December, 1964

Jingle Bell Rock crackled through on the old Bush radio. Bottles were dripping, lampshades were flying, and the house, splattered with overturned furniture and broken glass, was festering.

"Get your sorry ass outta my house!" Her words shuddered in fear as she was shoving the drunken man with his belongings through the front door. The little girl cowered in the cupboard where the dry foods were kept. Salty tears were crusted on her face as fresh ones dripped from her eyes and nose. She squeezed the stuffed animal to her chest imagining being at her grandmother's house back in Virginia, her namesake, back when her mother was happy. The doilies on the sofa, the lace bedding in the room that she stayed in with her mother, the smell of dinner still lingering in the air. Her mother would sing her to sleep with their special lullaby and rub her head. Another crash of glass jolted her eyes open and they took in the entirety of the darkness in the cabinet, a sliver of gold light becoming visible as her eyes adjusted.

"Shut the hell up!" The evil man's voice seemed to tower over her mother's.

She squeezed her eyes shut frantically trying to remember the tune as more tears poured. The words started to reveal themselves to her as if they were sensing her need and coming to her rescue.

"You bastard! She is five! FIVE!"

Why should I feel discouraged

Why should the shadows come

"I will kill you before I leave this house!" He screamed at her.

Why should my heart feel lonely

And long for heaven and home

Something sounded like flesh hitting flesh and she heard her mother's blood curdling scream, a sound she knew all too well.

When Jesus is my portion

A constant friend is he

"Stay back from me!" She screamed.

"I'm not taking orders from you ya no good washed up hag! Nobody wants you! Nobody will want you! You think you can find somebody after me? Huh?"

"I won't have you around my daughter. You are SICK!"

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know he watches over me

More screaming filled the house, and her voice rose to combat the noise.

His eye is on the sparrow

And I know he watches me

The sound of her mother getting beaten got louder and closer. Scratching and clamoring and then his voice,

"AHHH!" She hurt him somehow.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" He roared, the base in his voice shaking the room.

I Sing because I'm happy

I Sing because I'm free

"Stay away from me I said!" The mother spat, as her feet slapped against the cold tile floor.

His eye is on the sparrow

Heavy footsteps ran past the cabinet making the girl shiver in fear. A drawer opened on the other side of the kitchen.

"Oh, you're going to cut me?" The man asked sarcastically.

"Leave now. I won't hurt you if you leave now!" Her voice came out slightly muffled by her swollen lip. She held the knife shakily, wiping the blood from her brow. She had never done this before, but she was determined to protect her daughter.

And I know

He charged her, going for her throat.

He watches

The knife found its mark, sinking deep and drawing forth red. A strangled cry left his lips as he slumped to the floor.

Me

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As they waited for the police to arrive, the hysterical mother rolled through her regrets. She had thought about it before, but the feeling was coming at its most intense. She wished that she had listened to her mother when she was told not to follow the decorated soldier back to his home town in Indiana. Her mother warned her of isolation from her family, but all she wanted was a family, a father for her daughter, and an escape from the town that knew every one of her faults. Her pride led her away, and almost led her to her death.

But it was over now.

She cried.

++++++++++++++++

"Yes, Dotty Draper. That is D-R-A-P-E-R."

"And were you married to this man?" The officer asked.

"No, I was not."

"And the child. Her name, please?"

"Jinny — Virginia Draper." Dotty rested her palm into the little girl's hair to comfort her, stroking it and smoothing it back into place. The little girl burrowed her face into her mother's stomach.

"And was he the father?"

"God, no."

"Okay, we need to get you cleaned up Ms. Draper." The officer paused, considering the disheveled bloody pair. He spoke again,

"Do you have anyone to look after the child while this place is fixed? This is no place for her."

"I do."

Dotty and Virginia walked two blocks over in the winter chill to the home of Dotty's co-worker and friend, Katherine. Their footprints left reddish-pink stains in the slush that crunched under their feet and numbed their toes. Dotty must have been a sight, still covered in the blood of her dead boyfriend and her own bruises, for when Katherine answered the door, horror strangled her smile, only allowing for a gasp to leave her lips initially.

"Come in."

"Thank you. Katherine, I have a favor to ask of you."

"Yes, dear?" She clasped a delicate hand around Dotty's shoulder, as if to steady her.

"Some things happened tonight, and I need to clean up the house. I don't want Virginia to have to see it like that again. Can I please leave her here? It doesn't have to be all night, just a couple of hours." Exhaustion was entering Dotty's body at the thought of having to go to work early the next morning. Maureen, one of Katherine's daughters, walked to the kitchen stopping only when she saw Dotty's face.

"Of course."

"Thank you so much. Jinny," she turned to her daughter, "Mommy will be back, but I need to clean up, okay?"

"I want you to stay." Dotty grabbed Virginia'a hands, sensing that she was becoming frantic.

"Darling, I promise you will be okay." Dotty got down on to her knees and spoke softly, only to Virginia,

"Virginia, you are always home." The mother pointed to the child's heart reminding her of all the times she said those very same words: when they moved, when she started her first day of school in Indiana, and right before her first talent show. You know where you're from and you know who you are. Virginia, always remember you are always home.

"Okay." Virginia whispered, agreeing reluctantly. Dotty got up, but Katherine grabbed her wrist before she walked to the door.

"Do you have anyone to help you?"

"No. I don't want to bring people into this mess."

"Nonsense, I'm coming." She turned to her daughter and called her nickname, "Rebbie? Please take care of Virginia while I'm gone."

"Yes, Mother."

"And please, give her something to eat, and get her ready for bed," Katherine said, rubbing her daughter's arm.

"Yes ma'am." Rebbie returned. Katherine turned to Dotty,

"She's staying here tonight."

"No, I do not want to put you and your family out —"

"You have been through enough. Let's go."

++++++++++++++++

"My mommy braids my hair in two." Virginia said to Rebbie and her sister La Toya who sat on the sofa with her.

"Okay, let me see what I can do." Rebbie grabbed the young girl's hair.

"Ouch!"

"You're tender-headed?" Rebbie asked, more like an observation. "Your hair, it's like little corkscrews."

"My grandma used to say that."

"Say, you go to the same school as us, don't you? Garret?" La Toya asked her.

"Mhm."

"Oh." Silence fell over the room, but one could feel the curiosity bubbling to the surface before anyone spoke. La Toya couldn't hold the questions that kept flooding in and finally broke the silence, asking,

"So, what happened?" As Virginia was taking a breath to answer, Rebbie cut in,

"La Toya! That is not something we ask people who have been through so much. C'mon, time for bed."

The girls got under the covers on the sofa and and fell asleep one by one. Jinny was the last one up. She stayed awake staring out of the window at the stars. She had a full belly, she was warm, and finally she and her mother were safe. She allowed herself to drift off slowly with a smile on her face, dreaming of her home in Virginia. 

Katherine returned a couple of hours after the girls and the little brother were fast asleep. Following behind her a few of minutes later was her husband and her other sons coming back from playing a late night gig. There was a discussion when Katherine came out of her bedroom after hearing them enter. The young boys hurried to their beds, one stopping and counting an extra body on the girls sofa before catching up with the others. Their father was in trouble. Jinny awoke, hearing the heated whispers but realized where she was, and went back to sleep.

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Hey everyone! New story that I've been thinking about lately. For now the updates will be relatively slow since I am currently focusing on I Will Always Love You. Please enjoy! Comment, share, vote, message me with questions!