She was woken by the front door slam shut, shaking the windows and every fibre in her being. The sound of shouting muffled by her closed door echoed through the house.
In her Cinderella night dress she slowly creaked open the door, perched on the stairs and peered through the banister.
Many 4 year old girls would have hid under the covers or under her bed, but not her.
She tried to listen to what the arguing was about but it made no sense.
Her fathers voice was slurred and rambling, as if his words were pouring out of his mouth before his brain had a chance to sort them out.
Her mothers voice however was much more stern and thought out, speaking in lists and remaining calm despite her raised voice.
It was if her father couldn't stand the reasoning and through a beer bottle in anger which shattered on the wall.
Luckily his drunken state made his accuracy poor as it missed the mother by a few feet.
The little girl on the stairs covered her ears with both hands but continued to watch, her eyes not leaving her mother and trying desperately to remember what to do if she was hurt.
The nearest phone was behind her father so there was no way to get there without him seeing her.
As her father picked up another empty bottle and the mother shielded herself from the expected hit the little girl ran into the living room.
The bottle dropped on the floor, bouncing on the carpet and the mother turned around with tear filled eyes to see her little girl.
The girl stood in the dimmed light in her pale blue night gown, one hand holding only her dolly, the other hand in a tight fist.
"Amy, what are you doing up darling?" her mother asked picking her up and holding her close.
The father stood in shock, suddenly aware of his actions and he turned away as to not face his daughter.
The girl hung tightly to her mother and wiped away her mothers tears.
She was carried up to bed and tucked in with a sweet kiss on her forehead.
As the parents got into their bed, neither speaking a word, the little girl climbed into the bed in between them both.
Creating a barrier between the two.
She continued this for the rest of the week.
The mother, concerned for her child's well being asked
"Why won't you sleep in your own bed?"
The little girl replied
"Because I don't want daddy to hurt you"
and that was the moment the mother decided to leave the father.
God if only I had known . Saying that I would never of met u Charlotte and Adam if I had x
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