Fix You

Chapter Twenty-Two

It's quiet. I hold my breath. The judge is scanning over papers.

He abruptly looks up.

He grabs his gavel. I'm shaking. I'm dimly aware of my mom's hand on my shoulder.

Jack looks back at me once. It's the look he gives me before he beats me. It makes my blood run cold.

My instinct is to hide. My instincts tell me I will be beat soon.

"I pronounce Jack Ayers as guilty."

My body relaxes. I fall into the chair. I tune out the part about what he's found guilty of. I need to think.

It's finally over. After so long, after praying and wishing so hard... it's over.

I hear the judge say, "You have two life sentences with no chance of parole."

I want to laugh. I want to cry. I'm so confused. All I know is he's gone. I never have to see him again.

He stands. They put handcuffs on him.

I'm finally free from him.

As he walks by, he turns to me. "I may be going to jail for life, but this isn't over."

Suddenly, my joy is sucked out of me. My panic resumes.

What if it isn't over?

    

I sat impatiently on the couch, drumming my fingers on the coffee table. Carter's late. Carter is never late.

Finally, he got home. I stood, my body relaxing. This is pathetic. He can't even be fifteen minutes late without me having a heart attack.

"Hey, babe," I said pleasantly, smiling at him.

He didn't return it, and I instantly knew something was wrong. He was usually cold out in public or around other people, but when he got home after work, just the two of us... the psychopath exterior melted away. Something is very wrong.

"What happened?" I asked, moving over to him and sitting on the counter.

He sighed, running his fingers through his hair like he did when he was frustrated and looked down at the floor. After a moment, he looked back up at me. "My father called me on the way back. He wants us to go over to dinner at his house tomorrow night. I know that his new girlfriend is going to be there, and I don't want to have to fake pleasantries."

I snorted. "Carter, I love you, but you never fake pleasantries. If you don't like someone, it's pretty obvious."

He laughed bitterly. "I guess you're right. But, the fact that he's dating her pisses me off. I knew he never loved my mom, but he could at least treat her with respect and wait to date someone."

"I understand," I murmured, grabbing his hand and attempting to soothe him. Then, quietly, "I hate seeing you upset."

He kissed my cheek softly, letting his lips linger. "I know. I just can't help it. I don't want to go over there; I already hate having to visit my dad enough as it is without that woman being there."

I nodded. "I understand where you're coming from."

His body was tense, his jaw clenched. My heart tugged for him; I couldn't imagine what he was going through. Just hearing his dad's voice must have had a huge amount of mental damage, but actually having to see him... The man that abused me was—well, had been—locked away, and I never had to see or hear him, ever. Carter had to face the man who had beaten him daily.