Delivering Blu Skies (BWWM)

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My goal in life: To protect Livvy.

That meant by whatever means necessary.

See, it worked like clockwork. Depending on his day, by 7, he was gone.

By 10, he was drunk.

By 11, he was back.

By 12, there would be bruises and a fair share of screaming.

Screaming that fell on deaf ears. Mom's screaming. I hated hearing it. I hated Livvy hearing it. And Mom hated it whenever I got involved... Last time it was a fractured jaw... She'd feared it would be worse. So she took one for the team.

And I took Livvy with me on my midnight drives. The city lights always bugged her in her sleep, so I drove on the freeway. Tonight we'd drive out to the countryside. About an hour of Livvy snoring while I tried to calm down.

See, the thing I couldn't understand is... Why she stayed? I'm not boy genius but I'm damn sure that promising to be someone's personal punching bag isn't in anyone's wedding vows. Nor was there some imaginary rule about staying with an unemployed jackass. She swore it was to protect us, when it really just looked like some twisted version of Stockholm Syndrome.

"Kai?" Livvy's tiny hands pulled on my sleeve.

"Livvy, go back to sleep. It's a school night." I could imagine the annoyed glare she'd sent me.

"I had a bad dream." She whispered, still holding onto my sleeve.

Briefly, I looked at her. Thankfully it was too dark to see anything other than her curly hair. "Where's Zinky?" I asked.

"We forgot to take him. You hurried me. And now he's on the floor." I could hear her voice cracking, to avoid further injury to the seven year old's fragile heart, I stopped at the closest garage. Glancing over at Livvy, I saw her big brown eyes glistening with... Saddness?

She understood why I rushed us out. She understood a lot for a kid her age. It was a family curse. All Lurie kids did. It's a great package really; ruined childhood, s**t social skills, anger issues and to top it all off... A broken and battered mother.

To save Livvy –even if it was just for an hour – from all of that. I'd cheer her up. And right now, with only R30 in my wallet, a milkshake was the best I could do. The broken down garage I decided to stop at thankfully had a working restaurant.

Livvy forgot her slippers so I had to give her a piggy back ride. The place was empty. Just a bunch of red and white empty chairs waiting for an ass to sit on it. There was a woman at the tills, she gave us a confused look. I'm pretty sure we looked weird. Livvy in her pjs on my back and me in a hoodie and a pair of sweats.

"What can I get you?" The teller; Martha, ask with a confused look still on her face. She could have been the same age as my mom, with the same bags and the same tried look on her face. She had a purple bruise against her brown forearm that her uniform couldn't hide. Hopefully Martha didn't get it the same way mom got hers.

"A strawberry milkshake please." Livvy called over my shoulder. Her voice was a lot chirpier now. I smiled knowing I'd at least made one of our days better.

"Anything else sir?" She asked a bit more hesitant this time. I could have been certain she was staring with curiosity. It didn't bother me. I shook my head. Hesitantly she opened her mouth. "Don't you two have school in the morning?" She asked like Mom would. Livvy and I knew the lie that always got the questions to stop.

"She had a bad dream. And the only way to calm her down is to get her a milkshake." I shrugged. Martha wasn't buying it, her drawn on eyebrow which were already raised, rose even higher.

"She's your sister?" I nodded, the eyebrow lowered. She smirked before clicking her tongue. I took out my wallet but she stopped me. "I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt. I wouldn't travel this far for a milkshake. So I'll give you guys two milkshakes on the house. You look like you need it Boykie." She smiled before walking into the kitchen.

It didn't take long for the milkshakes to arrive and to avoid more sceptical looks from Martha, Livvy and I headed to the car. I switched on the air-con. I noticed her shiver a little in the restaurant. I only had a worn out hoodie in the back. She slipped it on happily as she gulped up her milkshake.

"Kai?" She asked softly.

"Livvy?" I answered.

"What happens when you leave? Mommy said you're gonna go away to school soon. What about me?" She looked scared. Like she knew her fate. Like she knew that I didn't even know the answer to that question and I always had the answers.

"Do you want me to be honest?" She nodded her head slowly; fearing the answer. "I don't know." Her face scrunched up. "But I've always got you. And I'll never let him hurt you."