Fix me

Chapter 33

Song on the side................................................................................................................................

Chapter 33

My uncle pulled dad off Jeremy and I heard someone, possibly my mom, crying softly from the doorway. Hunter still had his arms around me and was whispering in my ear, “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, Violet. I didn’t know.”

“It wasn’t your fault,” I wanted to say, but I couldn’t because my throat was sore and I couldn’t speak.

“WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY DAUGHTER?” Dad was screaming and shouting and I lifted my head and looked over Hunter’s shoulder to see Uncle Eric and Lucas holding dad back, grabbing his arms and trying to calm him down. I have never known this side of my father before.

Aunt Livvie was crouched in front of Jeremy, saying things that I couldn’t make out. His eyes met mine for the shortest of seconds, but it was long enough for me to see the numbness in them. They were blank, no emotion in them at all. It was almost as if he was dead inside and that made my blood turn to ice.

“Violet?”

I looked up and saw my mom standing over us. Her hand was by her chin as if she had been covering her mouth this whole time and had just lowered it. Her eyes were wide wide wide open and her lips were slightly parted. Her hair had fallen out of her bun.

Everyone had left, including Jeremy, taking him someplace where I could not see him.

Hunter released me, glancing at my mom. “I’ll be right outside,” he said softly, brushing some hair behind my ear and skimming my face. He looked into my eyes, seeing me fully for the first time. I nodded and he slowly got up, whispered something to my mom, and left, closing the door behind him to give us privacy. I knew he would be standing right outside, there for me when I need him.

I wiped my eyes on my sleeve, forcing myself to stand and face my mother. We stood, just looking at each other. Everything she knew about me had changed today. That simple, innocent, clean minded daughter had been stained. She had come back to something completely different. And she couldn’t run from it anymore.

She burst into tears and pulled me to her, crushing. “My baby,” She whispered, sobbing.

And I held her, holding on tighter than ever before.

. . .

I don’t know where they took Jeremy, just that he was out of the house. My aunt and uncle had gone with him.

Hunter had told everyone what Jeremy had done to me when I was getting the first aid kit earlier. When Jeremy was trying to do it again.

The remaining guests sat in our living room, including Hunter, Amy, Lucas, Evan, my parents, and Susan. When I asked my sister where Josh had gone, she said he had left. I kept saying how sorry I was, but she waved it away, saying she didn’t need someone that scared easy anyway. I noticed her eyes were red from crying.

We sat in silence, Hunter holding me close by his side. Every few minutes or so, he would turn, press his lips to my temple and whisper, “you’re okay,” or “it’s over,” or “I love you,” only so that I could hear him.

I didn’t ask what would happen next; I wasn’t sure I wanted to know.

Eventually, Evan began crying and Amy said she had to get him home to sleep. Hunter let her know that he was staying, and he would be back sometime later. Amy and Lucas didn’t argue.

I walked them to the door, just to move and do something other than sit and think. They turned to me with sad eyes.

Amy let Lucas hold their son and pulled me into a tight hug. “You can come over whenever you want,” She said softly, soothing my back just like my mom used to. “You’ve become so close to our family. You’re such a good girl. .  . You’re such a good girl. .  .  .”