Part Thirteen - Aimee's Story.

Chapter 1 ...Life’s crazy...

As soon as we got home we were sent to bed as the police were coming over to question Nana. I had my own room at Nana’s but hardly ever slept in there because me and Ellie would always fall asleep in Ellie’s bed. Tonight however, I fell asleep in my own bed. I needed some space and a chance to think about how mad crazy my life was. I was nearly 16 years old and already I’d been through so much. Lost both my parents to the bullet of a gun, had someone who was like a sister taken away from me, been abused by my mum when she was a heavy drinker, been in care most of my life and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. I began to cry as I remembered the moment the social worker took me away from Mum. I was only 5 years old and I still needed her. I then remembered the exact moment I got told Stacey was dead and the exact moment I took revenge on the people who took her away from me. Nobody even knew about me taking my revenge and becoming a cold blooded killer. Not even Ellie knew about that side of me, and she’ll never know. I shed a tear for my lost friend. She was more like my sister than a friend, she took me under her wing when I got taken into care and she was there up until she died. The tears carried on flowing. There was a knock at the door and Granddad stood there. “What’s up Aimee?” he asked me. “Nothing” I tried lying. “I’ve been stood outside your door for 10 minutes listening to you cry” he said. “I just miss my Mum and my Dad” I said breaking down crying. He came over to my bed and hugged me. “They wouldn’t want you upset though sweetheart, your Dad wouldn’t want you to cry and I know that for a fact” he said wiping away my tears. Nana came upstairs and she looked like she’d been crying too. “What’s up Aimee?” she asked. “It’s alright Ty, I’ve got it, go to bed and I’ll be there in a minute baby girl” he said to Nana. “Alright” she said. She came over to my bed and kissed me on my cheek. She then smiled at me. “I’m here if you need me through the night yeah Aimee” she said to me standing at my bedroom door. I nodded. Granddad left 10 minutes after she did. I sat on my bed reminiscing the 9 years I was in care.

Chapter 2 ...9 years ago...

I’d guessed Mum and her boyfriend had been drinking all day when she didn’t come to get me from school. Grandma came to get me and took me back home. “Aimee!” she shouted through the letterbox. There was no answer. Grandma started banging on the door and there was still no answer. She took my hand and went round to the back door. There was always a key underneath the plant pot on the windowsill and with that, she let herself in. Grandma pulled a face like she was going to be sick and I remember I did too. It was the smell of alcohol and sick in the carpets. I spotted Mum in the corner of a room. Grandma ran up to her. “AIMEE!” Grandma shouted. Mum didn’t even move. I began to cry because Grandma did. Grandma rang an ambulance for Mum and I remember how I sat there too scared to even move. I might have been a mere 5 years old but I still knew what was going on. Mum had drunk so much that she was now in a bad way. A seriously bad way. The ambulance came and took Mum to the hospital. “Is there somewhere more private we can chat?” A police officer asked Grandma. She nodded and led her into the hallway. I sat there with another police officer. I remember how she gave me a packet of chewits to calm me down. I can’t eat them anymore though, as they bring back bad memories of that day. The police officer started talking to me. “What’s your name then sweetheart?” she asked me. “Aimee, what’s yours?” I asked her. “PC Rose, but you can call me Claire if you want” she said smiling. “Okay, will my Mummy be okay Claire?” I asked her. “The doctors will make her better Aimee, don’t worry” she said smiling. Grandma came back into the room with the police officer and a bag in her hand. She passed it over to the police officer. She then hugged me. “Aimee sweetheart, you’re going to go on a little adventure okay, it’s not safe for you here anymore, we’ll meet again soon though okay” Grandma said. I didn’t want to go so I began to cry. “Stop it Aimee, you have to be a big girl, take this, whenever you get scared, you think about me okay, and I’ll be with you in mind” she said taking off her necklace and putting it over my head. Claire picked me up and carried me to the police car. I didn’t know it then, but this was going to be the first day of the worst 9 years of my life.

Chapter 3 ...The next morning...

“Hello Aimee” Sarah said to me. Sarah was the head care worker. “Did you sleep okay last night?” she asked me. I just stood there. I remember how I didn’t like strangers when I was little, and I still didn’t. “Would you like some breakfast sweetheart?” she asked me. I let out a quiet “Yes” and she took me to the kitchen. She made me some toast and a drink. I ate it. A girl who looked about 2 years older than me walked into the kitchen. “Why aren’t you at school?” Sarah asked her. “I don’t feel very well” the girl said. “Who’s that?” I remember the girl saying looking at me puzzled. “This is Aimee...Aimee this is Stacey” Sarah said. I still remember how Stacey smiled at me. None of the other kids had smiled at me and I felt like I was lucky to even get a hello from them. Sarah left the room and left me and Stacey to eat our breakfast. “How old are you?” Stacey asked me. “5 and 3 quarters, how old are you?” I remember saying. I’ll always remember the laugh she gave me. “You’re sweet you are! And I’m 8” she said smiling at me still. “Want to come and play in the living room? Do you know how to play snap?” she asked me. I shook my head. “Come on then, I’ll teach you” Stacey said helping me down off the stool I was sat on. I’ll never forget how we played snap all morning. Sarah came to check up on us. “You two alright?” she asked us. I nodded. “Yes thank you Sarah” Stacey said. I got told that tomorrow I’d be going to school. The same school Stacey and all the other care home kids went to. Me and Stacey got ready then we went out shopping for my school tops with Sarah as I already had everything else. Stacey came along with us as she wasn’t allowed to stay at the care home all on her own and the other care workers were running errands. After 2 hours, we were back and when we got back, the other children were back. Little did I know it, but what they were about to do would be a normal thing for me for the next couple of years of a kid in a care home.

Chapter 4 ...Bullied...

Stacey had gone to talk to Sarah about something very important. I was sat on the sofa watching telly when a couple of the big kids came in and took the remote off of me. I looked at one of the girls. “What you looking at?” she said to me. “You” I said to her. “WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!” she shouted at me. “I said I was looking at you” I said to her again. I didn’t know any better, I was only 5 at the time. All the same she smacked me. I began to cry. I then began to scream. Stacey came back in the room and had a go at the girl who’d just smacked me. She said sorry and Stacey took me up to her room. She sat me down on her bed and sat next to me. “She’s always one of the ones who thinks she can pick on the new people, she tried it with me too, but then I threw a chair at her and she never did it again” Stacey said. I remember smiling at her and she smiled back at me. Sarah came into Stacey’s room to find out what happened. I told her everything and she said that the girls would all be dealt with and I should go back and watch telly with Stacey. Two days later and I remember waking up to find Grandma having a conversation with Sarah. I thought I was going home but it just turned out to be a short visit from her. She took me to the park and I remember how she told me how brave I was being also how proud she was of me. I walked back to the care home and I’ll always remember how she told me she’d be back but then gave me a hug like she’d never see me again. I will also remember crying that night because I wanted to go home with Grandma but now I know it wasn’t safe for anyone, let alone a then 5 year old. I couldn’t sleep or stop crying so I decided to go wake up Stacey. She woke up and let me sleep next to her in her bed that night. I loved the way Stacey protected me and how safe she made me feel.

Chapter 5 ...8 years later...

I woke up and went to get ready for school. I then grabbed some juice and a slice of toast before linking arms with Stacey and setting off for school. We walked to the bus stop and waited for it to come, however as we waited Stacey went to the shop to get a packet of cigarettes. She made me hold her school bag and buttoned up her coat so the shopkeeper didn’t see her school uniform. To say she was nearly 16 she looked like an adult when she wanted to or when she wanted something. 4 girls in my year approached me. They didn’t like me so they made my life hell. The one who was the worst was called Katie. She had a sister in Stacey’s year so she thought that made her more superior than everyone else. She walked over to me. “Let me sit down you slag” she said to me. “Why can’t you sit over there?” I said looking at the other empty seats at the bus stop. “I don’t know, I guess I just like sitting in an ORPHANS seat” she sneered. “I’m not an orphan though am I?” I said sticking up for myself. “MOVE!” she shouted. “NO.” I screamed in her face. I’d taken her crap ever since I’d gone to the same primary school as her 8 years ago. Stacey came back outside just as Katie was about to hit me. “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?! MOVE FROM HER INIT!” Stacey shouted. “Aww! How sweet! An orphan sticking up for another orphan!” Katie said. The other 3 girls laughed with her at me and Stacey. Stacey punched Katie smack bang in the middle of the face. “WATCH YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU’RE TALKING TO ME OR AIMEE INIT!” she said beating her up. The bus came and Stacey grabbed my arm and got on it with me. She sorted her hair out on the way as Katie had dragged her hair about whilst they were fighting. Typical bitch move. When we got to school there was a huge group of people. As soon as we got a bit closer I realized it was Katie standing at the front next to her sister, Keighley.

Chapter 6 ...Revenge...

They ran up after us and I looked at Stacey. “Aimee run, you didn’t do anything wrong, it’s me they’re after not you” she said looking me straight in the eyes. “NO! I’m not leaving you!” I said to her. “JUST GO!” she screamed back at me. I stayed by her side and we both took the beating that day. We decided to skive that day and spent the day at the local park instead of going to school. We left just before school ended as not to get into anymore fights. We walked into the care home and Sarah was on the prowl. “WHY HAVE YOU TWO NOT BEEN TO SCHOOL?! THEY RANG ME TO SAY YOU HADN’T BEEN IN!” she shouted as us. “If we told you, you’d go mad at school and then make things 10x worse for the both of us” Stacey said. “What’s that supposed to mean! No more lies! Tell me the truth now!” Sarah shouted. “I’m being bullied” I remember telling her. I began to cry. “Has Stacey put you up to this Aimee?!” Sarah shouted. “NO! THEY’VE BEEN BULLYING ME EVER SINCE I GOT HERE! AND I STUCK UP FOR MYSELF THEN THEY WAS ABOUT TO BEAT ME UP WHEN STACEY SAVED ME! THEN WE BOTH TOOK A BEATING FROM ABOUT 20 GIRLS INCLUDING THE GIRLS OLDER SISTER!” I shouted before running up to my room. I remember how I collapsed on my bed in a fit of tears. I missed my Mum and I really wanted her. Stacey came into my room and hugged me. I cried on her shoulder and she held me even tighter. “Tomorrow, we’re going to school, we’re not going to be afraid anymore” Stacey said smiling at me. “And what if they start again?” I asked. “A few cuts and bruises is nothing, they’re the weak ones, since when was 2 against 20 girls fair? Or even 1 against 4? We’re stronger than they’ll ever be” Stacey said. I decided to have an early night after dinner as I felt that for some strange reason, tomorrow would be different.

Chapter 7 ...War...

I was sat in maths when Katie threw something at my head. None of her henchmen were about to back her up so she just used the rest of the people in our lesson to make her feel superior. “She might aswell change her name to Annie the orphan” she said. “Her Mum must have been some kinda prostitute and her Dad some one night stand” she carried on. That made me angry. I found out a few years ago that my Dad had died before he even knew I existed. I got up and turned around. “WHAT WAS THAT?!” I shouted at her. “You heard me, you little orphan who’s Mum overdosed on cocaine and Dad killed himself because he caught aids from your Mum” she said laughing. The teacher told her to stop it but she carried on. “Poor little orphan” she said. I walked up to her. “WHAT YOU GONNA DO?!” she shouted. From out of no-where I felt angry. I launched her in her jaw and we began fighting. I grabbed her head and began smashing it against the bookcase. There was a maths dictionary that caught my eye. I began smacking her over the head with it. “YOU WANNA TALK ABOUT MY MUM AND MY DEAD DAD LIKE THAT?! YESSS?! BITCH YOU MUST BE TRIPPIN’!” I shouted at her. She begged me to stop. I kicked her until I felt better. I turned round and everybody looked shocked. “WHAT?!” I shouted. “WOW since when could the quiet little mouse girl fight like that?” A boy said. “Since she started talking about my Mum and Dad like that, anyone else want a piece of me?!” I shouted. “I do, but not in that way” he said to me winking. Two teachers came back into the room with my maths teacher who looked like she was about to collapse in shock. They told me to get my stuff and escorted me to the head teacher’s office. They’d gotten Katie up off the floor so I decided to use my last bit of anger for a head butt. “WOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! NEVER HAD SO MUCH EXCITEMENT IN ONE MATHS LESSON! DO IT AGAIN! DO IT AGAIN!” the same boy shouted. The two teachers restrained me like an animal and took me to the head teachers office. I was then excluded. Sarah decided to wait for Stacey so she didn’t have to travel back to the care home alone. We saw her walk over to Sarah’s car and she got into the back with me. I told her everything about what had happened with Katie. “YES! FINALLY! YOU SHOW PEOPLE WADDUP!” she said. Stacey sometimes, liked to talk like a Yankee which made me laugh. When we got back Sarah made us some food before sending me off to my room to “think about what I’d done” but to be honest, I remember feeling victorious when I went to sleep that night.

Chapter 8 ...I’m back...

I woke up the next day and pondered around the care home. Nobody was in except me, Sarah and my social worker Kim. They called me into the office. I sat down on the chair and along came the questions. Why did I do what I did? What possessed me to hurt someone so bad? Had I learnt my lesson? To save myself the aggro, I told them what they wanted to hear. Kim then looked at me. “You know Aimee, your Mums been in touch and she wants to see you” she said. “It is safe for her to do so, she’s been assessed and she’s clean now” Kim continued. I looked at her. Was I dreaming or did she say my Mum had been in touch? “We could arrange a meeting today? Only for a few hours though?” she said. I sat there gobsmacked. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Mum in 8 years. Kim told me that Mum had a new boyfriend aswell and she’d moved to Birmingham. I agreed and they rung Mum. Mum wasn’t at work today so Kim agreed to take me to Birmingham to see her once I’d gotten ready. I got ready super fast and then got in the car with Kim. As the number of miles to Birmingham decreased, my heart rate increased. We parked up outside a house which looked quite posh. Mum really had changed. Kim knocked on the door and a woman came to the door. It was my Mum. She looked so beautiful now. She was beautiful before but all the drugs and alcohol made her seem ugly. She looked at me. “Is that my little girl?” she asked. I nodded. I began to cry and she did too. She let us in and Kim stayed by my side the whole entire time until it was time for us to go. I’d been excluded for a week so every day Kim would take me to see my Mum in the hope that one day I’d be able to live with her again. We were driving back when Kim got a phone call from her husband. She pulled over to take the call. “Hello David....Yes David.....see you later....I love you too” she said. She then pulled back onto the road and carried on driving. “You know, if your Mum keeps up the way she is, this time next year you could be living with her permanently” Kim said. “Really?!” I asked. Kim nodded. “Yes” she said. I’ll always remember how happy the word ‘permanently’ made me feel.

Chapter 9 ...Stole...

Today was my first day back at school after my exclusion. Stacey had been being really difficult these past few days and I didn’t really understand why. I got up and got ready for school to then go downstairs to find Stacey had just left without me. I got my money from Sarah and then ran after Stacey. “STACEY!” I shouted. She didn’t even turn around. What had I done to her? Was it because my Mum was all of a sudden back on the scene why she was being like this? I ran faster and caught up with her. I grabbed her arm and she let out a little squeal like I’d just hurt her. She looked at me. “What?” she said. “What have I done?” I asked her. “Made my life hell” she replied before walking off. I decided to get to the bottom of things. After a while of me shouting at her she finally snapped. She took off her coat and told me to hold it. She then rolled up her jumper sleeve to show me a scar on her arm. It was a scar where someone had cut her and it looked deep. “Who did that to you?!” I asked. “Keighley and her crew” she said. “Why though?” I asked her once more. “YOU! BECAUSE OF YOU AND YOUR BAD TEMPER! AIMEE I HATE YOU! NOW MOVE!” she shouted at me. I stood there and cried before walking back to the care home. I told Sarah everything Stacey told me and she rung the police. Stacey came back and they questioned her. I decided to go into my room out of the way. I sat on my bed and cried. It got to about 6pm when one of the resident care workers, Julie, brought me some dinner up. I’d finished it by half 6. I say finished, I’d picked at it because I didn’t really feel hungry. I caught sight of Stacey on the landing as I went to take my plate downstairs. She looked so empty, alone and scared. A far cry from the Stacey I’d first met on my first day here. She walked into her room and closed the door. I began typing a text to her on my phone. “Stacey I’m sorry and I love you like my sister. I don’t even know what I’d do without you.” I began. I then deleted it and decided that she was in the wrong and not me. I went to sleep and I had a dream. I just remember the dream being dark and loads of screams. I woke up the next morning and got ready for school. Surprisingly Stacey wasn’t up yet, so I went to wake her up and I also decided to be a big girl about it and tell her sorry. I also decided to tell her what I’d put in that text last night which I deleted at the last minute. I knocked on the door and waited for her to answer. She never did so I walked in the room. Her room was bare, her bed stripped with her no-where to be seen. I went downstairs confused, my school bag over my shoulder. Sarah looked at me. “Aimee you’re not going to school today, come in and sit down” she said. She told me the worst news I’d ever had in my life. That dream wasn’t a dream; it was her screaming when she found Stacey dead in her bed.

Chapter 10 ...Goodbye...

“Why are you lying for?! SHE’S NOT DEAD!” I shouted at Sarah. “Aimee she is, she left this for you” she said getting up and hugging me. She handed me an envelope. I’d notice Stacey’s handwriting anywhere. I opened it and read it. This is what it said:

Dear Aimee,

I’m going to save Keighley the trouble and just end my own life. She said I’d be dead if I told anyone about what she did to me and I did, so she’ll only end it for me in a more aggressive way. You always have and always will be like my little sister. I didn’t mean it when I said I hated you, I just hated the situation you got yourself in but I’m proud of how you’re sticking up for yourself. Don’t worry, and don’t cry either! Only the strong survive in this world and that’s what you are, I’m not. I front like I’m strong but obviously I’m not. None of this is your fault, they just felt the need to start on us because we were different. They got to me, but don’t let them win baby girl, not like I did. I love you Aims.

P.S. I hope it protects you more than it did me, either way, I’ll always be with you.

Stace oxoxo

A stray tear fell down my cheek. A necklace dropped out of the envelope. It was the one Stacey always wore the one that said protected her. I held it in my hand and began to cry hysterically.

Chapter 11 ...Revenge...

4 months had passed since I found out the closest person I had to a sister had been pushed to suicide. I felt so empty and alone. I didn’t even care when I turned 14. Stacey wasn’t here to give me birthday beats so I just didn’t care. Today was the day I’d find out whether or not I’d be living with Mum permanently or not. Even though Kim said it would have been a year before I got to, it seemed a good idea for me to get out ASAP so she fast-tracked my Mums application process. I sat on my bed the whole day playing with the necklace Stacey had left me. Sarah called me down to her office. Kim sat in there with her. I sat down on the beanbag in the corner of the room. “Aimee I need an honest answer” Kim said. “Yes...” I said still playing with the necklace. “Would you like to go and live in Birmingham with your Mum?” Kim asked me. I began to cry. “Yes” I managed a couple of minutes later. “Are you sure?” she asked me. “Yeah, I don’t want to stay here anymore, not without Stacey” I said. “Well, I have some good news for you, you’d better pack up quick, your Mums coming to get you tomorrow” she said. I felt a smile come across my face. “Obviously I’ll still have to check up on you for a while to make sure things are okay but I shouldn’t see why they shouldn’t be” Kim said. I went over and hugged her and then hugged Sarah. “Thank you” I said to them both. I went upstairs and started packing. I’d packed all my stuff up by time night fell. But there was still one more thing I had to do, I knew Stacey wouldn’t like it, but I had to do one thing before going to live with my Mum in Birmingham. Kill Keighley.

Chapter 12 ...Karma gotcho ass...

I made up a fake Facebook account and she fell for the bait. I pretended to be a boy she’d once gone out with and she agreed to meet me. I wanted Katie to feel how I did. I’d make Keighley’s death look like suicide so nobody would suspect a thing. I told her to meet me by the canal meaning I had to sneak out which was hard but not impossible. I’d gotten out of the door and ran down the road towards the canal. I wore all black so she wouldn’t see me. I then waited until she’d turned around before jumping on her. “Scream and I’ll kill you even quicker” I said to her. I blindfolded her as she pleaded with me to stop. “I’M GOING TO MAKE YOU FEEL THE PAIN STACEY DID!” I shouted. “It was all a joke, I didn’t mean any harm!” Keighley shouted. “THIS IS A JOKE TOO! I’M LAUGHING NOW! NOT YOU AND NOT YOUR SISTER!” I shouted at her. I transferred the bricks from my backpack into the bag she was carrying. “What are you doing?!” she said to me crying. “Shut up! Stacey wouldn’t like what I’m doing, but you see Keighley, I’m going home tomorrow, back to my Mum and I couldn’t let you think you’d gotten away with this, the police might have let you get away with it because of your waterworks and your lies but I’m not the police! I’m Aimee Bailey Mills! HOW YOU DOING!” I said. I did the last bit in a Yankee accent the same way Stacey used to. She pleaded with me to stop. I blocked her out and dragged her over to the edge. I made her stand up so I could tie a rope around her wrists. I tied 3 around her wrists so she couldn’t escape and survive. I wanted her to die and feel the same way Stacey did just before she took her own life. Scared, alone and vulnerable. “Any last words?” I said to her. “Fuck you” she said. I made sure nobody was looking, I then took off her blindfold and placed the rest of the bricks into her bag. Luckily, she had a satchel type bag on so they all fit in. It’d be weeks maybe even months before they found her. I took one last look around to make sure nobody saw me push her in. I heard the water splash and watched as her head slowly disappeared under the water. Bubbles began to rise but after a minute they stopped. I’d finally done it. I’d taken revenge on the bitch that killed the best thing I had to a sister. I know Stacey wouldn’t have liked what I’d done but hey hoe, I hardly ever listened to her anyway. I walked back and crept in the way I got out in the first place. I’d disposed of the gloves I’d worn on the way back. I then went to sleep that night and slept like a baby as tomorrow, I’d be back in Birmingham with my Mum and her boyfriend.

Chapter 13 ...Two weeks later...

Today was my first day at my new school. It was close but Mum still decided to drop me there herself. She kissed me on my cheek and watched me walk in. I went to reception and sat down on the seat. A girl ran in and hid behind a curtain. It was one of those stage curtains so they couldn’t see her feet poking out like you would have been able to a normal curtain. A teacher came running in. “Have you seen a girl run by here?” he asked me. “Yeah” I said. “Where did she go?” he asked me. “That way” I said sending him the opposite way. After he’d gone the girl came and sat next to me. “Thanks, you’re alright you know” she said smiling at me. “What did you even do?” I asked her. She pulled up her trouser leg. “I’m only wearing trainers and he’s going on like I have a gun in my sock” she said. I laughed. This was the first time I’d met Ellie. She was so funny. A teacher came in and looked at us both. “Ellie I never knew you knew Aimee, you two do look alike though, are you related?” she asked. “No, I’ve just met her, Miss what year is she in?” she asked the teacher. “Your year and your sets, so you can show her the ropes of West View High” she said. “Finally, someone who’s on my wavelength” Ellie said smiling at me. She linked arms with me and we went to our first lesson. “Wait you’re not from round these parts are you?” she asked me in her Birmingham accent. “No, I’m from London” I said to her. “Ahh, okay, say grass” Ellie said. “Grass” I said confused. “I said say grass not GRARSE” Ellie said laughing. “Very funny!” I said to her giggling. I remember how all day people kept making me say stuff in my accent and they all found it super cool. Home time came and Mum came to pick me up. Kim was on her way up from London to check up on us but after a while she left again because she seen I was settled. I lay in bed that night half asleep when my bedroom door opened. I thought it was Mum coming to say goodnight as she’d nipped out to her friend’s house at about 8pm and still wasn’t back. That was the first night Calvin, my Mums boyfriend, took advantage of me. He took my innocence away from me that night. “Tell your Mum and I’ll kill her, then you’ll wind up in that children’s home again for the rest of your life!” he said. He got up off me. I just lay there, scared, shocked and alone.

Chapter 14 ...The next morning...

I woke up hoping last night was all just a dream. I then came to my senses and realized it wasn’t a bad dream but reality. Whilst my Mum was out at her friend’s house her boyfriend of 5 years, who was a respectable lawyer, raped me. I’d just gotten my shower and was walking into my room with my towel wrapped around me when he caught sight of me. I tried locking my door but it failed and he forced his way into my room. “Say a word and you’ll pay” he sneered in my ear. I looked at him wanting to cry but I held it down until he closed my door. Ellie agreed to meet me at the bus stop this morning like we always did. I finished getting ready and Mum came in my room. “Everything okay Aimee?” she asked me. I broke down in tears on her. I was just about to tell her what happened when Calvin appeared at my bedroom door. He looked concerned to the naked eye but to me, he looked threatening. I decided to lie. “I just miss Stacey that’s all” I said to her. She hugged me and I felt so safe in her arms. She decided to drop me to meet Ellie otherwise I would have been late. Ellie was stood at the bus stop waiting for me whilst playing with her phone. We both decided to go for the school girl look today which consisted of, tights, a school skirt, ballerina pump shoes, a school top and a cardigan. I had my straight hair in a standard ponytail with my full fringe out whilst Ellie had her curly hair out, with a straight fully fringe and an alice band keeping her fringe in place. “Your Mums really pretty!” Ellie said. “Well obviously, I’m not this beautiful for a reason” I said smiling. Ellie laughed. “What about your Dad?” I remember her asking me. “He got shot a couple years ago, he died before he even knew I existed” I remember telling Ellie. “Guns are dangerous, my eldest brother he got shot too, and he died though when I was still a baby” Ellie told me. I knew she had a brother who was a couple years older than her who had a twin sister but not this one who I’d soon find out was my Dad. “Can I come to yours later? Mums not gonna be in” I remember her asking me. “No, sorry” I said. I’d said the previous thing the day before, and the day before that, and the day before that, basically you get the reason why Ellie then got all moody with me. She’d been having a go at me for 10 minutes when I finally broke down. “YOU CAN COME ROUND BUT IF YOU GET RAPED THEN IT WON’T BE MY FUCKING FAULT!” I remember shouting at her.

Chapter 15 ...Teenage love story...

I told Ellie everything and she held me as I wept. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea” Ellie said to me. “You weren’t to know” I replied. “You need to tell someone!” she said. “He said he’ll kill Mum if I did” I replied. “There’s people that can help!” She said. “No, it’s okay, I’ve got to keep quiet, for Mums sake” I said. She wiped away my tears and re-did my make up before we carried on walking to school. We stopped at the shop and got the usual munch we always got before walking to school. “OI BUMTING!” one guy shouted at us. Ellie turned around. A guy and his friend approached us. Ellie smiled at them whilst I stood there playing with my phone. “Excuse me beautiful, can man get ya digits?” he said. Ellie then realized they were 2 years below us. “When you don’t have to use safety scissors no more little boys, then maybe” she said laughing. I stood there gobsmacked. She was so rude but funny with it. We walked to our first lesson which was Drama. We had to get into two groups and create scene about a typical Friday night. Our group did a drama where we were at a house party. Ellie and I decided to grind on two guys. However, the guy I was grinding on took it too far and it reminded me of Calvin. I ran out the room crying, Ellie chasing me and our drama teacher shouting after both of us. I ran into the girls toilets and slammed the door shut. “Aimee?” I remember her shouting. She heard me crying and went into the cubicle next to the one I was in. She popped her head over the cubicle and I looked up at her. “You can’t live like this, Aiden said he’s sorry by the way, he didn’t mean to upset you” Ellie said. I nodded. “It wasn’t his fault though” I said beginning to cry even more. “I chose a bad day to wear a skirt!” she said climbing over the toilet cubicle into mine. She hugged me as I cried even more. I went back to the drama lesson and lied to my teacher. All the teachers knew I’d been in care but none of the students, not even Ellie, knew that side of me. We went to PSHE next and I sat next to Ellie in our usual seats. Aiden handed out the books for once and when he came over to our table he passed me a note. I opened it and it read:

Sorry for making you cry Aimee :( I really like you. Wanna meet up tonight? Blink for no and wink for a yes.

I looked at him and winked. He smiled at me.

Chapter 16 ...These are my confessions...

“What’s that?” Ellie asked me. I handed it her. “Don’t mess with him, trust me, Emma likes him, it’s not a good idea” she said. “Why?” I asked. “Tell you at lunch” she said. Lunch came and we decided to go out for our dinner. When we got away from school Ellie told me the down low. “Emma likes Aiden but Aiden don’t like her, last girl that Aiden got with, let’s just say Emma and her crew made it known she wasn’t happy” Ellie told me. I looked at her. “Oh, okay” I said. “Actually, go meet him, she’s being a spoilt brat really isn’t she, if you like him then you like him” Ellie said. We went into the chip shop and brought our food and a drink each. “Don’t you have a boyfriend?” I asked Ellie. “No, I have an older brother and 2 older sisters, are you crazy?” she said. I laughed. “Don’t you have any siblings?” Ellie asked me. I shook my head. “Nope, only child me” I said. She smiled at me then put a chip in her mouth. We then ate our food and went back to school. We sat Aiden and his friend Kayne on the way back. I knew Kayne had a thing for Ellie so we decided to go on a double date that night. Ellie came back home with me because today was the day Calvin worked late. She met Mum and then came to help me decide what to wear. I decided to wear a grey just above the knee length dress, black tights and grey ugg boots. I wore my grey thick cardigan and found my black over the shoulder handbag to top it all off. Ellie took my hair out of the ponytail it was in and sorted my hair out for me whilst I re did my hair up. “Your hairs so nice and thick....you bitch” she said. I smiled at her. I don’t know why she was complaining for to be honest, her hair was long and curly...the kind of hair I’d always wanted. She straightened my hair and my fringe. I did my eye make up more heavy than I did it for school. I then went downstairs. “NO WAY IS THAT MY LITTLE GIRL!” she said to me smiling. I nodded. “What’s the plan of action then? So I know where to come find your sorry little ass if you miss your curfew” she said. “Well, we’re going to Ellie’s, she’s getting ready, then we’re going to meet Aiden and Kayne, then we’re going cinema then for some food” I told Mum. “WHAT?! BOYS?! BE CAREFUL YOUNG LADY! AND YOU SWEETHEART!” she said to me and Ellie. “We will, don’t worry” I said. She handed me £30. “Nice meeting you” Ellie said. “And you poppet” Mum said. We walked back to Ellie’s. “My Dad’s in....great...21 questions” Ellie said.

  

Chapter 17 ...Not again...

“DAD!” Ellie shouted. “Yes Ellie” I heard a voice reply. “Can I have some money?” she asked. He got out his wallet and gave her £30. “Hello, I’m Jason, mind my daughter’s bad manners” he said looking at me. “Shut up, and this is Aimee” Ellie said. Ellie then took me up to her room whilst she got ready. She put on black skinny jeans, a white long top, a black body warmer and black and white high tops. She then went downstairs and said bye to her Dad. “Where are you two going?” he asked us. “Cinema and then for some food” Ellie said. I went along with it. “Nice meeting you” he said. “And you” I said politely. We got the bus to where they were meeting us. We then got off the bus and went to meet them. They approached us and we went to the cinema first. Me and Ellie sat inbetween both of the boys with our dates by our side. We went to see Paranormal Activity 2 and it gave me a reason to want Aiden to hold me close. After the film we went to Nandos and kept making jokes about everybody else in there. The boys then walked us to the bus stop and we waited for the bus. When I went home I decided to ask Mum about my Dad. “His family didn’t think Mum to me Aimee, that’s why I haven’t told you about them, I have his sister Mia’s number though, and her address, maybe when you’re old enough you can go and find her, she lives in Manchester” Mum said. I nodded. I went to bed as Mum popped out to the shop. Calvin did what he did the night before and raped me once more. I was crying so bad I didn’t realize Mum standing at the door until she dragged him off of me and told him to get out. She held me as I wept. “Tell the police and you’ll lose her forever” Calvin said rightfully. “Let me stay here or I’ll tell them, Ashley I’m sorry” he said. Mum looked at me. “I can’t lose you again Aimee” she said looking at me. I looked at her. She’d just chosen him over me and that’s the way it was for the next month. He always came first no matter what the situation was. I remember waking up the next morning wanting to be sick. Mum looked at me. I knew she thought the same thing as I did and it was confirmed when two blue lines came up on the stick. I was pregnant with my Mum’s boyfriend’s baby. “Aimee, you have to get rid of it” she said to me.

Chapter 18 ...Family matters...

“NO!” I shouted at her. “Aimee I’ll lose you otherwise! Do you really want that?” she said to me. I needed Ellie at this moment in time but she had problems of her own going off in her family. Her second eldest sister had just lost her son in a house fire and was still fighting for her life so she didn’t need me and my problems aswell. Mum rang the abortion clinic and booked me an appointment for the next day. I remember going to bed early that night and waking up early the next morning. There was so much tension on the way to the clinic. The doctor called me in on my own and asked me a few questions. She then called Mum in and reluctantly took the tablet. I went home and cried on my bed in pain. My phone began to ring, it was Ellie. I ignored the call as she would only have worried about me if she knew what was going on behind closed doors. I cried myself to sleep and woke up the next morning. I then got ready to go to the clinic and take the 2^nd and final tablet. The doctor then spoke to me about contraceptives. I didn’t even want to lose my virginity in the first place never mind do it again. I didn’t listen to her, I closed off and watched her lips move. “Are you okay Miss Mills?” the doctor asked me. I’d just aborted my baby obviously that was a dumb question. I cried all the way home. “Your Dad would have him” Mum said as she held me as I wept. “Mum, I wanna know his side of the family, life’s too short” I said to Mum. She agreed and wrote down my Aunty Mia’s address. I rang Ellie to ask her what she was doing tomorrow as I didn’t really want to go alone. She said she had family problems and I realize how that Aunty Holly tried to kill herself so I went to Manchester on my own the next day. I’ll never forget how scared I was first meeting Aunty Mia but after a while I wondered why I was so scared in the first place. Aunty Mia dropped me to the train station and I got the train back to Nottingham. The next day I met Ellie, I was just about to tell her about my Dad’s side of the family when we saw Emma.

Chapter 19 ...For a friend...

“OI!” She shouted at Ellie. She hit her and that made me mad. Emma should have hit me not her. I pounced on Emma and began fighting her. Her crew came running around the corner. I remember Ellie grabbing her phone and telling someone to get where we were quick. She tried to get Emma off her but another one of her henchmen got her on the floor. I somehow got up and dragged Emma off of Ellie. “ELLIE RUN!” I remember shouting to Ellie as they all jumped on me. That’s when our two worlds collided and I found out that Ellie was in fact my Aunty and my dead father’s youngest sister. Aunty Mia came out and offered the girls out. My new cousin Neveah then ran out of her house and up the road with a punch for the girl who seemed to her like the ringleader, Emma. Uncle Harvey then realized who I was and helped me up off of the floor. I’ll never forget how upset Ellie looked when she saw what they’d done to me but she was a friend and I always protected my friends. I then met Nana Tyla for the first time then I found out Ellie told Uncle Harvey what Calvin did to me. The rest of them then found out when Mum came back for me and Uncle Harvey shouted at her. I then remembered when Calvin rang me the morning Mum died, and when he killed our baby for the second time. I then remember Mums funeral and how peaceful she looked. I buried her with a letter for her to read on her way to heaven. This is how I ended up here, nobody can ever know that part of me, the killer me, not even Ellie can ever know. I was crying when I got a text on my phone. It was from Aiden. “Aimee, can you come and meet me please? There’s some things I wanna say” it read. I text back “It’s nearly 2am?” to then get a reply “Fine, I’ll come yours then, come outside, that Jason scares me” he said. I didn’t care about being in my pjs or that my eyes were red from crying. I didn’t even care that I now had a bed head. I just crept down my stairs and out of the front door, taking the alarm off on the door before I woke someone up. Aiden only lived down the road so he was there before I got outside. I walked up to him. He grabbed me.

Chapter 20 ...My baby...

He grabbed me and kissed me like I’d never been kissed before. It was like on Sims where there are loads of fireworks. I felt incredible. I stood there kissing him for a further 10 minutes. “I want you, your accent turns me on” he said. I laughed. “Well maybe it’s because I’m a Londoner!” I said in my London accent. He laughed and smiled. “So, you gonna be known as my girl then?” he asked me. I tiptoed and kissed him again. I could feel him smiling as we kissed. “Take that as a yes?” he asked me. “Boys are so stupid, obviously” I replied smiling. “My girl, my girl, my girllll, talking about, my girl!” he started singing. I giggled. “Your laughs peng boo” he said to me. “Just like me then init” I said. I knew I was beautiful and wasn’t afraid to admit to that. I kissed him again and we saw a girl walk down the road next to a boy holding his hand. “OWER!” she said as she got closer. It was my cousin, Neveah with a boy I’d never seen before. Aiden moved from me quickly. “Don’t let me interrupt anything!” she said laughing. I looked at him and he looked at me. “You best treat her right or I’ll kill you, no long” she said to Aiden. “Yeah, will do, Aimee I’ll text you yeah” Aiden said kissing me. “See you later” I said to him. I watched him walk down the road, he kept looking back and everytime I did he smiled until I could no longer see him no more. “What are you doing out anyway?” she asked me. “Aiden text me, I could ask you the same thing!” I replied. “Just taking care of some, stuff” she said looking at the guy. He kissed her on her forehead. “Is he your boyfriend?” I asked her. She nodded. “Don’t tell anyone will you” she said to me. “I won’t, how long have you been together?” I asked her. “5 months” she said smiling. “Why haven’t you told anyone though?” I replied. “Because, some things are meant to be kept to yourself for a bit, when the times right I’ll tell the rest of ‘em” she said smiling. I then knew that I’d have to take some of the things I’d done to my grave and hope that God would forgive me when my time came. In the mean time, I’d be happy with Aiden and adjust to my new life as I knew Mum and Dad were watching over me from heaven making sure their little girl was okay.

The End

Part Twelve - Harvey's Story.

Chapter 1 ...Heartache/1 month later...

It’d been a month since Holly changed. She’d not been the same ever since Louise took her little boy away from her. She’d been picking arguments with everybody including me however; I couldn’t deal with what she was going through so I decided to just let it go. I wanted to bring her son back but no matter what I tried nothing could change the fact he was gone thanks to one selfish individual’s action. I’d not been home much which meant I wasn’t seeing Dom and Amelia much which really hurt me because I knew how much I was hurting Dom staying away days at a time. I could tell it was hurting her because every time I rang her she just seemed distant. Shanice wouldn’t tell me what was up with her and just lied saying it was nothing. I knew something was wrong with her, I just knew it. She’d changed the way she was talking, like she was getting bored of me or something. I knew all of this drama had put a strain on our relationship but obviously I had to be there for my sister. I still tried to talk to both Dom and Amelia at least once a day but sometimes I just had to be there for my sister. Even Mum had noticed a massive change in her and said it wasn’t really normal. Mum had gone through what Holly had a couple years back when my older brother Tysharn got murdered but she wasn’t like Holly was. Holly’s fiancée, Jamie, was even feeling the strain, Holly was just always arguing with everybody she had the chance to argue with, including Dom and Shanice who were just trying to be there for my sister. I decided to go and surprise Dom and Amelia when they came home so I left Mum’s quite early so I was in when they got back. I was sat on the sofa when the door opened. Amelia ran towards me and jumped in my arms. “DADDY!” she squealed before kissing my cheek. Elliot, Armani and Aaliyah then walked in. “Where's Dom?” I asked Elliot. “Don’t you know?” he asked me. “No” I replied. “Well, I’m not saying anything, it’s not my business” he said. I looked at him. “Aaliyah and Armani, I think it’s time we left” Elliot said taking them with him. I sat and waited for Dominique to arrive. The door opened and Dom walked through it. I looked at her and she looked at me. I looked down at her stomach and she did too. “When were you going to tell me?” I asked her.

Chapter 2 ...A new life...

“When I knew things were okay” she said, walking over to me. “And ARE things okay?” I asked her. She nodded. I got up and hugged her. “Obviously you had to look after Holly too, I didn’t want you worrying about me” she said to me. “How far gone are you babe?” I asked her. “14 weeks!” she said a smile on her face. I kissed her. Amelia came running down the stairs. “Mummy, what time is Aaliyah coming round?” she asked. “Anytime now sweetheart” Dom said to our daughter. Dom informed me that Aaliyah was sleeping over tonight as it wasn’t a school night. 20 minutes later and the door knocked.  A stressed looking Shanice stood there with Aaliyah in front of her. Dom looked at Shanice. “What’s up babe?” Dom asked her. “Nothing” she said looking down at Aaliyah. I knew from then she was just holding it down whilst Aaliyah was there so I decided to take Amelia and Aaliyah to Sainsbury’s to get them some goodies for the night. I’d just put their car seats in the back seat when I decided to go back and see if Dom or Shanice wanted anything. I walked into the house to find them both on the sofa, Shanice crying in Dom’s arms. “I swear, it doesn’t get any better! We’re going to have another baby soon Dom, he needs to sort it out!” Shanice said. “I know babe I know” she replied. I looked at Dom and she looked back at me. She gave her “Not now Harvey” look so I decided to just leave it and go to the shop. I got a trolley and the girls got what they wanted. We decided we were going to bake cakes when we got back as that’s what they loved doing, well that and licking the bowl. I brought them a couple of DVDs to keep them occupied too. I then paid for the shopping and loaded it into the boot of my car. When I pulled up I noticed Elliot’s car was there. “Wait here a second you two” I said to them both. I didn’t want them seeing any arguing and I didn’t want Aaliyah to see her parents argue. I walked towards the house and even before I got to the door I could hear shouting.

Chapter 3 ...Arguments...

“SHANICE STOP BEING SO STUPID!” Elliot shouted at Shanice. “HOW AM I BEING STUPID EXACTLY?! DO NOT TAKE ME FOR A DICKHEAD! IT’S NEVER THAT INIT!” she shouted back. “Calm down Shan, think of your baby” Dom said. “NO! HE’S BEING A FOOL!” she shouted at Elliot. “ME?! A FOOL?! ALRIGHT THEN SHANICE!” he shouted back. “YES! WHATEVER THEN INIT! SURE I CAN STAY AT MUMS AND DADS WITH THE KIDS FOR A BIT WHILST I GET MYSELF SORTED!” she shouted at Elliot. “What are you talking about?” Elliot said, suddenly calming down. “I’M LEAVING YOU! ALL WE EVER DO IS ARGUE! THINK OF OUR 3 KIDS ELLIOT! YES AALIYAH AND AMARNI AND THE UNBORN CHILD I’M CARRYING! YOU’RE SUCH A FUCKING IDIOT IT’S UNREAL! ALL YOU DO IS STRESS ME OUT ALL THE TIME ELLIOT! I’M BETTER OFF WITHOUT YOU!” Shanice said storming out of the house. Elliot ran after her. I looked at Dom. “What’s happened?” I asked her. “Nothing! Just a marriage tiff, that’s all” Dom replied. I knew she was lying but decided to just leave it. “Alright” I replied. I went back outside to find Shanice and Elliot’s cars gone. I decided to get the girls from the car and put the shopping away before the ice cream we’d brought melted anymore. I put all the shopping away whilst Dom tried getting through to Shanice. “Babe, I’m going to nip round there yeah” she said. “I’m coming with you!” I said to her. “What about these two? I know I’ll ring Demi” Dom said. Demi was Dom’s 16 year old sister. She was here within 10 minutes as Dom’s parents only lived round the corner. “What do you want me to do exactly? Just watch them?” Demi asked. “Yeah, just keep your eye on them both!” Dom said rushing out the door. I pulled my wallet out whilst Dom started the car up. “Here, don’t tell your sister mind!” I said giving Demi £30. I’d just gotten my trainers on and walking to the car when Dom’s phone started ringing, I saw her reach for it. I opened the car door. “Shanice babe are you okay?....Alright then....No, I was trying to get you why?” Dom said down the phone. “WHAT?!” she shouted. She looked at me. “Harvey check your damn phone!” she shouted at me. I did as I was told. I forgot to un-silence it and I had 6 missed calls from Mum, 5 from Mia and a load of my other family members. Everybody except Holly, I looked at Dom. “What’s happened?” I asked her. “It’s Holly” she said beginning to cry. “What about her?” I asked Dom who was now inconsolable. “She overdosed on 2 bottles of vodka and 3 whole boxes of tablets, Jay found her and she wasn’t breathing, she’s in hospital Harvey! That’s why everybody’s trying to get hold of you!” Dom said to me uncontrollably crying.

Chapter 4 ...The next day...

I woke up to find Holly staring at me. After me, Dom and Shanice arrived late last night we were told Holly was going to be okay or so they hoped so when I woke up I didn’t know whether to be angry at her for trying such a thing or to be happy that something terrible didn’t happen to her. She began to cry and I decided that I had to be the protective big brother and show her I cared. I say older, I was only 10 minutes older than her but I was still older. I got up and hugged her tightly. “Why do it Holly?” I asked her. “I can’t live without my little boy! He was mine! I’ll kill that bitch!” she started screaming and crying. “Holly calm down!” I said to her sternly before she had one of her common panic attacks. I held her tightly as she wept into my jumper. Dom and Shanice had gone back home after staying here late until last night as Demi was still at home with the kids.  Mia walked in and ran over to Holly hugging her. “WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU! You promised me!” Mia said letting go of Holly and shouting at her. “Mia leave it” I said to her. “NO! She’s pure selfish! Mum’s not stopped crying you know! Dad’s just sent her and Ellie home, neither of them stopped crying! Selfish move even for you Holly” she shouted at Holly. “That’s funny, talk about pot calling the kettle black! Hypocrite you are!” Holly shouted back. I knew Holly was referring to the two previous suicide attempts from Mia’s childhood. Mia looked hurt but she did give as good as she got. I just stood there looking at them both. Dad came back and Mia kissed Holly goodbye. “Sorry” Mia said. “Yeah” Holly said in a world of her own. Mia agreed to drop me back home and we barely said a word to each other the whole 3 and a half hours back to Manchester. We’d just got back to Manchester and Mia decided to check on Jamahl and Keisha before dropping me back to mine. Jamahl was Mia’s 15 year old son and Keisha her 8 year old daughter. She pulled up and there was a girl that looked about 14 standing outside hers looking at it. Mia got out. “Can I help you?” she asked. “Erm, this might sound really weird but I think you might know my Dad, or have known, are you Mia?” the girl asked. Mia nodded. “Why who are you and who was your Dad?” Mia asked. “My names Aimee and my Dads name was Tysharn Johnson, so Mum said anyway” she said to Mia. “I don’t believe you....” Mia said looking the girl in her face. “Well, atleast Mum can’t say I didn’t try” Aimee said. “Who’s your Mum?” Mia asked. “Ashley Mills” Aimee said smiling before setting off back down the road. Mia ran after her. “WAIT!” she shouted. Aimee turned around. “Yeah?” Aimee asked. “You’ve got my brothers cheeky smile and his eyes! And that’s AUNTY Mia to you!” she said pulling Aimee in for a hug. 

Chapter 5 ...A family secret...

“Why did you take so long to get in touch though poppet?” Mia asked Aimee. “My Mum said you most probably didn’t want anything to do with me” Aimee confessed. “That isn’t true!” Mia said to Aimee who was near enough crying. I just stood there watching them both talk like I wasn’t there. “This is your Uncle Harvey” Mia said finally acknowledging I was even there. “Hello” Aimee said finally breaking down into tears. I held my new niece as she wept. She stopped crying after a while and Mia wiped away her tears with her sleeve. “Wait, why are we stood outside when I live just there? Wanna come in sweetheart?” Mia asked Aimee. Aimee nodded and Mia led her into the house. I closed the door behind them. Mia sat down at her dining room table and Aimee sat on the one next to her. “This is so weird, I’ve never had an aunty and uncle before, Mums an only child” Aimee said. “You’ve got more I’m afraid, there’s your Aunty Holly, Harvey’s twin and your Aunty Ellie who’ll most probably let you get away with calling her Ellie same way she does Jamahl” Mia said. “Oh wow, 1 Uncle and 3 Aunties” Aimee said. “So, where are you from?” Mia asked. “Birmingham” she replied. “Ahh, I see I see, your grandparents, my parents live down there” Mia said. “Do they?” Aimee asked. Mia nodded. Keisha came down the stairs. “Hello Mummy and Uncle Harvey....I don’t know you, but hello” Keisha said a cheeky grin on her face. “Hello sweetheart” I said to Keisha. “This is your cousin Aimee Keisha” Mia explained to her daughter. “Oh, you’re very pretty Aimee” Keisha said. Aimee smiled at her. “Thanks so are you chick” Aimee said smiling back. “Thank you” Keisha said smiling sweetly. “What did you come down here for missy? Where’s your brother?” Mia said. “I want a drink and he’s upstairs” Keisha replied. “Alright, drink your juice and then go get him” Mia said to her daughter. She did as she was told and soon Jamahl came downstairs. “Yes Mum?” he asked. He looked at Aimee and Aimee looked back at him. “This is your cousin Aimee, your Uncle Tysharn’s daughter” Mia said. “Aup” Aimee said. “Cool” Jamahl replied. A couple of hours later and Mia offered to drop Aimee to the train station and then me home. “Nice meeting you” Aimee said. “Yeah and you babe! Give me a ring or send me a text when you’re home” Mia said exchanging numbers with Aimee. I gave Aimee my number and she gave me hers. We watched her walk away before driving off. “WOW today’s been a crazy day, don’t you think she’s actually quite beautiful? Then again she is related to me” Mia said and then laughed. I laughed too at my vain big sister. She dropped me off home. “Don’t say anything to Mum JUST yet, not until Holly’s better” Mia said. I nodded, kissed her on the cheek and got out the car. “Thanks” I said. “S’okk little brother” she replied.

Chapter 6 ...No secrecy in the relationship...

I walked into mine to find Dom and Shanice in the living room. “HOW’S HOLLY?!” Dom asked me. “IS SHE OKAY?!” Shanice asked. “She’s fine, she said she loves both of you” I said walking into the kitchen. “Thank God!” Shanice said. I left my phone on the sofa and went to take a nap. I woke up 4 hours later and got my shower. As I was in the shower I heard my phone ring. Dom walked in the bathroom. “Who’s Aimee?” Dom asked. “Nobody, why?” I asked. “Then why is she ringing your phone?!” Dom said sternly. “Don’t just don’t Dominique” I replied stepping out the shower. “Dominique? You’repissed off with me?! You only call me Dominique when you tell me you love me or you’re pissed off with me!” Dom said. I was going to stick to my word and not say anything about who Aimee was as that’d only complicate things and Dom has a tendency of blurting things out which she isn’t meant to most of the time. I just looked at her as I walked out of the bathroom, a towel around my waist and into my bedroom. “WELL?!” Dom shouted at me as I pulled my tracksuit bottoms on over my boxers. “Like I said, don’t” I said to her once more. I did love Dominique but I hated how she was always so uptight. “You’re cheating aren’t you? I thought I could smell perfume on you” she said. She looked like she was going to cry, but I didn’t even feel sorry for her as I hadn’t done a thing wrong accept stay loyal to my sister and my word. “You’re funny” I said to her pulling my top over my head. She began to cry. I hated seeing Dom cry. I decided to stop being an idiot and hug her. “NO! DON’T YOU DARE TOUCH ME WHEN YOU’VE BEEN WITH OTHER WOMEN! GET. OUT. NOW!” Dom shouted at me. “Why? I haven’t done a thing wrong!” I pleaded. She started crying hysterically. Then she started screaming at me to get out whilst she threw things my way. She picked up the glass vase from the windowsill and threw it at me. “I...SAID...GET...OUT...OF...MY...HOUSE!” she screamed. Demi, who was just passing by came running up the stairs, Shanice behind. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!” Demi said to me. “NOTHING!” I said. “It doesn’t look like nothing to me! I’m ringing my Dad!” Demi said. Dom started breathing heavily whilst she was crying. She was having a panic attack.

Chapter 7 ...She’s out of my life...

“Dom, calm down, babe, calm down please” Shanice said running over to her best friend and holding her as she calmed down. She stroked her hair as she took some deep breaths with her. Shanice might have been a lot of things, but when it came to that kind of thing, she wasn’t useless. Dom’s breathing calmed down and she was just crying softly. There was a knock at the door and Dom’s Dad, Andre came storming up the stairs. “What’s happened?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!” he said pinning me up against the wall. “NOTHING!” I said once again. “LIE TO ME AGAIN AND WATCH WHAT YOU GET!” he said to me all up in my face. “I have not done anything to your daughter! I swear!” I said to him. He punched me so hard my nose started to bleed. I wasn’t a little boy so I wiped the blood away and started fighting him. Shanice rang Elliot and he was here within minutes. “BREAK IT UP! YOU TWO MAN!” he said dragging me away from Andre. “What’s gone off anyway?” Elliot asked me. I looked at him. “HE’S CHEATING ON ME WITH SOME GIRL CALLED AIMEE!” Dom shouted. “Oh my life” I said under my breath. Andre got really angry as he always protected his girls. He charged for me. “DAD! YOU’RE GOING TO HURT HIM!” I heard Dom shout. “THAT’S THE WHOLE POINT!” Andre said. There was no winning him when he was this angry but I still had to try. I got up just as he was about to punch me, I lost my balance and I fell down the stairs. I saw Dom throw something at me. A bag with some clothes in. She’d gone mad over nothing. “HARVEY!” I heard someone shout from outside. I moved my head to the left and I saw Mia’s face. “WHO THE FUCKS DONE THIS TO MY BROTHER?!” she shouted running over to me. “I DID! HE’S CHEATING ON MY DAUGHTER WITH SOME GIRL CALLED AIMEE!” Andre shouted at my sister. “OH YEAH! 1. I’m not scared of you mate, I could have you on the floor in 20 seconds and 2. NO HE IS NOT CHEATING ON DOM WITH A GIRL CALLED AIMEE! IF ONLY YOU KNEW! SHE’S FAMILY!” Mia shouted back. “Oh” Dom said. “YES OH YOU FUCKING DUMB BITCH! YOU KNOW I’VE NEVER ACTUALLY LIKED YOU! MY BROTHER IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE TOO GOOD FOR YOU! HE WORSHIPS THE GROUND YOU WALK ON!” Mia shouted at Dom. I got up slowly but surely. “You see if you EVER touch my baby brother again Andre, I will fucking kill you, and you Dom, if you wasn’t pregnant, I’d box you into a next race for even thinking such crap, better change ya name to Dominiqua Lopez bitch” Mia said.

Chapter 8 ...Going back home...

I got the bag she’d thrown at me. I then got my car keys and walked out the house. “Harvey I’m sorry!” Dom said crying once more. “Yeah? Me too! We’ve not even been married a year, yet you’re ALREADY accusing me of cheating on you?” I said putting my bag in the boot. I hated seeing her cry but she needed to be taught a lesson. I walked over to her and kissed her on her forehead. “I’ll be back when you can trust me” I said to her. “I can though!” she said to me. “No, you can’t, you’re just saying that” I said to her. “What about Amelia? And our unborn child? You surely can’t leave them too?” Dom said. “It’s best for everyone if I just go” I said. “I love you” Dom said. “I love you too” I replied. I turned away and limped to my car. “Harvey where you going?” Mia asked me. “Somewhere where I’ve got a girl who’ll love me forever” I replied speeding off. Mia got in her car and followed me. I sped down the motorway. I had my music on loud as to block out all the pain I was feeling. Had I done the right thing? Was walking out on my pregnant wife and our daughter the best thing? Or should I just turn back now and go home hoping she’d forgive me? Questions started running through my mind. A stray tear fell down my cheek. I wiped it away. My Dad always said if you cried over a girl, then she meant something to you. I’d just walked out on my girls and they both meant something to me. I punched my steering wheel out of anger twice and began to cry again. I finally stopped as I reached my destination. I walked up the path and knocked on the door. There she stood. The only girl I knew would be there for me forever. “What’s wrong Harvey?” she asked me. “Mummy I’ve messed up” I said, beginning to cry once more. Mum had to tip toe to hug me. I was no longer her baby boy but I’d always be her little boy.

Chapter 9 ...Small world...

I sat down on the sofa and told Mum about how Dom accused me of cheating on her. Then how Andre threw me down the stairs and how Mia stopped anything else from happening. Mia came running through the door. “MUM?! HARVEY?!” she shouted. “In here” Mum shouted. “Yeah but Harvey I know you, you wouldn’t cheat on Dominique” Mum said. “I KNOW! MUM I LOVE HER! AND I LOVE AMELIA AND OUR UNBORN CHILD!” I shouted. “Harvey you two just need space, stay here for the night” Mum said to me. “Alright” I said to Mum. Mia looked at me as Mum went into the kitchen to make us some food. “Mum, I need to tell you something.....” Mia started. “Yes sweetheart?” Mum asked from in the kitchen. “Come here and sit down....” Mia said. “Alright, you’re scaring me now” Mum said standing at the door frame wiping her hands on a tea towel. “Mum, do you remember Tysharn’s girlfriend Ashley? Ashley Mills?” Mia said. “Yeah, how can I not? You nearly lost Jamahl because of her foolish behaviour!” Mum said. “Well, she was pregnant and well, you’ve got a granddaughter, I only met her today, she’s 16 and very beautiful” Mia confessed. “What? Tysharn had a daughter?!” Mum said gobsmacked. “Yeah, I wasn’t going to tell you until Holly was better but I couldn’t keep something like that away from you! I just couldn’t!” Mia replied. “I wanna meet her! NOW!” Mum shouted. “Tomorrow, I’ll ring her, yeah?” Mia said. “Alright, aslong as I meet her” Mum said once more. “You will Mum” Mia replied. Mum went back into the kitchen to cook mine and Mia’s food. I saw Ellie run up the path. “MIA! MIA!” she shouted. “Yeah?!” Mia said jumping up from the sofa. “COME HERE! I NEED YOUR HELP!” Ellie said grabbing Mia’s hand and running with her down the road. I went out too and saw about 5 girls on top of one girl. “OI! MOVE FROM HER NOW!” Mia shouted running up to the girls. “Who are you?!” one of the girls shouted at my sister. “I SAID MOVE NOW, BEFORE I FLOOR EVERY SINGLE LAST ONE OF YOU!” Mia shouted at them. I caught glimpse of the girl and I had to double take. The girl they were beating up was none other than my new niece Aimee.

Chapter 10 ...A new family...

My 17 year old cousin Neaveh came running out of nowhere and started on the girl who’d just given Mia lip. She floored her in the last punch she gave her. “WHO ELSE WANTS TO START ON MY LITTLE COUSIN?!” she shouted. She had a really bad temper and was kind of intimidating when she wanted to be. The girls stepped to her and Mia stepped behind Neaveh. “COME ON THEN!” Neaveh shouted. “Nah, leave it, leave it” one of the girls said and they all started walking off. “AIMEE!” Mia said finally realizing as I went to help Aimee up off the floor. “How’d you know her Mia?” Neaveh asked. “She’s family” Mia replied. “NO BITCH FUCKS WITH MY FAMILY! OI YOU BETTER COME HERE!” Neaveh shouted running down the road after the girls Mia behind her. “Aimee, you alright?” Ellie asked. “Yeah, fine babe” Aimee replied. She had a cut at the side of her lip and scratches all over her face. “Why’d you take the beating for me?” Ellie said. “Because, you’re a friend” Aimee said. “Wait, how’d you know each other?” Aimee continued. “He’s my brother, wait how’d you know him and my sister?” Ellie asked. “Come on, we’re going back to Mum’s, this is something that can’t be spoken on street like it’s nothing” I said. Aimee put her arm over Ellie’s shoulder as she’d hurt her leg and was now limping. “Come here” I said to her. I put her arm round my neck and carried her back to Mum’s. “MUM!” I shouted when I got into the house. “Am I going to meet my Nana, Uncle Harvey?” Aimee asked. I nodded and put her on the side of the bath so Ellie could clean up the blood from her face. “Yes Harvey? What was all that commotion about? I’m sure I saw Neaveh a few minutes back?” Mum said. “Yeah you did, you know how you said you wanted to meet your granddaughter, she’s in your bathroom, she got beat up, we didn’t know it was her until we got the girls off her though” I explained. Mum looked at me. “The granddaughter I didn’t know about until a couple of hours ago is in MY bathroom?” Mum asked beginning to cry. I nodded. She ran into the bathroom and I followed her. By the time I’d gotten up there, Mum was hugging her whilst they both wept. Ellie sat on the bath. “So wait? Aimee’s my niece” she asked. I nodded. “WOW! Aimee you’re my niece you must respect me!” Ellie joked. “Not, not really, just call me Ellie, you’re not a baby” she continued. I heard the door swing open.

Chapter 11 ...Rape...

“PUSSY ASS BITCHES!” I heard Neaveh shout. I went downstairs and Mia was calming Neaveh down before she broke something. She’d finally calmed down. “How’s that girl related to me?” she asked Mia. “You know my brother Tysharn, it’s his daughter” Mia replied. “Oh, is she okay?” she asked. Mia looked at me and Neaveh’s eyes followed. “Yeah, her and Mum are talking” I said. “Oh alright” Neaveh said. Ellie came downstairs and sat on the sofa. I knew my sister and something wasn’t right. I decided to leave it because I know she wouldn’t talk if I just made a big deal out of it in front of everybody. Aimee came downstairs and sat down on the sofa. “Thanks” she said to Neaveh and Mia. “It’s alright, just know our family always have each other’s backs, and I’ll for sure always have yours” Neaveh said. Aimee smiled. “Won’t your Mum be wondering where you are?” Mia asked. “No, she’s too busy with her boyfriend to realize I’m even alive, I hate him” she said. “Mums and their boyfriends!” Mia said laughing. Aimee laughed too, but it was an uneasy laugh. Ellie went upstairs and I followed her. “Are you going to tell me what’s up? Or do I have to bully it out of you?” I said to her. “I can’t, I promised her I wouldn’t! No matter what!” Ellie said. “You’re telling me NOW” I said to her. Ellie began to cry hysterically. “I’LL KILL HIM! I SWEAR!” she shouted out of the blue. “Kill who? What’s up Ellie?” I asked her. “HIM! HE RAPES HER!” she confessed. “Who? Who gets raped?” I asked. Ellie put her head in her hands. “Aimee gets raped by her Mums boyfriend, she told me when we were coming back up these sides, I’ve just remembered, she told me she didn’t like it with her Mum and that she wished she knew her Dad because he’d probably want her” Ellie continued. I went and hugged her. Aimee stood at the door. “You promised me you wouldn’t tell him!” she shouted at Ellie. “I had to! As if I’m gonna let my own niece get raped by her Mums boyfriend?! He’s getting sorted out!” Ellie shouted. “No, you can’t” Aimee said crying. “WHY?!” Ellie shouted. “Mum’ll hate me then she already does!” Aimee confessed. “Why does your Mum hate you though?” I asked. “Because! I get more of his dick than she does....he got me pregnant” Aimee said. “YOU WHAT?! I’LL FUCKING KILL A MAN! WAIT?! YOU ALRIGHT?! YOU HAVEN’T GOT ANY STOMACH PAINS HAVE YOU?!” I shouted. “No, they both made me abort it a week ago” Aimee said now crying on Ellie. “What do you mean they? Does your Mum know?” I asked her disgusted. Aimee nodded. I held them both as they wept.

Chapter 12 ...You’ve got nerve...

“Is that why you never like going home? Or you never invited me round yours?” Ellie asked Aimee. Aimee nodded. “Yeah, I didn’t want it happening to you too” Aimee confessed. I heard footsteps and Aimee wiped away her tears as fast as Ellie could wipe away hers. There was a knock at the door. Mum stood there. “Mum, can Aimee sleep tonight?” Ellie asked. “Yeah, just let your Mum know yeah poppet” Mum said smiling. “Thanks Mum” Ellie said smiling at her Mum. “It’s alright, want me to ask Mia to go with you to get some stuff for the night Aimee?” Mum asked Aimee. “Mum she can borrow some of my pyjamas, we’re the same size anyway” Ellie said. “Alright then” Mum said. She stepped out the door but then came back in again. “Oh yeah, I know why I came up here, do you 3 want anything from the takeaway? Me and Mia are going and thought I’d ask plus I think we all need a little treat!” Mum said. “Yeah just get me my usual Mum and get Aimee the same, she’s like my twin!” Ellie said smiling at Aimee. “Oh god no! Not two Ellie’s and Harvey what do you want?” Mum said. Aimee laughed. “I’m nothing like Ellie in the attitude department!” she said. “Good girl!” Mum said. “My usual please Mum” I said. Mum smiled. “Back in half hour!” Mum said. “Alright” I said. I left those two to it and went to go sit with my cousin Neaveh who was sat on the sofa watching the telly. “What you doing down here anyway?” she asked. “Me and Dom had a bit of a falling out, we need some space” I said to her. “Oh...alright..girls ay! I don’t even like them!” she said. I laughed. She was always to the point. “How’s your love life anyway?” I asked her. “What love life? Shaquille still treats me like any baby! Any guy I bring home he scares them off! Him and Sharna scare them off!” she said. “It’s because they care about their little sister!” I said. “Yeah but there’s caring then there’s making sure I never have a boyfriend for the rest of my life! I’m gonna die alone!” Neaveh said. “You won’t, trust me, you’ve just gotta talk to ‘em!” I said. “True” she replied. 20 minutes passed and Mum walked up the path followed by Mia and a stranger. “Aimee!” Mum shouted taking the bags into the kitchen. “Yeah?” she said down the stairs. “Your Mums here sweetheart, she said she needed a word” Mum said.

Chapter 13 ...Family unit...

I got up and pushed Ashley outside the house. “She doesn’t want to see you” I said to her. “Why? I’m her Mum!” Ashley said acting all innocent. I stepped closer to her. “I know about what you and your sick boyfriend have done to her, you’re lucky I don’t kill you” I whispered in her ear. She looked at me and I knew she knew I wasn’t joking. “Harvey? What’s going off?” Mum asked. “Note Mum, she was just leaving, weren’t you Ashley?!” I said to Mum looking at Ashley. “NO. I WANT MY DAUGHTER! AIMEE COME HERE NOW!” Ashley shouted. “YOU REALLY THINK I’M GOING TO LET YOU NEAR HER?! YOU’RE LUCKY I HAVEN’T CALLED THE FUCKING POLICE! YOU’RE MAD YOU ARE! YOU AND YOUR BOYFRIEND ARE SICK!” I shouted at her. “She’s lying! She’s making it up!” Ashley shouted. “Who’d make something so sick up?! Those tears, they were real I tell you that!” I shouted back at her. I looked back. Aimee was stood there crying in Neveah’s arms whilst Ellie told Mum what had gone off. “ELLIE ARE YOU LYING?!” I heard Mum shout. Ellie shook her head. I saw Mum charge for Ashley. “YOU SICK BITCH! If you were a bit older I’d knock some sense into your head! I don’t fight with little girls unfortunately though!” Mum shouted in Ashley’s face. “YEAH BUT I DO!” Neaveh shouted running from out of nowhere with a punch for Ashley. After about 2 minutes Mum got Neaveh off her. “STOP IT!” Mum shouted. “WHY?! SHE’S SCUM! I’LL KILL HER YOU KNOW I WILL AUNTY TYLA!” she shouted. Ashley got up and looked at Aimee. “You’ll pay for this you little bitch!” she shouted before getting in her car and driving off. Aimee was hysterical now. We left Ellie to deal with it whilst we ate our food. Ellie came back downstairs 10 minutes later and got hers and Aimee’s food. “Is she alright Ellie?” Mum asked. “Nothing I can’t fix Mum, she said to tell you all thank you for sticking up for her though” Ellie said. “Tell her don’t mention it man, like I’m gonna let her Mum come talk to my Aunty and family like that? You mad? Family’s family!” Neaveh said smiling. After a while she was getting ready to leave. “If you need me, ring me, I’ll be round in 5 seconds flat” she said. “We will thanks” Mum said. Neaveh was just about to close the door when I heard footsteps run down the stairs. “Wait!” Aimee shouted. “Thank you” she said hugging her new cousin. “It’s alright babe, it’s the norm, our family are all fighters! Should know this! My big sister and Mia taught me everything I know!” she said. Aimee laughed. “Thanks anyway, Cya” Aimee said. “Bye darling” Neaveh said closing the door behind her. Mia decided to stay the night too just incase there was anymore fights to be had tonight. She rang home to make sure things were okay and to make sure Theo was there with the kids. “Keisha....wheres Daddy?.....is he? Those boys and that stupid Xbox! Listen darling....I’m staying at Grandma Tyla’s tonight alright, I’ll be home tomorrow though, I love you...put Daddy on....yeah....fine...yeah I love you too! Make sure Jamahl doesn’t stay on that thing all night! You neither, love you bye” she said before locking off the phone. I let Mia have the bed in the spare room whilst I slept on the sofa. It was quiet and everybody was in bed as I just lay there looking at the ceiling questions running around in my head. After a further 2 hours of this, I finally fell asleep.

Chapter 14 ...It’s a twin thing...

My phone went off just as my eyes closed. “Hello?” I said half asleep. “Hello?” I heard someone ask. “Holly is that you? Are you okay?” I said waking up straight away. “Yeah it’s me, you were awake weren’t you?” she asked me. “Yeah, but how’d you know?” I replied. “I am your twin sister Harvey” she said. “Oh, everything okay though yeah?” I asked her. “Yeah, they said I can go home aslong as someone’s at home to look after me though, I really don’t like it here!” she said. “Want me to come see you? I’m not doing anything anyway, then when it gets light you can come home, I’ve got some news for you anyway” I said to Holly. “No, you haven’t slept” she replied. “So, I’m bored, I’m coming whether you like it or not anyway” I said to her. “Alright, bring me some munchies would ya, hospital foods disgusting” Holly said. I laughed. “Alright then sis, be there in half hour yeah” I said. I got a drink before I left the house and getting in my car. I then stopped off at the 24 hour Asda and got Holly her usual munch. I then paid for the stuff, got back into my car and drove to the hospital. I parked my car and paid the parking charge then walked into the hospital and found Holly’s ward. They put her in her own room so she could have her own space to think. I walked in the room and Holly sat up in the hospital bed crying. I hugged my twin sister as she wept. “I miss him so much!” she said crying. I knew she was referring to her little boy who she still missed dearly. “He wouldn’t want his Mummy to be upset Holly, we both know this” I said to my sister. “Why did he get taken away from me Harvey?! He was so young!” Holly said beginning to cry. I held her tighter. “Holly, I have some good news, well kind of, I’m happy about it anyway” I said to my sister. “Yeah?” Holly asked. “Remember Tysharn?” I asked her. “Yeah...” she said. “Well the girlfriend he had before he died, obviously they did things, and she got pregnant, well, we’ve got a niece, she’s 16 now...there’s other stuff too, but that can wait” I said to her. “No tell me, I wanna know everything!” Holly said. I filled her in on everything Aimee had told me and everything that had gone off. “You what? What kind of Mum would do such a thing?!” she said disgusted. “Poor girl!” Holly said. A couple of hours passed and Holly was allowed home. She got herself presentable so she could meet Aimee which seemed to take forever. We were driving back home so she could meet Aimee and surprise everybody when my phone rang. “Harvey where are you” I heard Ellie ask. “On my way back to Mums why?” I said. “I need your help!” Ellie said breaking down in tears. “Why? Who’s hurt you? I’ll kill a guy” I said. “Aimee’s Mums boyfriend said he’s gonna do something...Aimee’s gone round there to calm things down...I need you to take me to hers! NOW!” she said to me.

Chapter 15 ...Aimee’s chapter...

“MUM?!” I shouted as I walked into my house. “She’s in here” I heard a voice say, Calvin, my Mums boyfriends voice. I walked into the living room. All the curtains were still closed so I turned the light on. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Mum lay there on the floor, her beautiful face pale, her hair blood-laden and a knife in her stomach. “CALVIN WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” I shouted at him. “She said I couldn’t hurt you no more, she tried to chose you over me, and I want you, I love you Aimee” he said. I ran over to Mum. “Mum?! Mum?!” I said. “Aimee, I love you, stay strong okay” she said opening her eyes slightly giving me a faint smile. “MUM! No, I love you stay with me, I need you, we can move away, start afresh” I said to Mum. I began to cry. “SEE WHAT YOU’VE DONE ASHLEY! YOU’VE MADE MY BABY GIRL CRY!” Calvin shouted. “NO! I’ll NEVER EVER BE YOUR BABY GIRL! I’LL ALWAYS BE MY MUMS BABY GIRL!” I shouted at him. “Take. That. Back.” He said singling all the words out like I was stupid or something. “NO! Fuck you! I hate you Calvin! RING AN AMBULANCE NOW!” I shouted. “ON MY DEAD BODY!” he said pulling a gun out of his pocket. He shot Mum in her stomach. “Aimee, I have to tell you something, you would have had a little brother or sister, but Calvin, he didn’t want that, THAT’S why he’s doing this” Mum said blood coming from her mouth. “MUMMY! MUMMY!” I shouted. “I’m sorry” she said and her eyes closed for a final time. “I love you” I said kissing her on her cheek. I looked at Calvin. He’d just killed my unborn baby brother or sister and my Mum. Hate started to bubble in my veins as I looked at him then at Mum. “I HATE YOU!” I screamed at Calvin. “What?” he asked me. “I...HATE...YOU!” I screamed in his face. He pulled the gun to my chest. “DO IT BIG MAN! I’M NOT SCARED OF YOU!” I shouted at him. “I loved you Aimee, I didn’t want her baby, I wanted ours” he said trying to kiss me. I moved back. “You’ve just murdered my Mum and my brother or sister, you’re going to prison for that, and child abuse” I said to him running towards the door. I opened it and then I turned round to look at him for the last time before running for help for Mum, but he shot me in my stomach. I fell to the floor as he began to cry. He then put the gun towards his temple and pulled the trigger. I just lay there, I took one last look at Mum, one last look at Calvin, then my final ever look at Mum then closed my eyes.

Chapter 16 ...Back to Harvey’s story...

I pulled up outside Aimee’s and ran out of my car. My niece lay there dying on her door frame. “HOLLY CALL THE POLICE NOW!” I shouted at Holly. She did as she was told. “Uncle Harvey?” Aimee asked. “Aimee can you hear me?” I asked her. “Yeah....wait...who’s that?” she said looking at Holly who was now on the phone crying to the emergency services. “They’ll be 5 minutes, they said keep her talking” Holly said to me. Holly looked down at Aimee. “You’re going to be okay Aimee, I promise” Holly said cradling her dying niece in her arms. “You’re so beautiful” Aimee said smiling. “Because I’m related to you” Holly said smiling down at her niece. “I remember, I spilt Ribena on your Dads cream sofa, when I was like 8” Holly joked. “Sounds like something I’d do! Tell me about my Dad....” Aimee said. “Well, he was always there for me and Mia, I remember us 4 used to have sleepovers in one of our rooms, they were the best” Holly said. Aimee began to cry. “Don’t cry, keep strong, Tysharn would be so proud of you right now baby girl, keep strong for him, if not yourself” Holly said. The police came along with the paramedics. Calvin was pronounced dead at the scene of the crime however, miraculously, Ashley was still alive. Both Aimee and Ashley were rushed to the hospital and I followed in my car. We met Mum and Mia there both of them in tears. “What happened?!” Mia said looking at Holly’s top which was blood-laden. “Aimee, she got shot by that idiot” Ellie said. “I’LL KILL A MAN!” she shouted punching the waiting room wall. I’d never seen Ellie like this. She flipped over a few chairs. Mum tried calming her down but it didn’t work. She head butted the wall before punching it a few more times. She was actually quite scary when she wanted to be. Mia grabbed her sister and controlled her. “STOP IT!” Mia said to her. Ellie began to cry on Mia just as the door swung open. Ellie spun round to look at her. “We’re so sorry” he said. Ellie slid down the wall in tears. Mum cried on Mia and Mia on Mum. Holly sat there not saying a word and I, well I just watched my family react in such a way that made a tear fall down my cheek. Another one fell and then another. I gathered they were for Aimee, the niece I’d not even know a week, but still, she’d been taken away from me, forever.

Chapter 17 ...A life lost...

“Can I see Aimee?” Ellie asked the doctor. “She’s just coming out of theatre now, she should be around within 20 minutes to an hour” the doctor replied. “I thought she was gone?” Ellie asked. “Sorry, I should have made myself completely clear, Ashley Mills has passed away, social services have been called as now sadly, according to our records Aimee is now an orphan so will now predominantly be taken into care” the doctor said. “No she’s bloody not!” Holly said. “It’s part of the procedure I’m afraid” the doctor said. “I DON’T BLOODY THINK SO! SHE’S GOT 3 AUNTIES, A GRANDMA, AND AN UNCLE! I DON’T BLOODY THINK SO!” Holly shouted at the doctor. Mum calmed her down whilst Ellie stood there. “So what you’re saying is, Aimee’s okay, but her Mum’s dead? And you’ve made everybody think she was dead for about 5 minutes because you couldn’t be bothered to say Ashley had died instead of Aimee?” Ellie asked. “I would think so...” the doctor said apologetically. “I need to see Aimee...NOW” Ellie said. “I’ll come back and get you when she’s settled in her room, I promise you” the doctor said walking out of the room. “Poor girl” Mia said. “She’s coming to live with us! No granddaughter of mine is going in care when she’s got family! I was going to ask her if she did want to move in with us when she told us about what happened” Mum said. “Really Mum?” Ellie asked. Mum nodded and hugged Ellie. I just sat there taking it all in. The doctor came back. “Is there an Ellie in here? Aimee wants to see you” the doctor said. Ellie got up and went with the doctor.

Chapter 18 ...Ellie’s world...

I walked behind the doctor who led me to a room. Aimee lay down in the hospital bed. She looked over at me and smiled. I walked over to her, sobbing and hugged her gently. “Don’t you EVER scare me like that again” I said to my niece and also best friend. “I won’t, Mums dead though isn’t she?” Aimee said. I nodded and she began to cry. “What am I meant to do now? I’m basically an orphan, they’ll put me in a stupid care home, once again” Aimee said. “What do you mean once again?” I asked Aimee. “They took me into care when I was 5, they’ve not long let me live back with Mum, I’ve been with her for about 2 years, if that” Aimee confessed. She’d been through so much but she was still fighting. She looked at me and being crying hysterically. “Aimee, it will get better, I promise you, and you’re not alone, my Mum said you’re coming to live with us, you can either share my room with me or have the spare room, sure my Dad will sort it out just the way you like it” I said to her. “I’ve lost everything” Aimee kept repeating. “You haven’t! Aimee, you can’t give up, your Mum wouldn’t want you to, I know she loved you deep down” I said. “She died for me Ellie! She was protecting me and standing up to him, he’s killed my brother or sister too” Aimee said crying even more. “What? I don’t follow” I said. “My Mum, she was pregnant, that’s why he flipped out on her, because he said he wanted my baby and not hers” Aimee said. I didn’t know what to say or do so I just held Aimee as she wept. “It’ll all be okay Aimee, I promise you” I said to her. “How will it?! I’ve lost my Mum AND my Dad, and to top it all off, I’ve had to go through the pain of having lost my baby twice” Aimee said breaking down in to a fit of tears. “What do you mean babe?” I asked her. “Sometimes abortions don’t work, mine didn’t, when he shot me in my stomach, he killed my baby” Aimee confessed putting her head in her hands. I began to cry too as I held Aimee as she wept. “Tell your Mum I said thank you, actually go and get her please” Aimee said to me. I did as I was told. I went and got Mum. I told her everything Aimee had told me so she’d know what kind of state Aimee was in. “We’ve got to be brave, your brother’s here, I can feel his presence, we’ve got to keep his little girl safe, the way he would have” Mum said. She opened the door to Aimee’s room and Aimee cried into her shoulder even more. “Let it all out poppet” Mum said to Aimee. “I feel like I’ve lost everything, it’s kind of hard” Aimee said to Mum. “I kind of know how you feel, but it does get easier, I promise you, and you haven’t lost everything poppet, you’ll always have us, and when my time comes, you’ll always have Ellie, I’m sure, if you can take her big mouth until then” Mum said smiling. Aimee laughed.

Chapter 19 ...Back to Harvey’s story...

I made sure everybody was okay before setting off back home. It’s times like these where I really needed to be around my girls. I sped down the motorway and was back there within an hour. It was kind of late by this point, so I knocked on the door quietly as not to wake Amelia up by pressing the bell. Demi answered the door. She looked at me and smiled. “Sorry” she said. “Me too, where’s your sister?” I asked Demi. “Round Shanice and Elliot’s” Demi replied. “Oh so what are you doing here then?” I asked. “Babysitting, it’s all I ever seem to be doing!” Demi said. It was a Saturday night so she waited for her Mum to come and collect her. I walked into the living room to find them all still awake. “DADDY!” Amelia shouted when she saw me. She ran up to me and jumped in my arms. “Hello princess” I said kissing her. Armani and Aaliyah looked tired so I decided to put them on mine and Dom’s bed. I watched them drift off then got myself back downstairs with my daughter. We decided to put a DVD on. She sat next to me whilst I played with her hair. I never realized just how beautiful she was before. I knew she was beautiful but never this beautiful. She had Dom’s grey eyes and my smile. She also had Dom’s curly hair and lots of it. She fell asleep finally and I took her upstairs then put her to bed. I left her night light on so she wouldn’t get scared. I went back downstairs and I’d just sat down when she door opened. Dom stood at the door. She looked at me and I looked back at her. I got up, walked over to her and hugged her tightly as she cried. “I love you Dominique” I said to her. “I love you too Harvey” Dom said smiling at me. We sat down and spoke about how foolish we’d both been. “I’m sorry and I love you” she said. I smiled at her. “I love you too baby girl, I love you our daughter and our unborn” I said to her. I filled her in on what had happened back in Birmingham with Aimee. “That poor poor girl!” Dom said. “I know, she’s a fighter though” I said. Once Elliot had come for the kids I carefully, carried Dom to bed. I put my arm around her whilst she fell asleep. I kissed her forehead and she smiled.

Chapter 20 ...Two months later...

“What time are they coming again Mummy?” Amelia asked. “Anytime now” Dom said to her daughter. Today, Aimee was going to meet Dom and Amelia for the very first time face to face. Holly was coming along too, along with Jamie. Mia also said she was going to pass by with Theo, Keisha and Jamahl. Finally, Sharna and Alisha would be making an appearance too. I’d just finished fluffing up the pillows when I heard the door knock. Aimee, Ellie, Mum and Dad stood there. “Nice to meet you” Aimee said to Dom. “You too babe” Dom said smiling at Aimee. “Amelia! Come down here!” she shouted up the stairs. “Yes Mummy....oh hello everybody” Amelia said. “This is your cousin Aimee” Dom said to Amelia. “Hello!” Amelia said. “Hey babe” Aimee said. They all went to sit down in the living room and had a grown up chat. I sat next to my mrs with my arm around her. The door went again and Holly stood there holding Jamie’s hand. “Yo bro!” she said smiling at me. “Cool sis” I said kissing her on her cheek. “Aup mate” Jamie said. “Cool” I said to him. Just before I closed the door, I spotted Mia’s car pull up and Sharna’s behind. Mia got out of her car then got Keisha out whilst Jamahl got out the other door. Keisha, Alisha and Amelia all disappeared off into Amelia’s room. Mia, Sharna, Aimee and Ellie all disappeared off into the kitchen. I walked in to find them all sat at the kitchen table. I got myself a seat. “Yeah, my little sister’s mad crazy when it comes to fighting, she wouldn’t dare fucks with me though, I’d beat her into a next country” Sharna said. I was guessing Neveah was the topic of conversation. Mia pulled out a bottle of rosé from her bag. She then helped herself to 4 wine glasses. “Do NOT tell Mum” she said to Ellie and Aimee. They nodded. “You also know that if you ever wanna get away from Birmingham, you’ve got mine to come to” Sharna said. “Mine too” Mia said. “And mine, can’t forget mine now” I joined in. They started talking about girl things so I decided to leave the room. Dad, Jamahl, Jamie and Theo were outside having a kickabout so I decided to go and join, Holly, Dom and Mum in the living room. I sat down next to my mrs and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you” I said to her. “I love you too” Dom said. “Aww! Young love ay!” Mum said smiling at me. “Yeah, he can be quite a little romantic Tyla trust me!” Dom said smiling at me. I smiled back. Holly sat there smiling into the distance. “What you smiling for?” Dom asked. “That reminds me of Mr Clark, when he used to ask me what I was smiling for, he always knew I was about to do something to disrupt the class, oh school days!” Holly said laughing. “Oh yeah! Remember that time me, you AND Shanice was in that detention? And Shanice was on the phone to that guy THE WHOLE TIME, and he kept telling her to get off, then me and you just kept talking to each other? And then he just let us go!” Dom said laughing. “Yeah! I remember I remember!” Holly said laughing. “What you smiling for anyway?” Dom asked her best friend. “I think me and Jamie need to tell you all something” she said going to get him and everybody else into the living room. “Today’s been a very special day, Aimee welcome our very crazy family, sure you’ll fit right in won’t you poppet, but there’s still one person you haven’t met” Holly said. “What? Who? I’ve met everyone who’s here haven’t I?” Aimee said looking confused. “No, not exactly” Holly said walking over to Aimee. She took her hand and placed it on her stomach. “You’ll soon have another little cousin to deal with!” Holly said smiling at Jamie. Aimee hugged Holly. “Congratulations Aunty Holly” Aimee said smiling. “Thanks” Holly said. “I think this deserves a toast! To Holly and Jamie, also to Aimee” Dad said. Holly and Dom went to tell Shanice the good news. They tried phoning her, but her phone kept ringing and ringing. “Mum, we’re going shop” Ellie said to Mum. “Alright, come here” Mum said handing Ellie £20. “Anybody want ote? No? Alright back in half hour” Ellie said linking arms with Aimee and walking out the door.

Chapter 21 ...The final chapter/Aimee’s point of view...

“Smile then!” I said to Ellie taking a picture of her. She looked so very beautiful. “Now my turn!” I said handing my phone to Ellie. I struck a pose and then Ellie took the picture. We went to the shop then decided to go Shanice’s as Ellie had not seen her in a while and I’d not met her yet. Ellie brought Aaliyah and Armani some sweets. We got to Shanice’s and knocked on the door. She answered it and smiled at us both. “AY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?” she said smiling. I smiled back at her. “This is Aimee, Aimee this is Shanice” Ellie said introducing us to each other. “Y’alright babe?” Shanice asked me. “Yes thank you” I said politely. “Good good, you 2 coming in then?” Shanice asked. “Obviously” Ellie said to her. She stepped aside and let us in. Dom and Holly were sat in the living room. After a while, we left so they could have their girly catch up time. We were walking back when a guy looked like he was following us. We sped up and so did he. Ellie rang Tyla as we both ran back to Harvey’s. Dad, Theo and Jamie came to meet us with Tyla. I looked back at him. “WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT?!” I shouted at the guy. He ran up to us. Ellie grabbed my hand and ran. We ran into Tyla’s arms whilst the men dealt with the guy. “WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH TWO TEENAGE GIRLS THEN MATE?!” Jason shouted at the guy. “TYLA?!” the guy asked her. She looked up. “How’d you know my name?” she asked. Tyla’s face dropped and she started screaming and crying. She ran back into Dom’s and Jason ran in after her whilst Jamie and Theo held down the guy. I went with Ellie to see if her Mum was okay. “Tyla baby what’s up? Who is he?” he asked. “Asif you can’t remember him, it’s Kyle!” Tyla said breaking down in tears. “As in KYLE KYLE?! I THOUGHT YOUR DAD KILLED HIM?!” Jason said. “YES AS IN THE KYLE THAT RAPED ME WHEN I WAS 14 YEARS OF AGE! AND NO, DAD TOLD ME A COUPLE YEARS BACK, HE JUST STABBED HIM AND TOLD HIM TO LEAVE NOTTINGHAM FOR GOOD!” Tyla shouted crying.