Mute Girl

Ch. 15

I laid in bed next to Justin cuddling up against him. And if you were wondering, no, we didn't do the nasty. I'm still a virgin folks. But the intimacy we shared being this close in proximity, made me realize that I loved him. I didn't like-like him anymore, I loved him. He was my one and only and I was his. But I had to show him. I hugged his torso as we laid in the guest bed.

"I'm meeting with Teresa today." I signed above his face. "And they found my dad who said he was willing to be my parent."

"That's great news Marie," He faked a smile.

"What's wrong?" He sat up at my signing.

"Nothing, that's wonderful." He said again unenthusiastically. What was wrong with him?

"Are you okay? You're not acting like yourself." I frowned.

"I'm fine," He grabbed my hands and took them off his stomach. He got off the bed. "I got to go, I'm taking Sally and her friends to a movie." He walked out of the room without so much as a goodbye or a hug. Something was wrong. Was it something I said. I didn't have time to dwell on the thought. I could only think about finally seeing Teresa after two weeks and my dad. What was I going to say to them both? It was hard enough to tell the investigators my story, did I have to do it again?

--

Mrs. Pole drove me to the police station in silence. We couldn't very well talk because she was deaf and shouldn't sign while driving. She kept smiling at me though. Her smile was so much like Justin's smile, so genuine and warm. We approached the station within ten minutes and were able to get in easily.

"Marie Stewart!" The receptionist called my name. "The investigative party is here." I signed to Mrs. Pole about what was going on and followed the investigators waiting by the walls.

"Are you sure you're ready?" They asked. I nodded my head in response too nervous to sign. We walked down a dimly lit hallway with no signs of light from windows or anything really. It became colder as we walked down the hallway. My goosebumps had goosebumps. We neared the room making me tremble. I looked through the two way mirror. My father was in handcuffs. They had warned me about it. Just making necessary precautions. Hopefully Teresa's visit wouldn't be as dark and creepy.

I was ushered in the opposite chair of my father who was sitting with a cop right next to him. On my right was the investigator and to my left, the translator stood standing.

"Mr. Stewart, please explain where you were while Marie Stewart was in an abusive home." The investigator said rather snidely.

"Ah, I was on a business trip." He stated.

"Where on this business trip?" He added coldly.

"France." He lied. I'm glad that the investigator could tell that he was a lying bastard as well.

"Well, it says here that Colorado Surgeon Clinic didn't send you on a business trip in France.

"My wife is a crazy lunatic. You don't understa-" My father tried to finish his sentence.

"Oh I think I understand, now answer the question." He snarled. My father sighed in defeat.

"I was having an affair." He admitted. Congratulations, he stated the fact that everybody already knew.

"So you knew that your wife was being abusive to your child and you left your house?" The investigator judgmental attitude was bringing the reality of the situation.

"Well, she wasn't abusing her before I left." He tried to cover his tracks.

"But you knew that she would abuse your daughter later then?"