Claimed by my Unexpected Protector

Chapter Twenty

Eralia’s POV

‘We don’t live here, Rali,’ Tanner frowns, looking up at my hand that is still resting on the gate of the stranger’s house I pointed out to Benny moments before.

I check behind us just as Benny’s rear lights disappear from view around the corner at the end of the road before nodding distractedly as I return my attention to the three children huddled around me, shoulders hunched from the rain still thundering down on us.

‘I know sweetie’ I reply, letting the gate go and starting to walk down the road toward our trailer park, once again soaked through, my hair must be a state.

‘Then why did you tell Mr Benny that we live here?’ Austin chips in, falling into step behind me, his hand held tightly in Liberty’s, who directs him with little tugs and nudges to keep him walking straight.

‘I uh . . .’ I don’t have an answer, I can’t tell them that I’m ashamed of where we live, that I didn’t want Benny or anyone knowing about our living situation. How do you explain to small children that you are terrified that if anyone finds out about your drunk mother and the squalor you live in with barely enough food, that the state might take them away from you. That you can already hear the social worker citing that you are not stable enough to care for three minors, or that you don’t have enough income to afford a suitable home in the type of neighbourhood they deserve, that they’d be better off in care than with you. I won’t risk that happening, I just won’t! So no one can know about our lives, at least not until I’ve gotten us out of here, which I will do . . . for them.

Looking around at their upturned faces, so innocent but weathered, at least in Liberty. She hasn’t been left untouched, she knows to some degree how bad our situation is. I have tried to shield her along with our brothers, but I can see I’ve failed, she’s aware to an extent and has had to grow up faster than she ever should have had to.

‘If we hurry, we can dry off, do our homework and then maybe . . . see if we have any hot chocolate?’ I throw out quickly, sidestepping their questions with the practiced ease I learned many years ago.

‘Really?’ Tanner asks, squeezing my hand with both of his, ‘we can have hot chocolate? . . . do you think we have any?’ he adds a little nervously.

‘Well let’s hurry home and find out’ I reply, smiling widely as they forget their questions about Benny and the house, all eagerly picking up their steps as we fight through the storm until we reach the trailer park and head inside.

‘Hey sweetheart, you want to add to that brood you got?’ I flick my gaze to the left, zeroing in on one of the assholes that is hanging out under a tarp that has been strung up from one of the trailers like an awning, recoiling slightly as he leers at me, licking his lips as his gaze roams over my body. I wrinkle my nose in disgust, turning my attention quickly back to the front, and keeping it pinned firmly on our front door a few feet away.

‘Don’t be like that! Come on over here, lets get to know each other’ the man calls out to me again.

‘Rali?’ Tanner whispers worriedly as I hurry my steps, dragging my brother along.

‘It’s OK Tan, everything is OK, just ignore him’ I whisper back quickly, glancing over at Austin and Liberty who are now beside me, both keeping pace with my fast walk.

‘Whatever B.itch, you are probably a s.hit lay anyway!’ he yells after me angrily after a few more attempts to get my attention before I reach our front steps. I usher my siblings up the stairs, about to place my foot on the first plank behind him when liquid splashes the back of my soaked sweatpants. I jump slightly, turning back and looking down to a crushed beer can lying on the ground just behind my feet.

I turn back to our trailer and rush up the steps, fumbling with my key to unlock the door. It takes me a couple of attempts to get the key in but I finally do, turning it quickly and shoving open the door, pushing the kids inside before stepping in behind them and slamming it shut behind me.

I quickly lock the flimsy metal door again, putting the chain across as well though I doubt it would do much to prevent someone entering.

‘Rali . . .’ I turn back to find all three children looking up at me fearfully, I force a smile as I usher them further into our home, down the hallway and to our bedroom.

I look over my siblings, Tanner is shivering uncontrollably, Austin doesn’t look bothered but his lips are white and Liberty is putting a brave face on it but I can clearly see how cold she is.

‘OK everyone, we’re all wet so it’s bath time’ I sing song, clapping my hands to get their attention before pulling Tanner toward me and starting to strip him from his clothes.

‘You too’ I order the older two, as Austin and Liberty slowly shrug off their coats, hanging them up on the screws I fixed into the wall a few months ago as makeshift coat hooks, before starting to remove their sodden clothes. Once everyone is down to their underwear, I usher them across the hall, shutting the door and leaning over to turn on the taps, the luke warm water starting to fill the tub slowly.

I shove my fingers under the water, sighing at the lack of heat before nodding to the trio.

‘You can jump in while it fills’ I tell them forcing a relaxed smile, it won’t burn them, it will never be hot enough to do that.

Tanner immediately takes off the last of his clothes, climbing over the edge and sitting down as Austin follows. Liberty stands there, still in her vest and panties, biting her lower lip.

‘You OK sweetie?’ I ask, turning toward her as my brothers start to splash each other, laughing.

‘Can . .’ My sister’s voice trails off as she kicks at the frayed linoleum under her feet.

‘Austin, watch your brother’ I tell my oldest brother before ushering Liberty out into the hall again, leaving the door open so I can watch them through the gap.

Kneeling down, I place my hands on Liberty’s freezing upper arms, frowning slightly as she glances up at me guiltily.

‘Hey’ I murmur softly, ‘what is it? You can tell me.’

My sister shifts her feet before she finally mumbles, ‘do you think . . . would it be OK . . . can I maybe have a bath after them?’ Guilt fills her eyes as she rushes on quickly, ‘you don’t have to change the water or anything, I won’t use up more of the hot water I swear! I just . . . like to bath on my own . . .’

I blink in surprise, staring at her for a moment as she looks down at her feet, her cheeks blushing a little. It takes me a second, before reality crashes down on me, my baby sister isn’t a baby anymore, she’s getting older, she wants a little privacy.

Guilt flows through me about not seeing it myself, for my sister having to ask me for a basic human right and feeling like she’s wrong or bad for wanting it.

‘Of course you can!’ I reply quickly, tugging her into my arms as her small shoulders drop with relief. ‘I’m so sorry Libs, I didn’t even think about it, you absolutely don’t need to bathe with your brothers, you can go afterward.’

My sister’s body leans into my embrace, the last of her tension leaving her as she hugs me back.

‘Thank you’ she whispers in my ear, ‘I didn’t know how to ask.’

I pull back, looking into her troubled young eyes, my heart breaking a little, ‘you’ve wanted this for a while?’ I ask worriedly.

Liberty shrugs, ‘a little’ she admits, ‘but I know we don’t have a lot of hot water, and it costs money to heat it up and . . .’

I hold up my hand, stopping her, ‘that is not for you to worry about’ I tell her firmly. ‘We have enough hot water for you to have your own bath, by yourself, OK?’

My sister gazes at me in that studious way she has, searching my face for a sign that I’m lying before she slowly nods, ‘OK’ she replies.

I hug her again before letting her go, ‘now go and get the blanket off my bed and wrap yourself in it, I don’t want you getting a chill while you wait’ I order.

Liberty nods, now smiling widely, ‘OK! And I’ll get out Tan and Aussie’s pj’s’ she adds, already hurrying back toward our room.

‘Hey Lib?’ I call after her, the little girl stopping in the doorway to look back at me questioningly, ‘don’t ever think you can’t ask me anything, you can’ I tell her.

My sister beams back at me as she nods, ‘I know’ she replies before disappearing through the doorway from my sight.

Turning back toward the bathroom, I walk in and groan at the large puddle on the floor by the bath, both boys now standing up and kicking the water at each other, shrieking loudly.

‘What is going on in here?!’ I demand loudly as two guilty faces turn toward me, making my chest squeeze as I start to laugh, shaking my head and heading toward the tub to start helping them both wash.