Tempted By Love

Chapter 3 – Help

Margo (P.O.V)

At this moment Margo keeps seeing black spots but she tries her best to hold on till she can help Matt get help.

Just then my mind takes me to a memory of my mom when I was 6 years old learning to ride my bicycle. It was noon time and I had just finished having lunch, a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a small bag of potato chips and a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. After lunch mom and I decided to have another ridding lesson.

I was so excited I couldn’t contain it. Jumping up and down on the spot while tugging lightly on moms floral sun dress that came to her knees shouting out “Yay!” while mom is just laughing at my reaction to the lesson. Oh how I miss my mom’s laugh, it was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard to date. We make our way outside with my bicycle once I calm down a bit from my high of excitement.

My mom was standing on the sidewalk encouraging me to ride while instructing me to carry on straight as she walks into the road trying to come after me. But me being me thinking, having my own idea, I try to turn my bicycle before slowing down to go back to my mom.

Even though there is a huge stretch of road ahead of me that is currently clear of any cars. There were usually no cars on the street this time of day because most people were at work and will only start arriving home at about 4 in the afternoon. But around noon it was so quiet, because everyone has somewhere to be, you hardly see the neighbours out as well.

As I attempt to turn to my left, the bicycle begins to wobble. “Margo!” my mom shouts out in a panic as she runs towards me before I actually hit the ground.

Because this is my first attempt without instruction, I don’t make a straight turn; I keep turning the handle back and forth. Eventually causing the bicycle to twist and fall on top of my leg while scraping my knee in the process. I cry out with a loud “Ouch!” in pain as my mom approaches me.

It just so happened that this was the first time she fell off the bicycle after 3 days of practicing. I felt so disappointed in myself, I wanted to impress my mom and make her proud of me for trying to turn on my own.

Mom finally gets to me and takes the bicycle off of me and helps me sit up before she assesses my wounds. She then look at me and asked “What were you thinking, baby?” As I sniff and look down embarrassed, wiping away my tears, I turn my head and say “I was trying to show you I can do it on my own so you can be proud of me.” She looks at me and takes my chin with her thumb and forefinger as she turns my head towards her. Forcing me to look up into her eyes, all I can see in her eyes is love and pride. I draw my eyebrows together in confusion as I look at her. She uses her thumb to wipe away my star tears and says with so much pride in her voice, “Baby I am so proud of you, you have no idea. No matter what you do I will always love you. I know that you are eager to learn faster but most of the time you have to take things one step at a time. The first step when you learn to ride a bicycle is to just ride and once you have mastered it then you will learn how to turn because by then you already learned how to have some control over the bicycle so turning would be easier.” She tells me and now it makes more sense to me, I haven’t learnt how to control the bicycle yet so I kind of jumped the gun now when I think back to that day. 

As my mom puts a stray strand of hair behind my ear she continues to say, “It’s important not to miss any steps when learning something new.” She placed a kiss on my forehead and say again, “Come on let’s get you cleaned up. Remember you are my strong princess; you have all you need inside you to survive!” before she takes me back home and cleans up my wounds.

At that moment it feels like I have a jolt of extra strength that coursed through my body as I wait on Matt to come back. It’s about this time that I can hear his little footsteps coming closer to me. I just say a silent prayer thanking God for keeping me awake till now.

Matt (P.O.V)

I’m running down the passage from my mom’s bedroom as fast and as quiet as I can. I had to go all that way to get her handbag which was on the bed, where she always leaves it when she gets home. My heart is racing and pumping so loud in my ears, because I am afraid to bump into my father along the way.

I pray that God can help me and my mom get out of this house soon. Making my way back to the dining room with the phone in my hand, I know I have to get it to her as quickly as I can. Because she needs help fast and there is only so much I can do, I mean I am only 5 years old, even if I sound older than I am.

When I saw the blood it scared me a lot even now when I think about it I don’t want my mom to die.

So I had try to put my fear aside and help my mom the best way I can. Once I get to her, I can tell that she is struggling to stay awake. So I ask her “Mom tell me what to do so I can help you, please mom.” She looks at me and asks, “Remember what I taught you to do in an emergency?” I think for a second and it all comes back to me as I reply, “Yes, you said to call the emergency number 112 and ask for help.” She nods as I was talking then says “do it now quickly.” As her eyes are closing shut. I begin to panic and dial the number quickly.

On the second ring a lady answers the phone, “112 Emergency, How can I help you?” she asks, “Hello, can you help my mom?” I answer. The lady then says “Hi sweetie, what seems to be the problem?” so I tell her “My dad got angry and hurt my mom. Now she is lying on the floor and blood is coming out of her, I’m scared, I don’t want her to die.” As I sniff and wipe my tears falling down my cheeks and push my mom to try and wake her up.

The lady asks me another question, “Where is your dad now?” So I tell her he is in the house somewhere I am scared to bump into him because he can hurt me too.” She then asks me, “Are you in a safe place or is there a place you can hide?” I tell her, “I don’t want to leave mom, she won’t wake up.” I say to the lady and turn to my mom “Mom please wake up, please. We have to find a safe place that’s what the lady on the phone said. Mom please wake up.” I call again to her trying to tug her on her clothes so she can get up but still she doesn’t respond.

The lady then says “Ok honey what is your name?” I tell her, “My name is Matt.” The she says “Nice to meet you Matt. Now I need you to find a safe place to hide in a cupboard or under a table somewhere where your dad can’t find you. Don’t worry about your mom as long as she is not awake your dad won’t hurt her. I have send some police officers to help you get away from your dad and an ambulance with medics that will help your mom and take her to the hospital. In the mean time I want you to stay on the phone till they arrive and stay in a safe place where you can still see your mom. Ok?” she asks me.

I was doing what she told me to do while she was telling me on the phone. So I hide under the dining room table close to my mom so I can at least hold her hand under the table. “Ok, I’m hiding under the dining room table close to my mom so I can still hold her hand.” I tell the lady. “Ok, good boy Matt.” She says, and then she asks “Matt, can you put your fingers on the inside of your mom’s wrist and see if you feel a beating or thumping like a heartbeat?” “Ok.” I say and do as she asked.

There is a light beat I feel, so I tell the lady. “Yes there is a light beating there.” “Good. Don’t worry everything will be fine, the officers are almost there.” She replies. “Ok, thank you.” I reply and wait on the line with the lady. I ask her, “What is your name?” She laughs lightly and apologizes, “Sorry sweeties, I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Milly.” She says.  I smile to myself, happy for the help and say “Nice to meet you Milly and thank you for helping me and my mom.” She responds kindly, “It’s a pleasure my sweetie. The officers should be there any moment you will need to open for them when they come, can you do that Matt?” she asks me. I nod my head as I answer her, “Yes I can.”

Just then a loud knock sounds on the front door and I jump and shriek of fright. Milly then calms me down and says, “Matt that’s the officers at the door, can you please go open the door for them so that they can help you. “Ok.” I tell her as I crawl out from under the table and walk as quietly as I can to the front door to open it for the officers. I still have Milly on the phone and as I pass the lounge I see my father passed out on the couch. I whisper to Milly on the phone, “Milly I just saw my dad sleeping on the sofa in the lounge.” I continue tip toeing to the front door as Milly says, “Ok Matt, try not to make noise on your way to the door ok.” She instructs me. “Ok, I’m going to the door on my tip toes so I don’t make any noise.” I tell her. “Good boy, you very cleaver you know.” She says to me. “Thank you, my mom is my teacher.” I tell her. Milly laughs a little and says, “You are so cute. Are you almost at the door? I told the officers not to make noise so they don’t wake your dad up.” “Yes I’m just about to get to the door.” I tell Milly as I am about 2 steps away from the door.

“I’m there.” I tell Milly as I unlock the door and open it to see the two officers behind it. Milly says “Matt honey can you give the officer the phone please.”

The one officer with brown hair and blue eyes bends down and asks me, “Are you Matt?” I look up at him and nod my head. Then he asks me “Is that Milly on the phone?” I nod again and he says “I am Officer Josh and this is Officer Nate, can I talk to Milly quickly?” I say “Nice to meet you. Yes Milly is on the phone, she wants to talk to you.” I say as I hand him the phone. He talks to Milly quickly while Officer Nate asks me a few questions, “Hi Matt, nice to meet you. Where are your parents?” he asks bending down to my level. “My dad is sleeping on the sofa in the lounge and my mom is on the floor in the dining room, she is bleeding and she won’t wake up.” I tell the officer. “Don’t worry we are here to help and the ambulance will be here at any moment.”

At that moment officer Josh hands me back the phone and says “Milly wants to say bye quickly then you can show us where your mom and dad are.” I nod and take the phone and hold it up to my ear to talk to Milly. “Hi Milly.” I say. “Hi sweetie, I’m going to get off the phone now and officers Josh and Nate are going to help you now, are you ok with that?” she asks me. “Yes, that’s fine and thanks for helping us. Bye, bye.” I say, “Ok then stay safe and I hope your mom gets well. Bye for now.” She says and the call ends.

Officer Josh bends down and ask me “Can you show me where your dad and your mom are so I can help, while Officer Nate gets the medics?” I nod again and answer, “Follow me but you must be quiet because if dad wakes up he will hurt us all, ok.” I tell Officer Josh. He looks at me and says “As long as we are here your dad will not hurt any of us ok, we will protect you and your mom. Don’t worry about your dad. Ok.”  I look at him in his eyes and can tell he means what he says, so I nod my head and say “Ok.” As I take his hand and lead him inside.