Nightshade

16

Candy slid back the bolts and opened the door to the bedroom. ‘Breakfast,’ she said, brightly. She picked up the tray and carried it into the room. Bella was in bed, the quilt pulled up around her neck. The princess dress was lying over the chair in front of the dressing table. Bella didn’t react as Candy put the tray on the bed. ‘I made you Cocoa Krispies,’ she said. ‘And toast.’

‘I’m not hungry,’ Bella said.

‘You have to be hungry.’

‘I feel sick.’ She curled up into a ball under the quilt. ‘I need to go to hospital.’

‘Don’t be silly.’

‘What Eric did, it hurt me. Inside.’

‘It doesn’t hurt. Every girl in the world does that. It’s natural.’

Bella sniffed. ‘He hurt me.’

‘And I’m telling you it doesn’t hurt. That’s what girlfriends do for their boyfriends.’

‘I’m not his girlfriend.’

‘Yes you are, baby.’

‘I want to go home.’

‘And you will go home. But you have to let Eric do what he wants.’

‘Please don’t let him hurt me again, Candy.’

Candy sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked the little girl’s hair. ‘Eat your breakfast, baby.’

Bella rolled over and looked up at Candy. ‘Please let me go home. I have to feed Floppy.’

‘Floppy?’

‘My rabbit. I have to clean his cage. It’s Saturday, and Saturday is the day I have to look after my rabbit. My dad says if I don’t look after Floppy he’ll send him back to the shop.’ Her eyes filled with tears.

‘Now don’t you start crying again, baby,’ said Candy. ‘You know Eric doesn’t like that.’

‘Don’t let him touch me again, Candy. Please.’

‘Now why do you say that, baby? You’re his girlfriend now. His little princess.’

‘I’m not his girlfriend. I’m not.’

‘Yes you are, baby. And you have to accept that. You’re his girlfriend until he says you’re not. Now sit up and eat your breakfast.’

‘Then can I go home?’

‘We’ll see, baby. Eat your breakfast and then we’ll talk about it.’