CORAL (A Romance Trilogy, Book 1)

  PROLOGUE

  I WAKE UP IN MY BED - I am thirsty. It is dark outside. I rub my eyes and call for Daddy, but he does not come to me. Mommy is working at the hospital tonight. She is a nurse. She makes people feel better. I climb out of bed and walk along the hallway to Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom. Daddy is not in bed. I hear Daddy laugh loudly, he is downstairs in the kitchen. I like Daddy’s laugh it makes me smile. Mommy always says I cannot go down the stairs on my own in case I fall, but I want some water.

  I stand at the top of the stairs. “Daddy, I am thirsty.” Daddy does not hear me so I hold on to the banister as I walk down the stairs. I watch my feet as I take each step, when I reach the bottom I am glad I did not fall, Mommy would be upset.

  “Daddy?” He still doesn’t come to me. I can see the light is on through the gap at the bottom of the door. I walk over and push the door open. Daddy has a lady with her, she is sitting on the kitchen counter, she has her legs around Daddy and he is kissing her – I don’t understand?

  “Coral?” Daddy turns and walks over to me and picks me up.

  “I see what you mean,” the lady says. “Eyes like the sea.” I don’t like the lady she is looking at me funny.

  “What are you doing up munchkin?” Daddy asks.

  “Thirsty,” I whisper – Why is the lady still looking at me?

  “How old is she?” The lady asks Daddy.

  “Four.” Daddy says. I turn my head away from her and hide on Daddy’s shoulder. I put my thumb in my mouth and suck – it makes me feel better.

  “Alright beautiful, water and back to bed.” Daddy walks us over to the kitchen sink and fills my special cup with water. Then he puts the special top on and hands it to me. I take a long drink. I am very thirsty. Daddy carries me out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into my bedroom. He switches on my special lamp that glows orange. I like it. He puts me into my bed and sits next to me. I drink some more of the water. “Ok baby, that’s enough.” Daddy takes the cup off me and puts it on my dresser. I look up at Daddy, his eyes look funny they are red and squishy.

  “Who is that lady?” I ask. Daddy looks sad.

  “She’s Daddy’s friend from work. Now, no more sneaking downstairs from you young lady, it’s time for bed.” Daddy is a salesman. I don’t know what that means. Daddy pulls the covers over me and kisses me good-night.

  I AM COLOURING IN MY dinosaur pictures that Daddy brought for me. Daddy is sleeping he said he is tired. I am waiting for Mommy to come home from the hospital. Mommy said we can have pancakes for breakfast because it is a Saturday, and I don’t have to go to Nursery. I hear Mommy open the front door.

  “Mommy.” I call out. Mommy comes up the stairs, she is wearing her Nurse uniform. Mommy comes and sits next to me and strokes my hair, Mommy looks tired.

  “Hey baby-girl, what are you doing in here by yourself?” I look up at Mommy.

  “Daddy is tired.” Mommy looks mad.

  “Ok, baby. Stay here for a minute and then we can go and make pancakes ok?” I smile at Mommy, I love pancakes. Mommy said we can only have them sometimes because they are not good for you. I don’t understand? She says green vegetables are good for you, I don’t like them, I like pancakes - I stop colouring.

  Mommy is shouting at Daddy, Daddy is shouting at Mommy. It makes me upset, they are always shouting. It makes me feel sad. I don’t think Mommy and Daddy love each other anymore. I hear crashing and I cover my ears, the loud banging keeps going on and on, Mommy is crying and screaming at Daddy. The door bangs open making me jump, I hide under my bed. I can see Daddy walk past my bedroom. He throws a big bag down the stairs. It crashes loudly at the bottom. Mommy and Daddy are shouting again, I cover my ears. Daddy comes back, this time he has an even bigger bag; he puts it down and comes into my room.

  “Coral?” He peeks under the bed and pulls me out. I try to stop him. Daddy scares me when he shouts. “It’s ok baby. I’m not mad at you.” Daddy hugs me hard. He is hurting me. “Daddy has to go away for a while,” he tells me.

  “Ok Daddy.” He kisses me lots of times.

  “I love you Coral, more than life itself, understand?” Daddy says.

  “I love you too Daddy.” Daddy kisses me on my head.

  “Bye baby-girl. I’m so sorry.”

  “Bye Daddy.” Daddy walks away and picks up his bag...

  I AM EATING MY PANCAKES IN THE KITCHEN. Mommy is on the phone. She is speaking to my big sister Kelly. She is fifteen. She has a different Daddy to me.

  “Kelly, I mean it. Come home now!” Mommy shouts and shakes her head. “I don’t care what fucking rave it is, I have to work tonight. You need to look after Coral.”

  I eat my pancakes they are yummy, Mommy turns and smiles at me.

  “Fucks sake Kelly, now or you’re grounded for the rest of the year capiche?” Mommy is naughty. She said a swear word. Mommy slams the phone down.

  “Mommy you said a swear word.” Mommy sighs and starts to cry.

  “I know baby, naughty Mommy.”

  “You have to put ten pence in the swear jar like Daddy does.” I tell her.

  “Yes baby, I will,” Mommy says...

  MOMMY HAS GONE TO THE HOSPITAL, she is a nurse. She has left me with my big sister Kelly. She doesn’t like me. She scares me. She hits me when she is mad. Kelly slams a plate down in front of me. Mommy made me Macaroni Cheese for my dinner.

  “Eat it,” she shouts.

  I pick up my special fork and put some in my mouth. “Ouch!” I spit it out. It burns.

  “God your disgusting!” Kelly slaps me around the head, hard. It makes my nose touch my Macaroni Cheese. It burns and stings so I rub it hard. “Oh fuck this!” Kelly walks out of the kitchen. Kelly said a swear word, but I won’t tell Mommy, Kelly will just hit me harder.

  I am hungry. I blow on my dinner like Mommy showed me. I try again, it’s still too hot. Kelly comes back in the kitchen she slams her bag down on the kitchen table. She is wearing sparkly silver top and a little skirt, she’s got lots of make-up on, her eyes are very black. She takes Daddy’s wine bottle out of the fridge and starts drinking it, she laughs at me.

  “Well at least you now know what it’s like to be abandoned.” Kelly drinks some more of Daddy’s wine. I don’t understand, what is abandoned? “You’re on your own tonight little fucker. There’s no way I’m missing this rave.” Kelly grabs my hair. “If Mom calls, you tell her I’m in the bath, understand?” I start to cry, she is hurting my head. “Understand?” she shouts.

  “Ok.” I fall off the kitchen chair. I bang my head and my leg. Kelly picks up her bag and I hear her slam the front door. Mommy, Daddy where are you? I am scared. I go upstairs and hide under my bed, the house makes funny noises...

  My belly rumbles. I am hungry. I remember my Macaroni and Cheese. I walk downstairs, I hold onto the banister. I walk into the kitchen, it feels cold. I sit on my chair, my dinner is cold, but I am hungry. I go to sleep after my dinner. I don't like playing on my own...

  Mommy wakes me up. “Come on baby-girl. We have to go.” I am still sleepy. Mommy looks tired, her eyes are all red, she is crying.

  It is dark outside. “Mommy, where are we going?”

  “To the hospital.” I smile, I like going to the hospital with Mommy. She puts me in the car and puts on my seatbelt. She squeezes my hand. “I’m sorry your sister left you on your own.” I stare at Mommy, she is really crying. “Kelly is sick baby. She took something that made her bad it’s called Ecstasy, you must never take it. Do you understand?” Mommy shouts at me.

  “Yes Mommy.” I am scared. I suck my thumb.

  We are in the hospital. Mommy is gone. Nanny is here, she is angry.

  “Damn stu
pid girl.” Nanny looks down at me. “Well let’s hope you don’t end up like Kelly eh? Although, the way things are going….” I don’t understand what Nanny means?

  I see Mommy in the corridor, she is walking slowly and she is crying a lot. Mommy falls to the floor. Nanny gets up and goes to over to her, she shakes her head at Nanny, she looks really sad – We all go home, but Kelly hasn’t come home with us...

  I AM FIVE TODAY. Daddy has been gone a long time. He hasn’t sent me a birthday card. I don’t think Daddy loves me anymore. I think it’s my fault Daddy left, maybe I wasn’t a good girl. Maybe Daddy thought I was bad. I hope Father Christmas doesn’t think I am bad, or he won’t come either. That will make me very sad just like when Daddy left, I like Christmas and presents. Mommy said Daddy might come to see me today on my birthday. Kelly won’t see me though, Mommy said she is in heaven. Mommy has bought me some roller-skates. She says we can go to the park later and play with them. Mommy is on the phone, she is shouting, she has Daddy’s wine in her hand.

  “How could you- you fucker. It’s her birthday…No…..What!?...No you can tell her that!” Mommy calls me over. “It’s your Daddy.” Mommy hands me the phone. She puts it to my ear. “Like this baby,” she shows me.

  “Coral?” I hear Daddy’s voice, I am sad he is not here.

  “Hi Daddy, when are you coming home?”

  “Happy Birthday darling, how big are you now?”

  “I am five,” I tell him.

  “Wow such a big girl!”

  “Where are you Daddy?”

  “Working baby.” I don’t understand? Daddy doesn’t normally work on Saturday.

  “Aren’t you coming Daddy?”

  “No baby-girl. Not today.” I start to cry. “Don’t cry baby. Put your Mommy back on.” Daddy sounds angry. I give Mommy the phone and go up to my room, I want to do some colouring in, when I do that I don’t think about Daddy or Kelly...

  MOMMY HAS FOUND A BABYSITTER FOR ME. Her name is Jessica – I don't like her, she scares me. She smells funny and sends me to my room, and she doesn’t cook me my dinner. I am always hungry – I don't think I like Mommy anymore either, she is just like Jessica. Mommy is mad all the time, I run and hide from her when she is trying to smack me...

  Mommy has been downstairs for hours now. I can hear the loud music and people laughing. I am hungry. I am still wearing my pretty, white frilly dress that I wore to Nursery and I still have my shiny red shoes on. They are like Dorothy’s in the Wizard-Of-Oz. If I click them together, I can disappear to a magical place just like Dorothy.

  My belly rumbles again – it hurts. I go to find Mommy. I walk down the stairs. The living-room door opens and a man walks out, he is naked. Sometimes Daddy is naked when he comes out of the shower. He is tall like Daddy. He has lots of hair on his face and a fury body.

  He smiles a big smile at me. “Well, well, well. What do we have here?” He kneels down to me. “And what is your name little one?”

  I look down at my shiny shoes. Daddy said I shouldn’t talk to strangers.

  He takes hold of my hand and he smiles at me again.“Are you scared?” I nod at him. He laughs loudly like Daddy. I smile back at him. “Well aren’t you a shy little thing?” He looks at me funny and licks his lips. He pulls on my hand but I don’t want to follow him. “It’s ok, come and meet my friend,” he says.

  I walk with him into the living room – Mommy is naked and asleep on a man.

  There are lots of people all in here, some of them are kissing and doing other things, I can see a woman’s boobies the man has his hands on them. There is loud music and it is very smoky. The man pulls on my hand and sits down, then he lifts me up and sits me on his lap, he doesn’t sit me down like Daddy does. He puts his legs together and pushes my legs apart so they are dangling over his. I feel scared.

  “John, watcha think?” He shouts.

  Another man comes over and kneels down in front of me.“Wow, look at those eyes.” I suck my thumb – I don't like him.

  “I know, and she’s a shy one.” The other man laughs.

  “Even better!” He sits next to the man I am sitting on.

  He whispers in my ear. “Shhh, you have to be quiet,” he tells me.

  His hand slides up my leg and under my dress. I don’t like it. He puts his other arm around my waist and squeezes me tight. I can feel something long and hard pushing against my bottom.

  I shake my head and wriggle. I want to run away, I don’t like it. The man starts to touch me under my panties, I feel funny, he keeps rubbing me there.

  No stop, I don’t like it, let me go. Mommy!

  I try to stop his hand, but the other man slaps one of my legs and tells me to be quiet. It stings, he hit me really hard - The other man won’t stop rubbing me.

  “Oh she’s perfect.” He says to the other man sitting next to him, he is breathing really heavy in my ear – Leave me alone! Mommy, Daddy!

  I start to cry. I feel really strange, my belly hurts.

  He sighs heavily and stops rubbing me. “We have to tell Jessica,” he tells the other man.

  MOMMY IS TRYING TO GET me to put my white dress on, but I don’t want to. Mommy is all wobbly she has Daddy’s drink in her hands.

  Mommy slaps me on my leg. “Put it on!” She shouts. I shake my head at her. “Oh fuck it, put what you want on.” Mommy gets up and falls over, she is drinking lots of Daddy’s drink lately. I put on my dungarees and my favourite t-shirt. It has a picture of Super-Man, he can fly in the sky and out into space. I wish I could fly away like Super-Man...

  THE BAD MEN ARE IN THE HOUSE. They are making me do bad things, I don’t like it. There are lots of men and women here.

  The bad man has a video camera. He points it at me, he makes me do things with a boy. I think he is scared. I am scared. He won’t do what they want, I tell him to or they slap you hard.

  The man with the hairy face is on top of me again, he has put something inside me. It hurts so much. He tells me I'm a ‘good girl’ – I don't like it.

  He is heavy, his big hairy chest is nasty and he smells funny. He hurts me so much. Daddy where are you?...

  I AM HOME. I have had another nightmare about the bad men and wet the bed. It is dark outside, I go to Mommy but she won’t wake up, so I climb up on her bed and get under the cover. Mommy is sleeping on Daddy’s side of the bed now. I close my eyes and suck my thumb...

  The sunshine wakes me up. I like the sunshine, it is happy. I try to wake Mommy up. I am scared and hungry. I don't feel very well. Daddy said if something bad happened I should use the telephone. He showed me the number. I remember it’s on the wall next to the phone. I climb off the bed and suck my thumb. I stare at Mommy, she looks a funny colour and she is cold.

  I walk down the stairs, holding onto the banister. I pick up the phone and push the button three times like Daddy showed me.

  “999, what’s your emergency?”

  “Mommy won’t wake up.”

  “Oh! Ok sweetheart, what’s your name?”

  “Coral.”

  “That’s a pretty name. How old are you sweetie?”

  “Five.”

  “Can you tell me your address sweetie?”

  “Um…”

  “It’s ok, I can get it, stay talking to me ok?”

  “Ok.”

  “Where’s your Mommy?”

  “In bed.”

  “And where’s your Daddy?”

  I start to cry. “Daddy left.”

  “Ok sweetheart. It’s alright, don’t cry. I’m going to send someone over. Can you open the door for them?”

  I shake my head. “Mommy locks it.” I tell her.

  “Do you know your Daddy’s number?”

  “No, he’s gone.”

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “Kelly is in heaven.”

  The lady sounds sad. “Any brother’s?”

  “No.”

  “What about Granny and Granddad?”

  “
Just Nanny.”

  “Do you know Nanny’s number?”

  “No.”

  “Ok now listen sweetheart the nice police-man is going to have to bang the door open ok? Don’t be scared, I’ll stay right here with you.”

  “Ok.”

  “I’m going to send an ambulance too. They will take care of your Mommy.”

  “Mommy is a Nurse,” I tell her.

  “Is she?”

  “Yes.”

  “Which hospital sweetheart?”

  “The big one.” I tell her.

  “Ok, keep talking to me Coral. The policeman is there, he’s going to bang the door ok?” The door bangs loudly three times then it falls open.

  Two big policeman come into the house. I am scared. I don’t want them to hurt me like the other men did.

  “Coral can you hear me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ok then, the policeman will call your Nanny and your Daddy for you now. Can you give him the phone?” I hand the phone to the policeman. The other policeman tries to take my hand but I don't want him to touch me. “Come on sweetheart,” he says.

  “No!” I scream and try to run away, but he catches me and picks me up – No! I don't like it, don't touch me...don’t touch me....Daddy!

  I AM IN THE HOSPITAL. There is a lady with me, she is asking me all kinds of questions. She is very pretty. She tells me that Mommy is sick and I have to go and live somewhere else. She says she doesn’t know where Daddy is, but Nanny is coming. Nanny is old and smells funny. I don’t think she likes me. She is arguing with the nice lady. I want Daddy, but he doesn’t love me anymore...

  I HAVE LIVED WITH NANNY for a while now. I don't like it. My bedroom is cold and all Nanny does is smoke and watch television, she won't play with me.

  “Coral. Wake up.” I open my eyes. Nanny is dressed and she has my bags packed. “Get up girl, time to go.”

  I brush my teeth and get dressed. Nanny is waiting for me downstairs with another lady.

  “You remember Gladys?” I nod my head. Gladys has come to visit me three times, I don't think she’s bad like Mommy. “You’re going to go and live with her,” Nanny says, I start to cry.