OK here you go.
Chapter 11
“Aunt Buffy, can we go to the park?”
“Ab, I’m not sure we should go without your moms.”
“Well how come?” Abbey slowly loaded her science bag, carefully collecting her crayons and tucking them neatly into the case. She counted them over and over trying to figure out which one was missing. “When we’re at home you take me all the time.”
“Well that’s because we know where the park is at home.” Buffy folded the blankets back over the bed, noticing a broken yellow crayon. Abbey smiled taking it from her hand, pulling a strip of tape from her bag, she quickly repaired it.
“I know where the park is here. We passed it when we went to see Gramma.” Abbey pulled her book from the science bag, quickly flipping through the pages. “See I made a drawing. Mom helped.”
Buffy smiled at the multi colored legend at the bottom of the sketch, giggling at the “not to scale” written in the corner.
“Okay we can go, but Dawn, you have to stay and wait for Will and Tara.”
Nodding from her studies, Dawn waved her hand directing them out the door. Buffy galloped down the hall, bouncing the child like a floppy doll all the way to the car. Buffy knew exactly where the park was; she’d passed it on the way into town. She also had permission from the ladies to take her there, but she liked the teasing, it made her feel like she was in control.
Along the short drive Abbey pointed out all the sites. The tiny blonde remembered almost everything, and what she couldn’t remember, she had sketched out in her book.
“Here we are.” Buffy pulled into the park, noticing a very small crowd of people. “Well Ab looks like you only have to share the sandbox with 1 little boy.”
Abbey’s smile widened. She’d been cooped up with adults for days missing her playmates from the center. She jumped from the door before Buffy could open it completely. Racing down the hill Abbey jumped into the sandbox. The small boy turned suddenly as she crossed his path.
Buffy quickly realized the child was very young, less than two, noticing the disappointment in the little girl’s face, she encouraged her to play. He stumbled to stand up barely able to hold his weight on an injured leg. Abigail noticed a special shoe on his foot, looking to Buffy for an explanation.
“Aunt Buffy, why does his shoe have those pieces of metal on them?” She pointed at the child’s foot.
“I’m not sure Ab, don’t point.” Buffy quickly pushed her pointing finger down to her side. The slayer looked around for an adult, wondering who was caring for the child. Across the park she spotted a dark haired woman carrying a book.
“Was he bothering you?” She softly asked, raising her hand to her eyes. The book cast a shadow over her face preventing the slayer from getting a proper view. Unable to read her body language or expressions the slayer moved forward protecting her niece.
“Us? No. Actually we just got here and started playing. He’s fine, really.” The ladies moved around the outer edge of the sandbox. “I’m Buffy by the way.” She extended her hand to the woman.
“Oh, sorry how rude. My name’s Brenda, and that’s my son Patrick.”
Buffy shook her hand sharply, careful not to display her slayer strength. “The little squirt down there is Abigail, Abbey for short.” The petite blonde looked up from the sand box smiling until her eyes fell upon the woman. Her mind quickly remembered the face. Abbey motioned for Buffy’s attention. The slayer crouched in front of her reading the tension in her body.
Abbey whispered in the slayer’s ear, “She knows Mommy. I saw her at Gramma’s and I saw her with the mean man.” Buffy fixed her eyes on the woman. The slayer tightly grasped the child’s hand, silently signaling her understanding. Standing slowly she wandered back toward Brenda.
“What did you say your name was again?” Buffy focused directly on her eyes. She noticed a deep sadness in her hollow stare.
“It’s okay, I knew she would remember me. It’s Maclay, Brenda Maclay.” She dropped her head, shame and regret flowing from the use of the name. “Tara and I were friends growing up.” Her eyes glazed blankly toward the trees. “I really don’t mean any harm. I care about Tara, really.”
Buffy sensed sincerity in the vacant stare, suddenly realizing this tortured soul was married to Donnie. She smiled watching the children innocently play. Abbey occasionally glanced at the slayer, looking for encouragement; in her company Abbey always felt safe.
“Aunt Buffy will you push me on the swings?” Bouncing around in the grass the tiny blonde trotted off toward the swing set. Little Patrick had taken an immediate liking to his cousin following slowly behind her. His tiny legs wanted to run, but the hard strips of metal forced him off balance. Brenda quickly scooped him up carrying him to a toddler swing.
“Higher.” Abbey screamed. Buffy gave a forceful push, catching the child off guard. Her voice hesitated as the breath sharply escaped her lungs, the sudden loss of gravity heightening the sensation in her limbs. Little Patrick mimicked the words hoping for a hard push skyward.
Buffy noticed the brace on the child’s leg poking through the snapped seam of his pants. “Was your son in an accident?”
Brenda’s body lurched at the question, quickly masking the truth. “He fell a few months ago.” Her eyes wandered avoiding contact with the slayer. She remembered the attack. Watching her drunken husband stagger into the house. Feeling his slobbering mouth across her skin. Every touch of the man repulsed her, yet she couldn’t escape his savagery. She remembered the threats, and the pain that would enforce them. Donnie would take him, they’d disappear, and her son would be vulnerable to that monster. The monster that yanked his crying child so hard from his chair that he’d snapped his leg in half. She’d do anything to protect him. “He fractured his femur. He’ll most likely wear a brace until he’s a teenager.”
Buffy’s mind focused, processing the information. She knew bones, as a slayer she knew what to break and how hard it was to break them. Even in a child, the femur was a strong one and very difficult to fracture. Her mind filled with horrific ideas about how that poor child had been crippled, every scenario contained graphic images of Donnie and flying fists. “Must have been some kind of fall?”
Brenda looked away. The constant abuse by her husband more than she could bear, but the damage from the recent outbursts toward Patrick, had already been done. She could feel the glare of Buffy’s eyes. “He’s getting better every day. He just loves to come and play here.” Hoping to change the subject she quickly shifted the conversation. “So how do you know Tara?”
“She’s married to my best friend.” Buffy watched Brenda’s reaction, the brunette stared sadly at her feet. Grabbing the edges of the swing, she slowed it to a stop. Pulling Patrick from the seat she quickly moved from the park.
“Hey, was it something I said?” Buffy didn’t understand her reaction. Was this woman an old lover? Did Donnie marry Tara’s old girlfriend? Abbey watched sadly as the woman and child raced across the park. She stopped the swing slowly dragging her body back to the sandbox.
Brenda stopped; suddenly realizing she wasn’t in danger. She was a woman, and a friend of Tara’s. She remembered conversations in the dark, hiding in the attic of that old house. They were always comfort and safety in a spiraling world of neglect. In this town you either belonged or you didn’t. She and Tara didn’t. So they found comfort in their friendship.
“I’m sorry Buffy. I didn’t mean to run away.” She carried Patrick back to the sand box setting him gently to the ground. “You know about this place?” She looked toward the slayer searching for understanding, praying for common ground.
Buffy nodded answering harshly, “I know Donnie, well I don’t know him, know him, but we’ve met. I’m sorry to say I wasn’t impressed.” The slayer watched Brenda drop her face, attempting to hide her agreement.
“A lot has happened here since Tara went away.” She slowly walked to the bench slumping her weary body on its surface. “I’m so glad she went away. They would have killed what made her so beautiful.” Brenda turned toward Buffy, watching an expression of pride grow across her face.
“Compassion, every part of her is seeping with it.” The slayer couldn’t help but smile as she thought about Tara. She was the greatest gift to her family. Reminding them all that life had obstacles, but none too large that love can’t help you through.
“You do know her, don’t you?”
“Like I said she’s married to my best friend. I guess that makes her my best friend in law.” The ladies laughed at the silly conversation. They glanced at the children innocently playing in the sand. “Did Donnie do that to him?”
Brenda looked at her son. Trying as much as she could to smile, Buffy noticed it was forced.
“You don’t have to answer. Your silence says everything.” The slayer clenched her teeth feeling every muscle in her body tighten with anger. She focused on the innocence quietly building fortresses of sand. “You know you don’t have to stay don’t you?”
“Buffy, you don’t understand, Donnie will kill me if I try to leave.” Terror poured down the face of the woman. Her battered soul scarred by abuse, defeated, her only reason for breathing played quietly in the sand. Slowly she traced the binding on her book, trying to find words to explain her battle. “I didn’t want this, none of it. Donnie forced all of this.”
A confused silence fell between them.
“Donnie did what?” The harsh words broke the silence. Buffy and Brenda turned seeing the blonde and the redhead standing directly behind them.
“Tara wait, we need to talk.” Brenda quickly jumped from the bench stepping around to face her friend. Willow held tightly to her wife knowing together they were untouchable. Both women stepped back as she approached.
“Brenda, you really need to tell us why you are here.” Tara’s voice hardened. Glancing around looking for Abbey, she noticed the small boy playing in the sand. “Is that Patrick?” Her body melted at the sight of the child.
“Yes, that’s your nephew, Patrick.”
Tara slowly walked to the children playing in the sand. Abbey saw her parents, smiling she leapt into their arms.
“Did you have a fun adventure?” Abbey’s bright smile warmed their hearts. “I’ve been playing with Patrick. He’s very small and he has a very broken leg.” The ladies noticed the brace poking through the now unsnapped seam of his pants. Brenda quickly moved to cover it up. Tara watched in horror remembering the embarrassment of abuse. Reliving the pain of abuse. Recognizing the signs of abuse.
She walked slowly to the child raising her hand tenderly toward him. His body flinched, frightened by her approach. Tara’s heart was breaking; ripping through all the places she’d ever covered physical scars, and pulsing through every internal crevasse she’d ever hidden them. She turned to Brenda instantly compelled to end the suffering.
“This ends.” Tara spoke directly, forcing Brenda to hear her words. “What happened Bren? How did you end up with him?”
TBC
Urn of Osiris
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"If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours!" My 5 year old
... and her trying to get me into trouble is sooo wrong! 
Well she's definitely in deeper in KrisBo5's thread - and that kinda is my fault but it will be funny watching her squirm! 
no squirming here. And I am going back to look and see just who used the "U" first! 
at: 10/13/02 3:09:10 pm
you got me beat. You think?
OK i definitely took a hit of that demerol, Dr Nath needs to keep the damn stuff away from nurse Ashley! 
b*****d Donnie too...
thanks!
Tara needs to solve some things and beat the hell outta her bro! 