Mr. Cinderella

Prologue

"Evan, can ya bring in some more muffins? We ran out, also get extra napkins from the back Sweetie?" It might have sounded like a question, but it was more of a request.

Even tho Evan is an adult and has been for years now, standing over a foot taller than her; she will always get her son to do anything for her. Has been like that since day one; through thick and thin her son Evan will do whatever she wants.

Evan stops kneading the rough dough, and gets up without a word, heading towards the back of the store. That was something his mother hated. She loved how he would drop anything for her and do it without even a complaint or sigh. Yet at the same time, she despised it.

Ms.Montgomery raised Evan as a single mother, his father left them before he was born. Ever since Evan was able to walk, he would help his mother. It began with just simple things, later turning into him doing everything he could for her. She always joked around saying he spoiled her too much, but that would only drive him to do more.

It was only when he was 9 years old when things started changing. Evan's father, Curtis came back, and as his mother she felt that he needed a male roll model in his life. Years later she would regret that single idea.

She took him back in, and only in a few months got pregnant again.

Ms.Montgomery was already working at the local food market before she got pregnant. She decided to get more shifts and work longer hours to be ready for the baby.

Curtis was a construction worker, and mostly worked in the mornings and actionably the afternoons.

She truly had no idea what was happening when she was away at work. She had no idea the torture Evan was being put through, all behind her back and in her own house.

Sometimes when she'd come home, she'd notice Evan with bruises or cuts. But Curtis would always step in and explain what happened. Still to this day, she remembers the first mark on her baby's body, her little Evan.

Evan was only 9 when it first began. She had come home from a long day and immediately went to tell him goodnight. When she opened his bedroom door, just peeking her head in; with only his nightlight illuminating his room, she could clearly see the dark finger prints on her baby's face. His little cheek was swollen and blue, but with that the finger prints were plainly visible.

Almost as a second reflex, she screamed.

Curtis ran from the living room to her and little Evan woke up. She was hyperventilating on the floor, clutching herself and praying she did not just let a monster into her house and hurt her child.

As she sat there leaning against the wall, Curtis came and tried comforting her. "No get away from me," she pushed.

"What's wrong Sugar Bear? What happened?" He asked innocently, and for a second she believed him. Until her son came running to his mother's rescue.

"Mom! Are you okay?" He was so young , yet his little hands gently caressed her cheeks, wiping away her tears.

Ms.Montgomery pulled Evan protectively to her. "How could you lay a finger, let alone a hand on my son! How dare you!"

She never thought of herself as a woman to be fooled or tricked often. Ms.Montgomery was always known for being two steps ahead of everyone. Yet when Curtis looked at her confused, she was already trapped in his lie.

"What are you talking about Lory!? I never knew you'd peg me for someone that'd cause harm to a minor like him. But if ya got to know! Then Evan and I was outside fooling around, and he had climbed up a tree. When he got to them top, the branch in the back snapped and he had fallen. Lucky I was there to catch him! I was just a little rough ya see, and grabbed him too harshly. See Lory! No need for making crazy accusations."

Curtis' story made no sense, but she believed him. Wether it was out of disbelief that this would happen to her family or that she let herself get pregnant by a devil like him in the first place. She didn't question it and let this one by.

In a few days, she even forgot about it. Ms.Montgomery was busy with work and paying bills to see what was really happening.

And this continued for years. It only stopped when Curtis had beat Evan so badly that he had to go to the hospital and have surgery done. Her only son had almost lost his life since his body was so damaged.

The doctors had to sit her down and explain that the scar tissue and marks on his body wasn't a one time deal. They explained how Social Services was called and would be there in an hour or so to interview her as well as Curtis. They would try to ask Evan some questions too, yet sadly he was asleep. And would be asleep for months to come.

It was only then did she realize the selfish deed she had done. But by this point it was too late. She had let her son's misery continue for years as she turned a blind eye to it. For God's sake Evan was already 14 years old! For 5 years, she was equally as bad as Curtis to him.

She had filed a report against Curtis for child abuse and had a restraining order request sent in that later was approved.

Months had passed tho. Curtis was found guilty and put in jail. Evan's little sister, Bonnie, was going to start elementary school soon. Ms.Montgomery herself even got a better job with more pay and less hours. But her son was still asleep.

The surgery had wiped his body clean of any energy left. And as one doctor put it, "He needs all the rest he can get. Who knows what this little guy has been through. This is probably the best sleep he's gotten in a long time."

Just think, a mother having to hear someone say that about her son. That doctor said the honest and hurtful truth of it all. It didn't crush her any less than what others have said.

Throughout Evan's coma, Ms.Montgomery heard it all.

"How could you let a grown man abuse your son for years?"

"Poor Evan going through abuse for years while his mother was working."

"Didn't you see the tell-tale signs?"

"How could you not know?"

"You actually believed his lies? Even when you see your son bruised?"

"If it were my child, I would instantly know something is up."

What the doctor said that day was the only positive thing she could grasp. And a whole 11 months later, Evan woke up.

He had to stay in the hospital for another month, but still, Evan was awake. It was easy for him once again. Evan had to go through hour long physical therapy sessions a day and catch up on the school work he's missed. Not to mention for the first few weeks, he was questioned all the time by either the police or Social Services.

They asked everything you could image. And to their displeasure, he never explained what he went through. All he answered was that the abuse started when he was nine, it was a daily occurrence, and Curtis wouldn't stop even if he passed out.

On the first day Evan woke up, and Ms.Montgomery got the call saying he opened his eyes; she knew he changed. Her once goofy son, who loved Toy Story and would play with his Buzz outside everyday, was now a man.

At only 15 now, he had matured and grown up too fast. And it was all because of something traumatizing that she could've prevented from the start.

That year he had gotten his GED and stopped going to school. He also started working full time at a factory near town.

It wasn't till he suddenly quit, and surprised her with a little shop he had bought for the three of them.

Ever since then Evan's been here. Helping make bagels in the morning and cupcakes in the afternoon.

He's shy and quiet. Doesn't like working the front of the store since he says people stare at him. Wouldn't be shocking since her son is massive and had a little bit of a hobby with tattooing himself all over. Now just imagine a guy like that looking down at the ground and awkwardly trying to wipe up tables.

He's obedient as they come and hates being touched. And still to this day Ms.Montgomery has no idea what happened behind close doors when she was at work.

Something that guilts her everyday of her life. And maybe someday her son will live a normal life and not let his past haunt him forever.

But then again, all his mother knows is what happens during the day. She doesn't know where or what her son does at night.