The Broken Road (18+)

Chapter 20

'Yes we do, dad.' Anna said, letting tears escape. 'This is the only thing that's has been close all day. It's her, dad. I feel it in my gut.' I would have been lying if I didn't have the same feeling in the pits of my stomach.

'We don't know for sure until we get there.' He said shaking his head. He looked at me, silently asking if I was ready to go, so I nodded, giving Anna a comforting hug before we left.

The two hour drive was mostly silent, with only the quiet radio making any sound. Gareth's knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel, his eyes never leaving the road. Resting my head on the window, I closed my eyes, praying that Jenny would be okay.

'You care about her.' Gareth stated, breaking the silence. I nodded, turning to look at him. 'I know you said you're just friends but... it's more than that, isn't it?'

'It's complicated.' I sighed. 'We met at their house, for a business meeting with Ken. I didn't like the way he was ordering her around, and when we were alone... we had an undeniable connection. I bumped into her in town a few days later, she had just had a miscarriage. We spoke for a while, she got angry with me for asking about Ken. Then I kissed her, and saw bruises on her arms. She ran away, and I didn't hear from her for a couple more days. One evening she called me, I could hear the pain in her voice, she asked me to help and then passed out. When I arrived... it was the most horrific thing I'd ever seen. She was naked, but she was covered in cuts, burns and bruises. The fucker even carved his name into her skin.' My fists clenched and my jaw ticked in anger at the memory. I glanced over at Gareth who was fighting tears as he drove. 'Sorry... I can stop?'

'No. Carry on. I need to hear what that asshole did to my baby. God knows she's not going to want to tell me herself.'

'Well, I took her upstairs to lay her down and treat the wounds. When she woke up she told me she had a plan, but refused to tell me what it was. Ken came home unexpectedly so I hid, but he knew I was there. He gave me an ultimatum, he wouldn't let me go because I knew about the abuse, so he said I either need to join in the beating, so that I was implicated in the abuse, or he would shoot me. I refused obviously. He was ranting and raving about how she was cheating on him with me, so I told him I was the one who initiated everything. So he changed the deal. Either she whipped me, or he shot her. God, she cried so much as she did it. But the thought of seeing her hurt because of me was worse than the whipping.'

Gareth looked at me with sad eyes. 'You did that for my daughter? After only meeting her a few times?'

'I think a complete stranger would have if they'd seen her. It was awful.' I said, holding back my own tears. 'I care about her so much... but I... I'm engaged. I was engaged before I met Jenny, my parents have had it planned since we were kids. Jenny found out when Ken told her and she looked so hurt.'

'You're still engaged now?'

'Yes. It.. it's complicated. The marriage is supposed to be a business deal of sorts, so calling it off isn't as easy as it sounds. But yesterday I promised Jenny I would. I couldn't contact her for a week after Ken sent me home. I tried calling, texting, I even showed up in the middle of the day at their house but she didn't answer. I found out that was because he had her chained to the bed like an animal. He barely fed her and he didn't let her wash. The smell.. it was awful. She called me at 3 in the morning, asking me to bring her sleeping pills. I thought she was going to kill herself. But she explained her plan to me when I came over yesterday, I helped her clean up, and we spent almost all day in each other's arms. I told her how much I cared about her, and that I would break up with Laila. I thought we were in a great place but later that night, she called me and asked me to help carry Ken to the car, but on the phone Laila... she said some things about Jenny, about her being needy and a basket case, which Jenny heard. When I got to her she had got Ken most of the way to the car, she was straining herself too much, and she wasn't strong enough, but she forced herself to anyway, she didn't want to be needy. We argued before she left. She told me she didn't want me, that I should move on and marry Laila.'

'You know she didn't mean that, right? She's always been stubborn.' Gareth said, detecting the hurt in my voice as I recalled her words.

'She seemed pretty serious. She's so determined and strong... she didn't want to need me.'

'Needing someone because you love them and want to be with them isn't the same as needing them because you're helpless without them.' Gareth sighed. 'But Ken... over the years he's made her feel so helpless. I think she probably wanted to feel independent rather than relying on another man to pick up the pieces for her.'

'I understand that.'

'Give her time. She'll come around.' He said comfortingly. But both of us were undoubtedly thinking the same thing: if she made it.

As we pulled up to the hospital, Gareth took a deep breath before climbing out of the car.

'I can't decide if I'm wishing it is her, or wishing it isn't.' He said, laughing bitterly. I nodded, thinking the same thing. If it was her, then she could be dying. If it wasn't then it meant she was still out there, missing.

We approached the reception desk, letting them know why we were here. After clicking a few times on the computer, the receptionist looked at us with a small smile.

'The patient in question is currently in emergency surgery. I will ask a nurse who was with her earlier to come down, if you have a picture with you, she might be able to identify her for you. Take a seat over there.'

Ten silent minutes passed. Gareth had begun pacing a few minutes ago. A nurse came down and spoke to the receptionist, who then pointed over to Gareth.

'Hi, Sam over there informed me you were looking for your daughter? Can I see a picture to see if she matches any of our patients?' The nurse said approaching us. Gareth took out his phone and pulled up a picture of Jenny.

'This is her.' He said showing the nurse. She nodded her head slowly, taking in the picture.

'I think that's her.' She replied, sensitivity in her voice as she looked between Gareth and I. 'Come with me. She's been in surgery all day, but last I heard, she's being stabilised and should be out within the hour.'

'Can we see her?' I asked, as we followed.

'I'm taking you to a waiting area, a doctor will come get you when she's ready to have visitors.' She smiled softly. 'The man she was with...'

'Her husband.' Gareth said with clenched fists. 'We heard he died on site.'

'My condolences. He drowned, we couldn't resuscitate him.' She said softly as we arrived at the waiting area.

'Good riddance.' I scoffed, my eyes widening as I realised I said it aloud. The nurses head snapped to look at me, shock in her eyes.

'You saw the state of my daughter, yes?' Gareth said, defending my harsh words. 'Her husband beat her. Tortured her. I'm not the only one that's glad he's gone.'

'I understand, sir.' The nurse nodded. 'I have to get back to work now, a doctor will be here to update you as soon as we know more.'

Hours passed. The two of us sat fidgeting nervously, waiting for news. Then the doctor walked through the doors.