THE SHOUT OF A KING

By Tessa Harvey


JULY

Moira shivered. She was cold and her cheek hurt. "Mum," she called as she opened the back door of her parents' home.

Dad was home. "Hi honey!" He gave her a great big bear hug, just as he always had, but more carefully now she was grown.

"How did your face get hurt?"
"Banged into the door, dad." The lie hung there between them.

Derek growled and clenched his fists. "Right, just going out for a while." His intent was clear.
"No, dad, please no. Please!" The girl was so obviously terror-stricken, he stopped abruptly.

"We can get you away, Moira. Mum and I can get a Restraining Order. You can't fool around. It's called an FVO - Family Violence Order. You know he needs help."

Moira looked up, hope in her eyes. "I'm pregnant," she whispered. And then added, fearfully "he'll kill it."

They looked at her, both incredulous. Surely that was not true!
Moira saw their disbelief.
"He will. He said he will. It's not in his plans. Only I am. He won't let me go. He won't..."

Sobbing, she said, "I tried before and he found me. I was at Ashley's. I told her not to tell. He said he would burn the house down if I didn't come back. The police would never know. Dad, he is so clever." The young woman buried her face in her hands and wept as though her heart was breaking. She had always hidden everything bad about her marriage before this.

Her parents put their arms around her and prayed. This time Moira did not draw back.

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