Alessa shut her eyes as she relaxed a little bit more. She had enough sense to not fall asleep in the tub, but she didn't have the sense to lock the door. Cynthia suddenly burst into the room, as if she were looking for something. "Sissy, did you see my-?" asked Cynthia, but stopped in her tracks. Alessa pinned her ears back, knowing that the water displaced her coat and revealed her burns. Cynthia pinned her ears back and raced out of the room, slamming the door behind her. Alessa rose out of the tub and quickly got dressed before sneaking out. She hid herself in a closet.
~~
Cynthia raced downstairs and tugged at her mother's skirt. "Cynthia, did you slam that door?" asked Mary, looking down to her, "You know better than that..." "M-Mama!" barked Cynthia, "I-I see..." She wasn't able to form the words that she needed. "What is it?" asked Mary, bending down to her level, "Slow down and breathe, then speak." Cynthia was viably shaken as she took a few deep breaths. "What's wrong with Sissy?" she blurted out, "I went into the bathroom to look for my hair ribbon and her skin was all black and sore-looking." Mary realized what Cynthia meant, then lifted the girl up. She brought her to the living room and set her on the couch. "Cynthia, do you remember how Alessa had to stay at the hospital and couldn't come home for a long time?" asked Mary calmly. Cynthia nodded a little. "She was hurt very badly..." said Mary quietly, "Her mother did awful things to her and because of those awful things, Alessa had to stay in the hospital. She may appear a little different than others, but she's still the same person you've grown to love." "B-but..." winced Cynthia, "Why does she look like that? D-did she fall and get a bad bruise? What if I get a bruise?" Mary shook her head. "No, something much much worse." said Mary gently, "You can't catch her injuries and it won't happen to you. I won't allow it to happen to you, or to your brother and sister."
~~
Cynthia raced downstairs and tugged at her mother's skirt. "Cynthia, did you slam that door?" asked Mary, looking down to her, "You know better than that..." "M-Mama!" barked Cynthia, "I-I see..." She wasn't able to form the words that she needed. "What is it?" asked Mary, bending down to her level, "Slow down and breathe, then speak." Cynthia was viably shaken as she took a few deep breaths. "What's wrong with Sissy?" she blurted out, "I went into the bathroom to look for my hair ribbon and her skin was all black and sore-looking." Mary realized what Cynthia meant, then lifted the girl up. She brought her to the living room and set her on the couch. "Cynthia, do you remember how Alessa had to stay at the hospital and couldn't come home for a long time?" asked Mary calmly. Cynthia nodded a little. "She was hurt very badly..." said Mary quietly, "Her mother did awful things to her and because of those awful things, Alessa had to stay in the hospital. She may appear a little different than others, but she's still the same person you've grown to love." "B-but..." winced Cynthia, "Why does she look like that? D-did she fall and get a bad bruise? What if I get a bruise?" Mary shook her head. "No, something much much worse." said Mary gently, "You can't catch her injuries and it won't happen to you. I won't allow it to happen to you, or to your brother and sister."
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