Page 51 of Rebel Fighter

“Ma’am,” the doctor breaks into my thoughts. “Did you have any further questions? If not You’re free to go, just follow up with your gynecologist for further appointments.”

“Thank you,” I mumble, wrapping my arms around my stomach. I will do everything that it takes to keep my unborn child safe. The second my father finds out he may very well try to kill me, I wouldn’t put it past him. I have every intention of keeping this hidden for as long as I can until I start showing.

Before I even leave the hospital, I’m calling my gynecologist and explain what’s going on to make an appointment. They agreed to see me next week for an initial ultrasound and told me to start on a regiment of prenatal vitamins. Thank god all medical records are protected for privacy so my father won’t be able to get his hands on them.Hopefully.

* * *

October Ten YearsAgo

By the time school started in August my morning sickness had disappeared, thank god. It would have made for extremely long school days if I was constantly missing classes. My father still hadn’t realized when school started what was going on. He was suspicious though, considering I was doing everything in my power to not raise any concerns or cause him to have to beat me like he was used to doing on a weekly basis.

With classes now in full spring my stomach was finally starting to show some. With the weather getting colder I was able to bundle up and wear some baggier clothes but I know my father was soon going to learn the truth. I thought about calling that number Trevor had left me for emergencies but it didn’t feel right. He left, he didn’t have a right to know about our daughter. Just last week during my last checkup I found out the gender of our baby. We were going to be having a little girl and I already knew she would be a handful getting both our genes.

“EMMA DELCOURE!” My father shouts the second I walk in the door from school.

My heart drops when I hear his tone. He’s pissed, extremely pissed. Which means he may have figured out the truth. I had been slowly starting to buy something in secret when I could and was hiding them in the back of my closet behind some floor-length dresses hoping they wouldn’t be discovered by the cleaning staff who comes twice a week.

“Yes, dad?” I question softly, rounding the corner from the entry and into the sitting room on the left that I heard him shout from.

“Raise your shirt right now and let me see your stomach,” he demands, standing in front of me with his arms crossed. His face is bright red and the tick above his eye is going that tells me how angry he is.

Without a word, I slowly raise my shirt up to stop underneath my breasts as he directed. I couldn’t help the shaking in my hands as I did. Terrified, my father was going to do something to hurt my daughter.

“I knew it. You are disgusting and a worthless piece of shit daughter. You let that imbecile from the other side of town knock you up!” He storms towards me, his hand wrapping around my throat. My eyes widen but I manage to hold my tears as my arms wrap around my stomach in an effort to protect my unborn daughter. “I should have you killed for your indiscretions.”

He gives my throat one more squeeze before releasing me. My body drops to the floor and I catch myself on my hands and knees as I try to get my breathing evened out. Looking up at him I watch as he clenches and unclenches his fist like he’s ready to hit me. I’ll take every hit as long as it’s not to my stomach.

“Get out my fucking sight,” he seethes, spitting at me. “I’ll be taking you out of school until this mess is dealt with. You will not be keeping that child.”

With one last look at him, I rise to my feet and bolt from the room, up the stairs, and towards my bedroom. It’s the only safe place I have. With my door locked behind me, I fall into my bed and let the tears flow.

“No matter what I promise to keep you safe, Little One,” I rub my stomach and mumble through the tears. “No harm will ever come to you.”

* * *

December Ten YearsAgo

With Christmas around the corner, you would expect my house to be full of laughter and cheer, except it’s the opposite. Since the day my father found out I was pregnant, it's been like living in a prison. I’m not allowed out of the house except to go to doctor's appointments and return straight home. Half the time he escorts me himself instead of letting me drive. I’m not allowed out of his eyesight and I know for a fact that he placed a tracker on my Jeep. I had begged him to allow me to continue studying for my classes online since I’ve been so bored trapped in the house but he’s steadily refused. It’s like I’ve become the daughter that doesn’t exist anymore. No one in the house will look at me and I’m not even allowed to attend family dinners. I’m stuck, secluded in my room unable to do anything. Our staff brings each meal to me, leaving it on the floor outside my door. I’m to place the empty tray in the same spot and they will pick it up. I’ve taken to pacing the length of my room for some type of exercise to pass the time.

There are only two months left until I’m full term and I’ve yet to figure out how to save my daughter from being sent away. My father is disgusted that I’m carrying a child that doesn’t have the right blood in his eyes. Every so often when he does catch a glimpse of me, he charges towards me and slaps me reminding me that I’m filth and how I ruined all of his plans. He said he had set up a perfect match for me in his eyes and I was supposed to meet them around this time. All of his plans were ruined with my pregnancy and now he wasn’t sure if he would ever be able to find me a match since I’m used goods.

I knew if I didn’t do something soon I would be at risk and so would my daughter. The second she is born he will take her and then probably beat the shit out of me for what I’ve done. My only shot was to get away, to find somewhere to hide, and lay low until I could get far enough away from my father's reach. Since I’ve been hidden for most of my life and never truly allowed to make many friends I didn’t have anyone to run to for help. The only person I thought who would be an option is Trevor’s dad. He was always nice and welcoming every time I ever came over. I wanted him to know that he was going to be a grandfather, but I was terrified of what my father would do if I went to him. For months I’ve been weighing the pros and cons of what to do. Now, it seemed it was about to be my only option. I just had to hope my father wouldn’t do anything to him.

My father was due to go out of town this morning and it was going to be the only chance I would have to get out of the house. My brother William was still in school for another two days and the staff rarely ever bothered to check on me. The plan was to drive into town and then walk across the train tracks to Trevor’s old house. I had to hope above all else that his father would be home. However, I also wrote a note that detailed everything in case I missed him.

Like clockwork, I heard the front door shut around nine in the morning. I watched his car drive away, winding down the driveway and through the front gates of our estate. William had left for school two hours earlier, leaving me alone in the house. I waited another thirty minutes before grabbing my car keys and heading out to the garage. For the most part, I followed the speed limit not wanting to risk getting pulled over as I made my way into town. I chose to park near the hospital so if my father asked I would just explain I had a last-minute doctor's appointment that I needed to attend. It meant I had to walk further since I couldn’t risk even taking the bus but it would have to do.

It took twenty minutes but I finally made it to Trevor’s house. An old beat-up red pickup sat in the driveway that I knew belonged to his dead.Thank fuck.The house hadn’t lost any of its charms as I walked up the front walkway. The porch was still an older open style with its white paint chipping off the front posts. The door was a dark blue that stood out from the chipping gray paint of the house. When I reached the front door, Mr. Griffin is already standing there with it open.

“I was wondering when you would finally show up here, Girl,” Trevor’s dad calls out as he props the screen door open. “Get in here before you’re seen.”

I slide past him and step into the living room. My hands twist around the strap of my purse that’s slung across my body. I continued to look out the front window as he shut the door and stepped further into the house. Mr. Griffin didn’t stop in the living room, instead continuing to the back of the house where the kitchen is. I heard the fridge door open and close before a thunk came from something being sat down on the table. I couldn’t see him from where I stood with the dividing wall between the rooms in the way.

“Come sit and tell me why you're here,” he calls out from the other room.

Trevor’s dad has always accepted me and never once made me feel unwelcome. He reminded me of what a parent should truly feel like. Never once did he yell at me or make me cower in fear. The few times he would raise his voice he would immediately apologize to me and lower it once more.

I walked into the kitchen and the seat directly across from him was open for me to take with a bottle of water placed in front of it. He had some fruit sitting cut up on the table and a small plate and fork next to it if I wanted any. The only thing that would make it better was if he had some warm fudgy brownies because that was exactly what I was craving right now.

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