Kill This Venom From My Heart

The next morning I get up just after the sun rises, having gotten barely any sleep and when I go downstairs Jamia is there making coffee, a smug smirk on her lips when she sees me before she goes serious and says "What's wrong Frankie?" "Fuck you" I spit at her and when I turn my back to her to open the fridge she chuckles to herself before saying "Trouble in paradise huh? That must really suck." "So that's why you're here? To continue to try and fuck up my life?" I snap as I turn to face her again and her smug smirk is back before she says "Well at first I just needed somewhere to stay, this is just an added bonus." "Listen you fucking bitch" I snap as I stalk across the room towards her and the smirk suddenly drops from her lips and her eyes well with tears, her bottom lip trembling as she takes a step back and I spot Gerard in the doorway out of the corner of my eye and as I turn my head to look at him Jamia runs across the room, pushing past him as she flees and halfway up the stairs I hear her let out a clearly fake wail and after her bedroom door slams shut Gerard shakes his head in disbelief before turning without saying a word and I hear him run back up the stairs, a door opening and closing and when I walk upstairs a few seconds later I go into the bedroom and he's not there, making me realise he went after Jamia and he's in her room instead.

After I change my clothes I go back downstairs and Gerard and Jamia are still up in her room so I grab my keys and phone and leave, getting in my car and driving around for a while before I see it should be time for the vet to be opened and I drive over there, going in and telling the receptionist who I am and she smiles warmly and says she'll go find the vet and check on Mama for me. I take a seat while I wait and a few minutes later she comes back into the room with a much more lively looking Mama in her arms, Mamas tail wagging frantically as she tries to squirm out of the girls arms when she spots me, making me smile for the first time today as I reach out and take her, cuddling her to my chest and laughing at the licks shes showering all over my chin and neck. "Hey baby, I missed you. You look like you feel much better" I coo at her as I rub my hand down her back and she yaps happily before continuing her licks and the receptionist smiles wide before telling me to take a seat again and the vet will be right out to see me. When the vet finally comes out he ushers me into the exam room and he asks me to put Mama on the table again, performing another little examination of her while he explains that the test results came back and they indicated that Mama ingested either diluted bleach or something very similar, asking if I have a pool as some dogs can get into pool cleaners which can show up similar results and I tell him no, knowing there's only one place she could have gotten bleach, diluted at that and that would be her only source of liquid, her water bowl in the kitchen and I immediately know it wasn't an accident.

After I settle up the bill for the treatment and the stay I scoop Mama up again and take her out to the car, putting her in the back and as I drive along she runs back and forth across the seat, jumping up to look out the window and yapping to herself and I find myself smiling wide, happy to see her back to her normal self again. When I pull up at home I take Mama in my arms and take her inside, putting her down in the hallway and letting her run off to explore as I go straight into the kitchen and grab her water bowl, still a quarter full as it has remained untouched since she got sick and I bring it up to my face as I inhale, smelling the water and while it doesn't smell like bleach it also doesn't smell like just water either and I growl to myself as I tip it out, grabbing a clean cloth and starting the tap as I scrub the bowl out as much as I can, not wanting to leave any possible residue behind and by the time I'm done and am filling it back up with cold water Mama comes running into the room and runs straight over to her empty food bowl, sniffing around before looking over at me and I smile and say "Hang on Mama," putting her water bowl back down beside it and she starts to slurp and splash water everywhere as I cross to the pantry for her food and I pour some into her bowl for her, putting it back as she starts to eat and when she's done she comes running over to me at the table, jumping up against my leg and I lean down and pick her up, letting her nuzzle her face into my neck as she goes limp against my chest until we hear footsteps and a second later Jamia comes into the room and Mama tenses up and leans out of my arms a little as she starts barking at her, the little hairs along her back standing up slightly and Jamia stares at us as Mama keeps barking, my hand coming up to stroke the top of her head as I smile wide and when Gerard comes into the room to see whats wrong I stand and push past him, taking Mama with me and we go upstairs into the bedroom, me laying on the bed and Mama runs around in circles a few times before she flops down beside me, her head resting against me and I gently stroke my hand down her side as I say "You're such a good girl, such a smart puppy" happy atleast one person is on my side.

An hour later I am still laying on the bed with Mama, playfully pushing her while she nips at my hand, her tail wagging as she has the time of her life and Gerard still hasn't come near me. I decide I can't lay here anymore so I get up and go downstairs, Mama on my heels and we wander around only to find that both Gerard and Jamia are gone, no note or anything and I notice my keys are gone, meaning Gerard took my car and I turn to Mama and say "Fuck this shit," storming up stairs with her on my heels again and when I reach the bedroom I go to the closet and pull out my suitcase, grabbing clean clothes and throwing them in there and Mama comes running over and sniffs around, wagging her tail slightly but it's not as much as it was before and I know she has picked up on the tension. When I'm done packing I walk over and sit down on the edge of the bed, Mama running over a second later and I lean down and scoop her up, sitting her in my lap and she jumps up against my chest, licking at my chin again and I guide her down to lay across my lap instead as I rub my hand up and down her back. "I've gotta go Mama, daddy can't deal with much more of this and you're the only one on my side. I love your other daddy so fucking much, more than I ever knew I could even love another person but I just don't know how to talk to or be around him right now. He's bringing that bitch into our lives and I don't want her here, I know you don't either baby" I tell her and Mama lets out a single bark, looking up at me and wagging her tail and I smile through the tears now rolling down my cheeks as I keep rubbing my hand down her back. "You're such a smart girl and I know you can see what your other daddy can't and I just pray he sees it soon, before it's too late. I know she hurt you Mama, even if I can't prove it I know it was her and I hate that I have to leave you here, I wish I could take you with me but I need to leave you here and I need you to keep an eye on daddy for me and make sure she doesn't hurt him too, can you do that for me?" Mama remains quiet, just wagging her tail as she stares up at me with her tongue hanging out of her mouth a little and I smile at the sight, bringing my hand up to rub the top of her head before I lift her off my lap and stand up, crossing the room to my suitcase and grabbing it before making my way downstairs and after I call for a cab I check Mama's food and water bowls, making sure she has plenty of both before I write a quick note, saying goodbye to Gerard and I pat Mama one last time, saying goodbye to her too before I grab my suitcase and head outside, getting in the cab that is just pulling up and telling the driver to take me to the airport.

Notes