Protecting Cecilia

The waiting room

Fear- By Blue October

Weston's POV:

Two cops start talking to Mrs. Banks. I can't help be over hear them.

"You're Mrs. Banks her teacher right?"

"Yes...I'm Mrs. Banks."

"Can you explain what happened?"

"I went to my office and found this note on my desk." She hands it to the one cop. "I knew something was wrong. It's just not like her to do this."

"We talked to one of the doctor's ma'am; it's not the first time she has attempted suicide she has scars all down her arm."

"I meant to actually do it. I know about her arm but this...this was different."

The one looks at the note. "Do you know what she meant by... 'I wish things would get better but I know they never will.' Is she getting abused at home, maybe bullied at school?"

"Both...look her father was in jail and somehow he got out on bail. He must have gone home and...and..." She starts crying. "He did that to her did you see her; he tried to kill her."

"Ma'am he might have beaten the shit out of her we have no proof of that at the moment. We do however know that she attempted to kill herself."

"Yeah well because of him. He should never have gotten out to begin with. You people thought he wouldn't go home, seriously that's the first place he went when stepped into the street."

"Ma'am we realize you are upset..."

"You haven't seen upset..." Her husband puts his arms around her.

The one cop looks at the other. "Call it in, have him brought in for questioning."

Mrs. Banks raises her voice, "Questioning...seriously. He needs to be held for attempted murder didn't you see what he did to her...did you?"

Mr. Banks pulls her away then turns to the police officers, "I think that's enough questions for today."

We wait and wait. An hour goes by and then the double doors open. Out walks a doctor in a white coat. "Is there a Mr. or Mrs. Tucker here?" he asks.

Mrs. Banks stands up and goes over to him. "They are not here. I'm her teacher how is she doing?"

"I wish I could tell you but she is a minor...I have to talk with the legal guardian sorry."

Mrs. Banks starts crying again. Then a woman comes up behind us and says, "I'm her mother."

"You're Mrs. Tucker?" the doctor replies back.

"Yes...the cop told me I was needed up here; so here I am did she succeed this time...did she finally do it?"

We all stop and stare at her, seriously that is what she asks if she died or not, seriously who the hell is this woman?

The doctor shakes his head. "She is alive. The cut was really deep this time. We had to give her forty-five stitches. We also were able to get the remaining pieces of glass out of her face. Looks like she came in contact with a mirror. She has a few stitches there as well. We did x-rays and she has a broken rib along with a bruised kidney and then a hairline fracture on her right leg. Ma'am the bruises indicate she was punched and possible kicked. Honestly I don't know how she survived. You can visit with her if you like."

She starts to walk back but an officer stands in her way. "Are you Cecilia Tucker's mom?"

She shakes her head yes. The officer then grabs her by her arm and pulls it behind her to put hand cuffs on her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Ma'am you are under arrest for child neglect. You have the right to remain silent...." He reads off her rights.

"Excuse me...what the hell...I didn't do anything."

"Exactly my point ma'am. You failed to take care of your daughter. You knew your husband beat on her and you did nothing about it."

She tries to get away and another officer comes up. They both walk her out. As she walks by she glares at Mrs. Banks and spits at her. "You did this you bitch...this is all your fault."

Mrs. Banks never says a word. She holds her tongue and the moment that woman is out the door she smiles. "They better hope they never let her out."

It's going on eleven, visiting hours are over but we still sit in the waiting room and wait. A nurse comes in to check on us. "Cecilia is resting; you guys should go home and come back tomorrow hopefully then she will be awake."

My grandparents came over an hour ago and they sit with me. I told them that they could go home but my grandmother said she will wait because Cecilia came to see me so she was staying to see her. I don't want to leave but now they say we should. I have to force myself to get up and walk out the door. Praying that she will be alright.