Through the Open Door || Change My Mind Sequel || SP

Therapy

Continued.

Sam unbuttoned her jeans, and laid back on the bed. She felt like she was ever so slightly suffocating, telling her she was far enough along to be gaining some type of weight. It was probably just bloating, but she already hated this. "Matt!" She called. This was pregnancy number three. There would be no cake or cute surprise things. She pulled the test out of her bag as he came in and shut the door

"What's up? You okay?" He asked. Sam turned to her husband and handed him positive stick, before folding her arms. "This isn't funny," he said dismissing the test. "What's really going on. Are you sick?" He called. Sam rose an eyebrow and snatched the test out of his hand.

"Yes! I'm sick, because I'm pregnant, idiot!" Sam said, stripping off the jeans and putting on her looser, period, leggings.

"That's impossible. So who the fuck have you been sleeping with?" Matt accused. Sam scoffed.

"We've been married for 14 fucking years, together practically 20 and you want to accuse me of cheating now! And on top of that, getting pregnant and trying to pass the baby off as yours even though you got a vasectomy? How dumb do you think I am?" Sam yelled. She's never once thought of cheating, in fact, she never once looked at another guy in such a way after getting with Matt. Was it out of fear that he would turn into her ex and beat the shit out of her, maybe, but she was playing cautions.

"This doesn't make sense. You said so yourself! I have a vasectomy!"

"Apparently they can reverse themselves! Congrats, daddy," Sam said, shoving past her husband, and going into the bathroom. Matt stood for a second, staring at the test in his hand. It had a real label with two real lines, nice and bright. The dejected husband moved towards the door and lightly knocked.

"Smeep's," he called. "I'm sorry. I was just angry and shocked," he apologized. Sam swung the door open in tears.

"You think I'm not? We already have three kids. This is getting costly. Zeek needs new shoes every two months, the girls are starting get interested in sports and activities that cost money. We just left the diaper stage last year," she sobbed. Matt pulled his wife into his arms, stroking her hair.

"We will get through this," Matt whispered. He wasn't sure how, but he was going to make sure they were good.

11:09 PM

Sam laid in bed next to her husband wide awake. She was never interested in going this phone, because she trusted him and didn't care, but the cheating accusation threw her. In their whole relationship, not once did cheating ever become an issue or even a thought. Why now?

-

Gene sat in her dimly lit living room with her niece, Elora. "Okay, Elle, what happened?" Gene asked, glancing at the small child on her couch.

"He said if I told he would hurt mommy or Ella. I don't want him to hurt mommy and Ella," she cried. Gene pulled the baby into her lap, pecking her head.

"You do not have to be afraid of this guy. He's not going to do anything. You're safe," Gene promised. Elora looked up to her aunt, to the picture of both of their families on the last family vacation, then back to her aunt. Gene noticed the look, her stomach sinking to her feet. "Ellie, was it someone in that picture?" Gene asked. Ellie shook her head.

"It was Mr. Peters," she said. That name was familiar to Gene.

"Wait, Ellie is that Payton's dad?" Gene asked. Elora nodded. The youngest Pauly shuttered. She'd had her own daughter around that man. They knew that man. He's been in their homes. Over for dinner. They even helped him with his own daughter. That was Sam's production manager for SIX.

2 AM

Gene finally got Elora back to sleep and rushed back to her living room, cell phone in hand. "Pick up, pick up," Gene whispered. After the fourth ring, Sam finally answered.

"Gene, it's 2 AM. What do you want?" Samantha snapped.

"I don't care. You and Matt need to get up here, now! It's Elora," she said, lighting a fire under her sister's ass. While, it was true Sam never wanted kids, she would still protect the ones she had with her life. No questions asked.

2:10 AM

Gene opened the door for her sister and brother-in-law. They were sort of dressed. "Where is she? What happened?" Sam asked, looking for signs of foul play or blood.

"I just got her back to sleep. But, uhh, you're going to want to sit," Gene said.

-

By the end of Gene's story, Sam was in tears and Matt was pacing. "We have to call the police! This is serious," he said, pulling his phone out. Gene watched as Sam got up from the table and moved to the guest room where her kids were staying. She slowly opened the door to see her daughter's cuddled next to each other, and her son hanging off the bed.

She couldn't believe that what had happened to her all those years ago, had happened to her daughter right under nose. Flash backs to the night started to flood Sam's head, forcing her backwards towards the wall parallel to the guest room.

She wanted to call the police to make sure Howard Peters was put away for good. But she also wanted to carve his heart out with a steak knife. She had to do for her daughter, what she couldn't give herself.

4:37 AM

The police detectives finally left Regina's apartment, after taking a bunch of statements from everyone in the house. Elora was on the couch watching a movie with her IPad. Sam was in the hall with Matt, glancing from her husband to her child. "Should we be doing this?" Sam asked. "She's five for fuck's sake." The scared mother watched her sleepy and teary eyed baby girl do her best to stay awake.

"We have to get that monster off the streets!" Matt yelled in a whisper, trying not to disturb any of his kids. Sam ran her hands over her face and through her hair.

"I know!" Sam yelled, grabbing Elora's attention. "I'm sorry, baby, go back to your show," she whispered through a forced smile. "I know." Sam turned her back. "But can she handle this? I was 30 and I couldn't!"

"She can, because we are her parents and she will do what we tell her," Matt assured. Sam rolled her eyes.

"That's how we got in this situation in the first place! She's a good girl. She does whatever adults tell her too. Maybe this is partially our fault-,"

"Hey-,"

"No! I'm serious. What if we taught her obedience with out the caution?" Sam cried. Matt pulled his wife into his chest.

"Look, we're on the same side. We both want Ellie to get the justice she deserves," he whispered, pecking her head. Sam pushed away from her husband.

"But are you sure this is the right way to do it?"

A Week Later

8:46 AM

Sam walked into the studio space to see everyone talking amongst themselves, when Andrea clocked her and ran to the side of the room where they kept their things. "Did you hear?" She asked.

"About?" Sam asked, seeing the regular staff minus Howard. She hadn't been there for the week. She was too sick, and too busy with the police to think about a show.

"Howard got picked up from his house last night. Arrested for sexual misconduct of a minor. And rape of minor," Andrea said. "Apparently, he was being investigated and his daughter went to school with a bruise. CPS opened the case and a bunch of parents came forward with their daughters. All friends of Payton," she finished.

Her chest tightened. She already knew, which is why she came back. The police told her Elora wouldn't have to take the stand because of how young she was and because of the amount of girls who also came forward. They were welcome to come to the trial, but it was only a formality. Howard Peters was going to jail. It was Payton that Sam worried about.

To Be Continued.