Custody War

Chapter 5

 
E

ssence
 
Three days later
 
Walking down the corridor in school a kid walked past me with food, I took off to the nearest bathroom as I heard my name begin called.
 
After cleaning myself up, leaving out the bathroom I came face to face with a genuinely concerned Mr. Perez.
 
“I can’t talk now; I have to get to class, Mr. Perez.”
 
“Essence, you were just in the bathroom getting sick. What’s going on?”
 
Seeing the worry displayed all over his face, my reply was simple, “I will be okay.”
 
Walking around Mr. Perez when his words paralyzed me. “How far along are you, Essence?” He whispered.
 
My eyes suddenly filled with a concoction of tears, regret, and shame.
 
“How did you know?”
 
“Come with me.” Mr. Perez said as he walked away with me trailing behind.
 
Entering in an empty classroom away as the bell rung, Mr. Perez broke the silence.
 
“I will talk to your teacher. Now to answer your question, I was unaware that you are pregnant, I guessed. Not to pry but, Essence tell me what is going on? I have seen the bruises you skillfully try to hide and the days when you're absent. It’s very convenient when you return you have new bruises. I can help you Essence, but you have to trust me and want the help.” He took a breath then continued.
 
“How are you going to be able to go to college and raise a baby Essence? College is hard enough without a child in the mix. Essence.” He took another deep breath.
 
“Just tell me how I can help you.”
 
Wiping away the fallen tears from my face, I spoke, “Can you still help me graduate early and possibly help me get a job. I know college will be hard, Mr. Perez I need this, I want this. Please.”
 
“Essence, does your boyfriend hit you? Does he go to another school?”
 
Readying myself to tell Mr. Perez the truth, but another lie came out, “yes sir he does. He told me; he will not do again.”
 
“Trust me he will.” I heard him say in a whisper tone.
 
“He will now, now that.” I put my hand over my stomach as dropping my head in the process.
 
“Essence, none of this is your fault, you know this right?”
 
“I’m trying to know it.”
 
“I will not tell anybody about this conversation, however, if you haven’t told your parents you need to and do it soon. I am not pressuring you if it was easy for me to figure out it will be just as easy for someone else to do the same. Would it be better for you to tell your parents or someone else to tell them?”
 
“Yes sir. The bell is about to ring. As much as I wish I could stay and talk to you all day, I need to make some more of my classes.”  Standing up I gathered up my belongings.
 
“I’ll do everything in my power to help you Essence. I will see what all I can and have some answers for you later today or tomorrow.”
 
“Thank you, so much.” Tears escaped my eyes wiping them away, quickly walking off to my next class. 
 
Walking into my house after school heading to the kitchen. Grabbing some food, I went to my room.  
While eating and doing my homework, there was a soft knock on my door. Before I could respond my mom walked in my room.
 
“Hey baby, how was school?” She questioned.
 
“School was school, nothing new. If you coming to question about my first-period class, I was with my teacher Mr. Perez. He is helping me get into a college.”
 
“That is good. Why are you eating now, dinner will be ready soon?”
 
“School lunch was horrible, so I didn’t eat. I will eat dinner when it is ready.
 
Nodding her head, she left out of my room, I turned my attention back to my homework. After finishing up with my home, I begin searching for a job.
 
Disturbing my search, my father yelled through the house, “Andre, Essence dinner.”
 
Getting up, going to the bathroom to wash up for dinner, Andre came into my room.
 
“How was school today?” He asked
 
“Dre, I know you didn’t come to ask me about school.”
 
“I just want to know what’s going on, Essence. I can’t protect you if I don’t what to protect you from.”
 
Instantly wrapping my arms around Andre, I hugged him tightly as a few tears fell from eyes.
 
“Everything is okay, I promise Dre. Now let’s go eat, I’m starving.”
 
Silenced filled the dinner table until Andre’s phone broke the silence. “I have to go; coach called a team meeting. We have the conferences and championship games coming up.” Andre stated getting up kissing our mom then left out.
 
“Shit, I forgot to tell Andre about the trip this weekend and I will miss one or two of his games.” My dad stated out loud.
 
Before catching myself, I asked, “what trip?”
 
“Me, a few guys from the shop, Robert, and some of his co-workers.”
 
“After all, he has done to me, why are you going anywhere with him?”
 
“Essence, he apologized and said he would never do it again.”
 
Interrupting my father, “then why am I pregnant with- “
Not wanting to continue with my sentence I stop talking. Feeling the eyes of my parents on me, I got up and went to my room.
 
Laying in bed when my bedroom door opened.
 
“Essence, why didn’t you tell us?” My mom interrogated me.
 
“Would it have done any good? No matter what he does to you, you both accept it and move on like its nothing.”
 
“I’ll set up an appointment to get this matter taken care of immediately as possible.”
 
“What are you talking about mom?”
 
“Essence, the best outcome for this situation is for you to have an abortion. Under other circumstances, this would be different.”
 
Not saying anything, my father spoke.
 
“Not only will be good for you but Robert as well.”
 
“Are you fucking kidding me,” I shouted sitting up on my bed then continuing. “You are more concerned about him and what is going to happen to him.”
 
“Essence, you know he has a wife and three kids, you should think about them.” My father spoke in a stern voice.
 
“Did he think about them when he was raping me, punching me, and abusing me. Why should protect him? Why are yall protecting him and not me? Why does he have yall love and I don’t?” I yelled then ran out of my room, leaving the house going somewhere unknown.  
 
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