Forever N ever (Book 13 in the Forever Series)

Chapter 20

Demi

The moment I saw Karleigh's face when she & Jerry came home from the party, I sensed something horrible had happened. Then I saw Jerry's hand & at that moment, I knew it was something that happened to Karleigh & it was more horrible than I thought. I led Karleigh into the family room & she sat on the couch. "I can tell you were crying earlier & I see the rip in your shirt. I see the marks on your wrist & by the way your lipstick is smudged, I know some jerk assaulted you." I shook my head as I sat on the couch next to her.

"I didn't want to tell you, but Jerry kind of insisted since he said you would understand." Her quiet, shaky voice was breaking my heart as it catapulted me back in time.

I closed my eyes & took in a deep breath, then let it out as my eyes opened. "Were you... raped?" It was painful to say the word, so it came out in a whisper.

Karleigh wasn't looking at me as she shook her head & I let out a quiet breath in relief. Her chin began to quiver & I saw a tear fall down her cheek. "I would have been if Jerry hadn't come in & pulled him off of me." Her chin lifted, her weepy eyes staring into mine. "He literally saved me." Her expression fell as she started sobbing, so I put my arms around her. The way she was talking about Jerry gave me a familiar feeling.

"And I am so glad he did." I murmured, then sighed. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"

After a few minutes of breathing through her tears, Karleigh told me what happened. She explained how this predator lured her into the guest house with false promises, then how he started kissing her. I listened to her recount what happened to her & specific memories of my own assaults came rushing back to me. I concentrated on what Karleigh was saying so I didn't keep those awful memories in my mind. When she finished recanting her story, she looked up at me with the saddest expression on her face. "Do you think I'm damaged now?"

I grabbed Karleigh in my arms again. "Oh honey, not at all. You know what I've been through so you see that I'm living proof you can bounce back from this. You're an amazing young lady & you will be fine." I looked down into her eyes, putting my hand on her cheek. "You will see a counselor to work through this & my counselor is amazing. I can get you in to see her, unless you have your own that you go to. And you should tell the police what happened. That's something I never did & I lived with a lot of guilt that he probably went on to hurt other girls."

Karleigh shook her head, madly. "No, my grandmother can't know. This would kill her after everything she has been through."

"I understand, but your grandma is a tough woman."

"Please, Demi. She can't know." Karleigh pleaded with me & my heart was torn. "If he had actually raped me I would go to the police or the hospital but he didn't."

"Okay, fine. But I am insisting on the counseling, okay?" I had my eyebrows up & Karleigh nodded her head, looking relieved. "It's a good thing Jerry is like his dad, huh?" I smirked at her & she blushed, which I found adorable. I knew she had feelings for Jerry because she reminded me of myself when I had feelings for Nick but didn't want to admit it. I recognized the look in her eyes when he was in the room or even mentioned.

"A hero?"

"Yep."

"I told him that he was my hero just like Mr. Jonas is a hero to you & Mercy."

"When you find someone who loves you as a friend first, loves you for who you are & loves you in spite of your flaws you hang onto them, especially when they're you're hero. Those kinds of people don't come along too often." I was speaking as I stared off into space then I heard Karleigh clear her throat.