Chapter 17
A few days later...
Emmy POV
Jeff has been so quiet for the past few days. I've tried to get answers out of him, but he won't tell me what's wrong.
He's currently writing in his diary, and he's been doing it so much lately.
"Jeff."
I sat down on the edge of his bed. He looked up at me, but didn't say anything.
"Can I see what you're writing?" I asked.
He didn't answer me. I slowly reached over, and took his diary from him. And he let me.
Dear Diary,
I have no idea if I'm making a statement in court. Half of me wants to, and half of me doesn't.
I'm so stressed out, and I've barely slept even though Emmy's been letting me stay in her bed. I just pretend to sleep so she doesn't worry. I feel like such a nuisance, causing so many problems...
"Jeff, you're not a nuisance."
I put down his diary, and looked at him. There were tears silently going down his cheeks.
I sighed, and pulled him into a hug.
"Jeff... Why didn't you come to me?"
"I feel like I'm just wasting everyone's time!"
"You're not. I want you to come to me when there's something wrong. It causes me more stress when you don't tell me what's wrong."
"No matter what I do, I can't do anything right!"
"Jeff, stop. You're overreacting. I'm not mad. Nobody's mad."
I held him in my arms until he calmed down.
"Trust me. It's better for both of us if you talk to me. I'll help you."
"Well then help me."
"How? What do you want help with?"
"I don't know if I can make a statement in front of the court. Everybody seems to want me to. And I do too. But I also don't want to. I'm scared of what will happen if I do. And I'm scared of what will happen if I don't."
"Why are you scared to make a statement?"
"My dad will go to jail, and he'll hate me! And I won't have a home, and I won't see my mom anymore!"
"What are you scared of if you don't?"
"If I don't... Everyone will be mad at me that I didn't, and if I go back home... I'll be hurt again!"
"Jeff... I would suggest making a statement. I know there are pros and cons of both to you... But-"
"I know. I know I should. I just don't know if I have the courage. I'm a scared little baby, just like everyone at school said I was! They were right about me!"
"Jeff. They were not right. You need to stop believing everything that everyone says about you."
"But I am scared!"
I sighed.
"Jeff... I don't know what to tell you. This isn't really something I can help you with. This is between you, the court, and your dad. But I can tell you that whatever happens, I'll always support you and be here for you no matter what."
"But how am I supposed to know what to do!?"
"That's for you to figure out. I can suggest that you make a statement and tell the court the truth. But I can't make you. Now... It's late. Let's get some sleep, ok?"
"I don't want to."
"Why not?"
"Because as soon as I go to sleep, I know that the next thing that will happen will be going to court. And I don't want to."
I sighed.
"It'll be ok, Jeff."
I put his diary under his pillow, and laid down next to him. I pulled the covers over both of us, and turned the lamp off.
Middle of the night...
Jeff POV
"Emmy... Please wake up."
"What's wrong, Jeff?"
"Well... You said to tell you if I had a problem. I can't sleep. I'm too anxious about tomorrow."
"Turn on your side, and face the wall."
I did as she said. She started rubbing my back.
"Emmy?"
"What, Jeff?"
"If I don't speak in front of the court, are you going to hate me?"
"No. Go to sleep, Jeff. Worry about this in the morning."
I sighed, and shut my eyes. I know I need to try to sleep. If I don't, I'll be so tired at court, and I might do something dumb.
So I just listened to the sound of Emmy breathing, and concentrated on the feeling of her rubbing my back. And I finally fell asleep.
The next day...
Emmy POV
"Jeff? You're shaking," I whispered.
We were sitting in court right now. Jeff and I were sitting between my parents. We were waiting for someone to call Jeff up.
I didn't know if Jeff was going to speak. But I was hoping he would.
"Jeff," I whispered.
He was staring straight ahead, and he wouldn't look at me. I could see him trembling.
"Jeffrey Sterling," someone called.
"I can't do this," Jeff whispered.
"Yes, you can. Go on, Jeff," I said, helping him stand.
I watched as he slowly walked to the front of the court room. To be honest, I'm waiting for him to start crying, and bolt out of the room.
But he didn't.
Yet.
"Jeffrey Sterling. Can you please tell the court what your father would do if you did something wrong?"
I can see him shaking all the way from back here. I don't know how he's not crying yet.
"Um... W-well... I mean... I-it was d-different every t-time..." Jeff stuttered.
"Can you tell us what happened one of the times?"
Jeff nervously looked over at his dad, who was sitting off to the side with some police officers.
"Well... This one time..."
Jeff shut his eyes, and took a deep breath.
Whatever happens, I'm proud of him for trying.
"H-he made me stand in the corner. A-and... h-he beat me until I passed out. And when I woke up, I was locked in the hall closet. And he didn't let me out for 2 days!"
Jeff had completely broken now. He was sobbing all over the place, and it sounded like he couldn't breathe.
"Thank you, Jeff. You can take your seat now."
He quickly walked back over to me, and sat down.
"You did so good, Jeff," I whispered.
"I want to leave now," he cried, quietly.
"Calm down. I think it's almost over. And then we can leave, ok?"
He nodded. I pulled him into a hug, and got him to calm down a little bit.
Jeff kept his face buried in my shoulder. I listened to everything else that was being said.
"Ok. It has been decided that Mr.Sterling will spend 1 year in jail," the judge said, banging his gavel.
It was over. And everyone started leaving.
"Time to go, Jeff," I said, patting his back lightly.
We got up. I put my arm around Jeff, and guided him out of the building.
"What's going to happen to me now?" Jeff asked, putting on his seat belt.
"Jeff, you're going to get put up for adoption. Your dad won't be around for 1 year, and he won't have rights to you when he gets out because he abused you," my dad said.
"B-but what if someone adopts me!? What if they take me away!? What if they hurt me even worse than my dad did!?"
He started hysterically crying. I couldn't calm him down, and we made it all the way home with him still crying loudly.
I took him to our room, and tucked him into my bed.
"Jeff, you need to calm down. I know you're upset. But you're wearing yourself out by crying. Everything will be ok. We'll figure this out."
"Someone will take me away from you! You're the only thing that makes me happy, Emmy. I love you..."
I sighed.
"I love you too, Jeff."
He turned towards me, and laid on his pillow, looking up at me. I wiped the tears off his cheeks.
"I'm tired," he whimpered.
"Get some sleep, Jeff."
I kissed his cheek, and then left so he could sleep.