"Roses" by ´Princess´ Laura Hewett

Pulling her legs tighter to her chest, Baily rocked back and forth. Mark was hitting Mommy again. A silent tear fell down her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut tighter when Mommy cried out in pain. Mark was big and Mark was strong, but Miss Katie had told Baily that Daddy was bigger than Mark. Daddy would protect Baily. Only three years old, Baily should not have been faced with certain harsh realities as she had seen. At least Mark didn’t know about Baily. Mommy kept her hidden in the closet all the time, just in case Mark came home unexpectedly. Baily had never been outside her entire life and she desperately wanted to see sunshine and roses. Miss Katie told her that at Daddy’s house it there was always sunshine, and no darkness – ever. And no closets, only lots of big, spacious rooms. Everybody loved Daddy, and Daddy loved everyone. Miss Kate told Baily how much Daddy missed her. She would see him one day. Baily would go to Daddy’s house to live with him forever; but until then, he would send Miss Katie to comfort Baily.

A huge crash echoed through Baily’s ears, tearing her away from dreams of Daddy’s house and violently bringing her back to reality. Acute ears easily heard the noise and Baily could only guess what had happened. Never having been outsider her cage, the captive did not know what lay beyond her prison. The sounds could easily correspond to several actions, but the most likely, to Baily, was that a dresser had fallen on top of her mother. Fearing for her, Baily tried to scream; she was stopped before any sound could be emitted.

"Hush, Darling, it’s not your time just yet."

"Miss Katie!" a smile flashed across the little girl’s face, but quickly evaporated at the sound of another crash. "What is he doing to her?" she whispered, "Will she be okay?"

"It’s not her time yet either, Sweetie."

Lovingly, Baily threw her short arms around her friend’s neck and lightly kissed her cheek, "Thank you, Miss Katie."

Miss Katie wrapped her protective arms around the tiny girl and pulled Baily into her lap. The two remained silent as the fighting continued. Insults doused with vulgar profanities fueled the argument. Tears flowed down the child’s face as she listened to her mother being hit repeatedly. She flinched at every blow, grimaced at every scream. Miss Katie held her tighter.

Several excruciatingly long minutes passed; Mark finally stormed out of the house, screaming threats of returning with a gun. He left Baily’s mom crying on the floor. Miss Katie slowly turned Baily towards her, not looking forward to what she knew would happen next.

Tucking a limp strand of tear-dampened hair behind the girl’s ear, Miss Katie whispered to her, "It’s almost time, Darling. Be brave; you shall see Daddy soon."

Baily nodded and crawled back onto the hard, cold floor of the closet. When she turned around, Miss Katie was gone.

Her mommy crawled over to the closet door and opened it. Blood trickled down her face, scratches and bruises covered her entire body. Baily saw them all, but did not realize the severity. She knew her mommy was hurting, so Baily reached out and embraced her beaten mother. The two held each other, never wanting to let go. Baily knew she needed to make the most of her short time with her mommy.

"Mommy, Miss Katie says I get to see Daddy soon."

"No, Sweetie, Daddy hates you. He doesn’t want to see you."

"But Miss Katie said I’d see him soon and that I needed to be brave."

"Baily, Daddy would kill you if he saw you. Don’t worry, Mommy will never let that happen. That’s why I keep you in the closet."

Baily’s eyes grew wide. Who was her mother talking about? Daddy loved her very much. The only person who would kill her was Mark. As she sat in her mommy’s frail arms, Baily heard another crash. Mark. Things only crashed when Mark was around. Baily looked up at the face of her mother’s tormentor for the first time. Mark stared at Baily, holding a gun at his side. He could tell immediately Baily was his child; he raised the gun, aiming it at her.

"You said you got rid of it." he said, not taking his eyes off Baily.

"I couldn’t do it, Mark, I just couldn’t. It would’ve been too painful for me." Baily’s mom replied.

His head turned and his eyes focused on her, hate seeping from his very presence, "Won’t this be harder for you though?" he asked as the pulled the trigger of the gun.

Baily jolted at the impact. This was why Miss Katie told her to be brave. She had to be brave. Her mother had screamed when she’d been hit, but Baily didn’t hear. Neither did she feel when her mother’s arms went limp at the second shot, not did she see Mark gloating over his kill. Instead she heard a beautiful choir. Instead she felt Miss Katie’s comforting hand holding hers. Instead she gazed upon millions of roses. One of every color imaginable. Baily had made it home.

"You were very brave, Little one." Miss Katie squeezed her hand, "And now you can be with Daddy forever."

"Miss Katie," she looked up at her face, "What about Mommy and Mark? Are they coming too?"

Tears welled up in Miss Katie’s eyes and spilled down her cheeks. This is why Daddy loved little children so much: they loved everyone else, regardless of their evil sins. Her words must be chosen carefully, "Baily, Mommy and Mark did not love Daddy. Even though he loves them very much, they rejected Daddy. They chose to live in evil and must pay for their choice." The little girl didn’t understand, "Sweetie, Daddy didn’t want you to be left in that closet, and Mommy knew. She chose to disobey Daddy. And Mark, he…" Miss Katie faltered for words, "Darling, her killed you and Mommy. Life is very precious to Daddy and Mark shouldn’t have done what he did."

When Baily realized what Miss Katie was saying, she nodded slowly, painfully aware there was nothing she could have done to change anything.

"Baily, let’s go see Daddy and ask him if we can get you some wings like mine," Miss Katie suggested, knowing Heaven was no place for sorrow and regret.

The little girl looked up at the angel before her and noticed for the first time the magnificent silky wings. Baily’s face lighted up and she joyfully skipped over to her Daddy with Miss Katie to get her own pair of wings.