The Christmas gift - A Christmas story - Chapter 7

giantbear (74)in #fiction • 6 years ago

Terrence walked around in the park with Mindy clutching his hand. People looked at them funny and it must have been a sight to see a homeless man walking around with a little girl. Why do people always expect the worst of others?

One lady even asked if Mindy was lost, but Terrence assured her that he was just looking after Mindy until her mom came back. Mindy loved the tree just as much as Jonah did. Terrence bought Mindy a cup of cocoa after deciding that it was just too cold for ice cream. They sat on a park bench drinking their hot cocoa trying to warm up from the cold. Once they were done, Terrence picked up the girl and walked to the bus stop to go back to the hospital. Jonah was wide awake when they got back and he was very happy to see them.

The antibiotics was clearly doing the trick and when the food came, Jonah ate like a hungry beast. At least he had his appetite back which was a very good sign. Jonah shared some of his dessert with his little sister and Mindy climbed onto the bed with Jonah. Jonah took her hand and pulled her closer. He loved his little sister but he knew that Jack never touched her. There was a lot of verbal abuse, but Jack had never touched Mindy.

Terrence could feel the love between the eleven year old boy and his little three year old sister, and Mindy fell asleep on the bed next to Jonah. Twenty minutes later Maria came back and Terrence could she that she had been crying. The social worker was with her and seemed very supportive. She had found them a place in a safe house until Jack left the house but Maria knew that it was going to be hard for a few days.

She had to go home to pack some clothes and necessities for them but they would be back before Jack came home.

It was Friday, and Jack usually came late on Fridays because he went to the club. While others looked forward to weekends Maria dreaded it. She tried to sleep early with the hope that Jack would leave her alone, but it never worked. She once fell asleep in Mindy's room but Jack found her there and pulled her outside by her hair. Saturdays was better but only because Jack left early to go and play golf and she took the day to nurse her wounds. She was an emotional wreck.

Terrence knew that it was time for him to leave. He was hungry and he hasn't eaten all day. He knew he did the right thing to find Maria and he knew that Jonah needed to be with his family now. Terrence grabbed his stuff and stood up to leave. He told Jonah that he would come back the following day to check on him and smiled at Maria and Mindy.

"You did the right thing..." he said to Maria and told them that he would see them the following day. Jonah knew where to find him if they needed him and then he walked out. He had a longing in him to see his daughter and he knew that he had to put in more effort again after Christmas.

You have to get back on your feet Terrence, he told himself and felt determined when he walked out of the hospital.

Maria and Mindy went back to the house with the social worker. She packed the most important things and was sad, when she left the house with only two suitcases. It was her house, that her late husband left her after he died, but those good memories were long gone. She sighed heavily when she locked the door behind her and walked downstairs where the social worker was waiting for her. Tears streamed down her face when she got into the car, and she knew that she closed this door for the last time. She would never come back to this house again.

She was ready to start a new life, and she would do anything to provide her children with their basic needs. The social worker dropped them off at the safe house and after the paperwork was done, Maria and Mindy went to the room that would be their home for the next few weeks. There were three beds, one for each of them, and Maria smiled at the thought of Jonah coming home. They were safe, but she was horrified at the thought of Jack coming home to nothing. He dug his own grave and with the restraining order he was not allowed to come near her. The order would be served in the next few days and she knew there was the possibility of Jack finding them, but it was unlikely. For now they were safe. Maria and Mindy ate dinner in their room and after showering they went to bed. It was still early but both of them had a very tiring day.

Mindy got into bed with Maria and they chatted for a while.

"I like Terrence mommy..." the three year old said and then drifted off to sleep.

"I do too my angel" she said, and smiled when she picked up the little girl to put her in her own bed.

Maria felt stronger than ever before, and she thought about the happenings of this crazy day. Today,she was saved by an angel. She smiled at the thought, and then also drifted of to sleep.