise from the couch and pick my bag up off the floor, walking up to my bedroom. I shut the door and lock it just like Dad told me to and sit down on my bed.

I text Danny right away.

Me: why did you tell my dad

After a minute or so, the message goes to read, and then my phone starts ringing with a FaceTime call.

I glare at the screen for a moment and then hit answer, getting my laptop from my desk.

When I sit back down, Danny's face is on my phone. I open the lid to my laptop and prop my phone up on the open lid.

"I told him because she tried to kill you." He says. "And if it was switched and my Dad was trying to protect me from my Mom, you would tell him too."

I press my lips into a thin line and hit the power button on my laptop.

"Come on Gracie, you're not actually mad, are you?"

I sigh.

"They're getting divorced."

His eyebrows shoot up.

"Is your Dad fighting for sole custody?" He asks.

"Yeah."

He frowns. "Why don't you look happier?"

"It's going to take a long time and Dad said I can't be home if he's not home."

He's quiet for a few seconds.

"So get a job and save up for a car."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I'll find a job with you. Let's do it right now." He says.

He's doing this so I don't have to do it alone.

"Okay." I say softly. "Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you."

*****

I'm sorry this chapter was so boring and short but I promise it's going to pick up soon :)

~Sam