Chapter 2
"Mommy?" Rory's voice sounded far off as Lorelai opened her eyes.
Rory stood above her, blood still running down her face.
"Oh Rory," Lorelai said. "Sweetie..."
There were no words for this.
Sure, Carl had hit her before, but he'd never laid a hand on Rory, not on her baby.
But she couldn't leave Carl. He'd hunt her down. He'd kill her.
He was their supporter. Without him they would have to take charity. They'd be on the streets for sure.
"Mommy, my sheets have blood all over them," Rory said sitting down next to Lorelai.
Lorelai lifted her head slowly. It hurt from when she hit the floor last night.
"Mommy, I have to go to school," Rory said. "It's past nine-o-three."
"What?" Lorelai's head lifted so fast that a sharp pain went through the back of her head.
"I have to go to school." Rory repeated. "I'm late."
"I know honey, I'll just take you in late," Lorelai said softly to her daughter.
Lorelai stood up gingerly and lead Rory into the bathroom.
Finally applying a large bandage to Rory's head Lorelai kissed her daughter's head and grabbing her hand softly walked out of the bathroom and to Rory's room, picking their way around beer bottles, cigarrette butts, and all the other crap that littered the floor.
"Get dressed honey," Lorelai said. She left Rory in her room and walked down the hall and up the stairs; entering her bedroom. Her and Carl's bedroom.
Carl was passed out on the bed, more beer bottles littered the floor than there had been the night before.
Lorelai started to change, quickly, praying Carl wouldn't wake up.
With her back to the bed she pulled off her shirt.
As she removed her bra she felt a pair of arms come around her waist.
A voice in her ear whispered in a husky voice, "Anxious are we?"
"I have to go to work," Lorelai said. But Carl's hands were already undoing her pants.
"Why? I give you everything you'd ever possibly need? But I'm not getting anything in return," Carl said.
"We're out of most of our food," Lorelai said. "I need to work so I can get money."
"Why ever would you need money?" Carl said. "You've got me."
"We need to eat," Lorelai said. "Rory needs to eat."
"Rory? Back to the little bitch?" Carl said.
"Carl, I need to go," Lorelai said. "We need money."
"Why?" Carl asked. "You're not going to leave me are you?"
"Why would I leave you?" Lorelai asked.
"Well you seem to leave people you love, don't you?" Carl said softly, still undressing her.
"What are you talking about?" Lorelai said. She started to struggle; she didn't like him undressing her.
"Well you left your parents didn't you?" Carl said.
"You know that's another story Carl," Lorelai said.
"You still left them."
"Carl, let me go, I need to go to work," Lorelai said loudly.
"No," Carl said guiding her back to the bed. "Today you stay with me."
"Carl," Lorelai continued to struggle as Carl loosened his own belt buckle with one hand and held her down with the other, "Carl, I have to get to work. Get off me."
He was straddling her now, to keep her down as he removed his shirt.
"Carl, I have to go," Lorelai said.
"What Lorelai," Carl asked. "Don't love me enough to stay with me one day? One fucking day?"
"Carl," Lorelai cried. "I really have to go."
She saw Carl's fist rise up into the air.
And that's all she saw before the sea of black took her over.
It only felt like seconds later that small hands were shaking her. "Mommy," Rory's small and timid voice said. She sounded on the verge of tears. "Mommy, wake up."
"Rory," Lorelai said slowly opening her eyes. She couldn't see out of one eye. She turned her head to see the clock and Rory. Twelve o'clock. She'd been out for three hours.
"Rory honey," Lorelai said. "I'm sorry, you're not getting to school today."
"I know Mommy," Rory said. "Mommy, he hurt you again."
"I'm fine honey," Lorelai said wrapping a sheet around her body before motioning to Rory to sit next to her.
"Will you sing to me Mommy?" Rory asked.
"What do you want me to sing?"
"The song about the eagles, Mommy. The song you always sing me."
Lorelai's voice came out soft and mournful as she began to sing.
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