Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

Two Beds and a Coffee Machine

And she takes another step

It wasn't much further to the end of the hallway. She could make it. If only the hallway wouldn't creak so much.

Slowly she opens the door

Quietly, quietly, Miranda told herself. If He heard her, everything would start over again.

Check that he is sleeping

He usually sleeps deeply when he's drunk, but he might be lying awake, waiting for her. It wouldn't be the first time. The first time, he had nearly killed her. Now she knew better. Always check that he's out for the night before doing anything that might anger him. Always.

Pick up all the broken glass and furniture on the floor

The garbage can was almost full. Pictures, dishes, and other miscellaneous items that had become deadly projectiles only a few minutes before lined it. The worst contributors were the two kitchen chairs that were no longer usable. Miranda grimaced. They had been an heirloom, replacing them would be impossible. And He was anal about things matching. He would insist they buy a whole new set, and Miranda knew they didn't have enough money.

She looked mournfully at the remains of her mother's priceless vase. Another family heirloom smashed to pieces. Resignedly, she put it in the garbage can. There was nothing she could do about it. Not anymore. Not since he had broken... She shook her head to get the thought out of her head. It was better not to think of anything like that.

Been up half the night screaming now it's time to get away

She tied the garbage bag and put it outside, by the door. He had thrown it all at her. Luckily, he had missed. But then again, it probably wasn't just luck. She looked around before going to the couch. The figure behind it didn't make any noise, but she knew that the tears were still falling. Not that she could blame the child. He had yelled so hard. He would yell again, when he woke up and found them gone, but she was determined. She would not spend the night under the same roof as him.

Pack up the kids in the car

"Jessica, honey, come on out," she said, holding her arms out to the little girl hiding behind the couch. The child whimpered and buried her head in her arms. Gently, her mother pulled her out from her hiding spot. The little girl simply hung her head as her mother crouched down to be at her level.

"I'm sorry, Mommy," Jessica said. "I didn't mean to this time, I swear...."

"Oh, sweetheart, it's not your fault. Daddy had too much to drink again tonight," her mother said, pulling the girl to her. The girl clung to her and started to cry softly again.

"Come on, sweetie, help me get Jacob into the car," Miranda said. The girl already knew what had to be done and went to get the diaper bag ready.

Before they left, Miranda took Jessica to the bathroom and put some makeup on both of them. What she really needed was ice, but that would have to wait.

Another bruise to try and hide

Another alibi to write

How was she going to explain this one to Jessica's sitters? The growing mark on her cheek was in the definite shape of a hand. Of course, He would never offer any suggestions. He never did. Not even for Jessica. This one would fade before school started, but there would be others. How would she explain them? Miranda was running out of excuses.

Jacob was finally sleeping soundly. Half an hour ago, he had cried relentlessly. Miranda buckled him into his car seat as Jessica put the diaper bag into the seat next to him and got into the passenger's seat in the front.

Another ditch in the road

You keep moving

This was almost routine. And all of it made Miranda want to scream and cry even more than she already had that night.

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

Part of her knew Jessica felt the same way. But they were both silent as she drove them into the small village. It was only a mile away. Tonight it seemed like so much more.

And the years go by so fast

Wonder how I ever made it through

There was the old tree. A pothole was coming up. Miranda avoided it easily, just as she had for years. How many times had she traveled this lonely road late at night? She tried to think back. Too many, that was the only answer she got. She had to agree. When would this end?

And there are children to think of

She glanced sideways at Jessica. Sometimes, she had had to stop and console the child on these trips. It wasn't her fault she was what she was. But she tried to stop it all the same. Tonight, Jessica was silent. She simply stared out the window. She wasn't even crying anymore. Miranda decided not to try to talk to her just yet. She looked in the rearview mirror.

Baby's asleep in the backseat

Wonder how they'll ever make it through this living nightmare

Jacob. Only nine months old yesterday. He was her miracle child. She had promised herself that Jessica would be the only one. Especially after how her husband had reacted when she told him what she was. And what Jessica was. There was no doubt of it now. Especially not after tonight. But Jacob...Miranda shook her head again to clear it. Yes, Jacob had it too, no matter how many times she had told her husband otherwise. Soon, there would be no hiding it. Then he would bear his father's hatred just as his sister and mother did.

But the mind is an amazing thing

"Your birthday is coming up soon," she said, trying to take her mind off the present. Jessica looked startled and she stared at her mother. "Anything special you want?"

Full of candy dreams and new toys and another cheap hotel

Please answer, Miranda thought silently. Anything. Just babble for all I care. But I don't want to think about what just happened. Please, Jessie. Ask for a new dress, a mountain of candy, your own pony....

"We're here," Jessica said dully. Miranda looked up to find that she had somehow driven them right into the parking lot of one of the cheapest hotels in town. But it was safer than home and it had everything they'd need for the night.

Two beds and a coffee machine

Miranda went in and got them a double room. They needed two beds because Jessica tended to toss and turn in the middle of the night. Miranda didn't want to risk Jacob getting kicked in the middle of the night. He was already so hard to put to sleep. As it was, he woke up as soon as they got in the room. Wordlessly, Jessica handed her mother a bottle and sat down on a bed. The milk was so watered down that Jacob almost didn't take it, but in the end, he too was used to this. She needed more milk for the morning, but it had taken all of her cash to pay for this room.

But there are groceries to buy

And she knows she'll have to go home

There was money in her bedroom, of course. She had stashed it away for times of need. But Miranda hadn't wanted to risk waking Him up, so there had been no way to get to it tonight.

Another ditch in the road

You keep moving

She looked at Jessica. She still hadn't recovered. She was just sitting there, as if dazed.

"Go to bed, honey," Miranda said softly. "I'll turn off the light as soon as Jacob's asleep."

"I'm not sleepy," Jessica said. That was a surprise. Miranda had usually had no trouble getting Jessica to go to bed, even in her rebellious stages. Jessie had always loved to go to sleep. Almost as though she could fly to a much different place than reality and she liked it there a lot more. If that was the case, Miranda shared her daughter's views. Unfortunately, these days, she rarely dreamed, and when she did, they were nightmares.

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

"Well then, do you want to take a shower? It might make you feel better," she said.

"The water's too hard here," Jessica replied. Miranda had to agree. The pounding water pressure of the hotel they were at was great for soothing some sores, but for fresh bruises it was simply too painful.

"A bath, then?" she asked. Jessica looked at her briefly before going to the sink and gently turning on the cold water. She wet a washrag and held it against her swelling cheek. Then she wet another one, rung it out and handed it to her mother.

"Thank you, honey," Miranda said, trying to juggle holding Jacob and getting the washrag up to her throbbing face, "I'll get us some ice here in a minute." Jessica nodded.

And the years go by so fast

Wonder how I ever made it through

"That guy looked at us funny," she said. Miranda furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Where?"

"In the lobby."

"Oh. Well we did come in kind of late," Miranda said, with a small laugh. Jessica hung her head again.

Another bruise to try and hide

Another alibi to write

"I'm sorry."

"I already told you. It's not your fault." It's mine, Miranda thought. Because I don't have enough courage to stand up for what I know is right. Because my children have to be in danger for me to take any action against Him. Because I stay with a husband who claims he loves me, but at the same time, hates me for who I am. Because of what I am. It's all my fault because of what I am. It's my fault you are what you are. It's my genes that made you what you are. That's what makes your own father hate you. Everything comes back to me. It's my fault. And I know it. He knows it. You know it.

Another lonely highway in the black of night

"Mommy, did you mean it?" Jessica's voice startled Miranda out of her reverie. She looked up and realized that Jacob was asleep.

"Did I mean what?" She asked her daughter as she laid the baby on the bed.

"If there was anything special I wanted for my birthday," the girl said. Miranda stopped arranging the pillows around her son to look at her daughter. She seemed to be hiding something in her pocket.

"Of course I meant it. What did you have in mind?"

"Hogwarts," Jessica said. Miranda froze in place. What? How had she known? How had she known about that place? It was Miranda's deepest, darkest secret. She had never even mentioned it to her children. Then she saw what Jessica had been hiding as the little girl pulled out a folded piece of parchment. Of course. Jessica would turn eleven soon. Miranda hadn't expected it to come until next year, but apparently the Hogwarts officials had decided that she was old enough. Jessica looked at her mother pleadingly. "I want to go to Hogwarts."

"Oh honey," Miranda went over to her daughter and put her arms around her. It was impossible. He would never allow it.

But there's hope in the darkness

"Maybe if I learn spells, Daddy won't hurt us anymore," Jessica said. Miranda pulled away and looked at her daughter sternly.

"No, honey. You can't use spells against Daddy," she said.

"Why not?" Jessica cried. "Why is he allowed to hurt us but we can't hurt him back? It's not fair!" Miranda held her daughter closely again. The little girl was right. This wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Jessica should be allowed to go to Hogwarts. She should be allowed to make things float without meaning to and not have to worry about her own father beating her for it. She shouldn't have to live in fear.

Miranda's grip on her daughter tightened. Alone, she could never leave Him. She still loved him, even after all of this. But...what she couldn't do for herself, she could do for her children.

You know you're going to make it

"You're right, honey," Miranda said. She looked down at her child and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Don't worry. Daddy isn't going to hurt us anymore."

"Are you going to use magic against him?" Jessica asked with something akin to hunger in her eyes. Miranda shook her head.

"No honey. We aren't allowed to use magic against people who don't have any," she said. "If we are going to go to the magical world, we have to obey the rules. Otherwise, they aren't going to want us there, are they?" Jessica shook her head, but there was hope in her eyes now.

Another ditch in the road

Keep moving

Miranda didn't want to crush that hope just yet by telling her daughter that they would already not be welcomed into the Wizarding community with open arms. Miranda herself was Muggle-born, and Jessica would be considered a half-blood. She would tell her about that when Jessica was getting ready to leave for Hogwarts. When. Not if; when. Jessica would go to Hogwarts. So would Jacob, when the time came. They both had that right.

Another stop sign

You keep moving on

But how? She had severed all of her ties to the Wizarding world over the last few years, ending it all when she had let Him break her wand.

And the years go by so fast

Suddenly, Miranda remembered back to a couple years ago, when Jessica's magic had suddenly become much stronger. The girl's nightmares had apparently forced her powers to manifest themselves much sooner than anticipated, and Miranda had contacted an old friend who, at the time, she hadn't alienated yet. He had taken one look at the girl and asked her why she didn't contact the Ministry of Magic. Miranda had had to explain that she had given up magic and that she simply wanted Jessica to live a normal life, so was there anything he could do? He had shaken his head despairingly at her.

"I won't take away her magic, if that's what you're asking," he had said. "No one can do that but the girl herself. I don't think anyone would, come to think of it. The best thing would be for you to teach her the basics of how to control her magic until she can get to Hogwarts."

"She won't be going to Hogwarts and I won't ever use a wand again. My husband doesn't like magic," she had replied firmly. Her husband was worth so much more than a world full of bigots and evil creatures.

"Fine, fine. It's your choice. But if you ever change your mind, I actually have a Muggle telephone now, so here's my number," he had said, handing her a small piece of paper. Miranda had put in her wallet, intending to get rid of it the next day, but she had forgotten about it.

Quickly, she got out her empty wallet and completely cleaned it out. There, scrunched up along the bottom, was the little piece of paper with seven digits still distinguishable enough to read.

Silent fortress built to last

"I'll call him tomorrow morning," she said aloud to herself. Jessica looked at her.

"Call who?" she asked.

"An old friend who can help us get back into the magical world," Miranda said. "After I call him, we'll go home and get our stuff."

"But won't Daddy..."

"Never mind about Daddy," Miranda said. With a wand in her hand, He wouldn't dare lift a finger against her. She would be able to take all of her belongings and all of her money and there would be nothing he could do. Not even if he told her he loved her again. She would never have to rely on him again. "Did I ever tell you that a phoenix bursts into flames every time it dies? Then it's reincarnated as a baby bird...." Jessica listened avidly to her mother's story until they both fell asleep.

The next morning, Miranda tried the phone number twelve different times. All she got was "We're sorry, the number you've dialed has been disconnected. Please hang up and try your call again."

Wonder how I ever made it