Scene from Forever and Never

All she could think was - get to momma.  Momma would understand and help her.  Momma would make the pain go away.  She would listen and know just what to do.  She would make everything better 'cause that's what Momma's are supposed to do.

Sam ran up the steps and into the house, tears and dirt streaked on her face and one knee bleeding from the fall on the way home.  "Momma!", she yelled, "where are you?".

Claire heard her daughters voice and ran to the living room.  A quick glance showed the tear stained cheeks, the bloody knee and the shaking child before her.  "What happened?  Why are you crying like that?  Did you fall on the way home from church?"

Sam took a deep breath and blurted out what Pastor Rob had done and had told her to never tell.  All the color drained from Claire's face, and for an instant Sam felt sure she understood and would fix everything.  The sharp cracking sound the slap made as it connected to Sam's cheek registered before the pain, and would echo in her mind for years to come.  "How dare you make up such lies!  Especially about Pastor Rob and the church!  They have been so good to us and you want to make up lies and stir up trouble!  Get into your room and think about what you've done and clean yourself up!  And don't you ever mention this to me again, I won't hear of it!" 

Claire stormed from the room, leaving behind a heartbroken seven year old who was learning the hard way that parents aren't always the good guys.  For a long time Sam stood there in stunned disbelief, and then she slowly turned and headed to her room.  I don't care what she says, I am not a liar, and I will never go near any church as long as I live!  What he did was wrong - I didn't want him to touch me.  Sam laid on her bed and eventually the tears and whimpers ceased as she fell into a trouble sleep.

Claire sat at kitchen table, every muscle in her body tensed as if she expected an attack.  She couldn't believe the story that Sam had told after all the nice things Pastor Rob and the church had done for them.  They were a respected family in a good community, this just could not be possible.  It never once occurred to her that Sam was telling the truth, she could not even consider that possibility.  She decided it would be best to not mention it again, and just hope that Sam would forget the entire incident and not continue to make up these wild stories.  She decided there was no reason to let Ted be upset by the story either.  The single thought that never entered her mind was that if this was a lie, and just a made up story, it would be the first time in her short seven years of life that Sam had ever been dishonest about anything.

Luce stood watching through the window of the back porch, curious as to what would happen as the girl related her story, but even he was surprised by the reaction of her mother.  He felt his power swell as the fear, anger, bitterness, and helplessness flooded into him from the woman and child.  It was even more powerful when coupled with the evil from the Pastor's actions layered on top.  Humans never ceased to amaze him, especially when they reacted completely unexpectedly.  He had anticipated the woman comforting the child and figuring out how to confront the abuser and set things right, but he never saw the total denial, or envisioned the blame being placed on the child.  He could hear the child quietly sobbing alone in her room, but resisted the urge to look in on her before leaving.