Ginny and Georgia: The Younger Shadow

Chapter 29-Caught Out
"Get to your room. Now." A voice hissed from the hallway. I woke up with a sudden start, blinking and opening my eyes till the recent events of a few hours ago came flooding back into my head. The creepy man, Ginny's party, finding Jonathan... Kara, Madi and Aria were still sleeping, and I gently lifted Aria's head off my lap. Their faces were peaceful and they were probably in their own world. But I hadn't been able to sleep much anyway. Nerves coursing through my body made it too difficult. Creeping into the hallway, I could see mom and Ginny. They were in Ginny's room, but from what I could see, Max, Abby and Norah weren't inside. My blood ran cold as several thoughts came flashing through my mind. Where were they? Did they leave?
"No, you are like- like the Grand Poobah of lies!" A drunken voice slurred from the bed. Ginny. How was she drunk? Where had they just been?
"Listen here, you little lunatic, when your friends are under my roof, I am responsible for them! So you don't sneak out to go and party, then get yourselves arrested!" Mom cried. Her usually calm hazel eyes were flashing at disturbing rates and her eyes bulged out of their sockets.
"I'm 16 now. When will you stop lying to me? Lying to Charlie and to Austin!" Ginny shot back. So they had snuck out? That series of squeaking sounds had been surely been Mrs Bentley's cat, right? Or maybe not. I felt guilty for thinking it, but I felt hurt Ginny hadn't invited us- me- to come with her to celebrate her party. I had thought we had an unbreakable bond, but something had been severing at that lately. I bit my lip as i waited for mom's response. She gave a great sigh and looked Ginny dead in the eye.
"Lying? You think you need to know everything, Peach? You really need to know it all? Well, here it is: I was abused by my stepfather my whole childhood. He molested me most nights with my mom and Melissa asleep next door. That's why I ran away and was homeless when I was 14." Her voice tore and cracked with such sorrow. My heart did too. My mom- that had happened to my mom. Forgetting I was supposed to be hiding, I let out a strangled cry of sadness. Her stepfather? I hoped he would be tortured for eternity. And she had never told us.
"Charlotte Marie, come here and close the door right now." Mom snapped. I shut the door and went to hug her, wrap my arms around her and let her know how much I still loved her.
"Mom, I'm so sorry." I cried. Tears streamed down my face and I felt Ginny embrace us too.
"There's nothing to be sorry for. What's happened happened. And raising you to be strong girls and Austin to be a respectful and understanding boy bring me joy. I have the gift of you."
"Mommy, I'm sorry." I repeated. For all the times I had been mad at her, and yet I never knew what happens to her as a child. Melissa had said nothing.
"It's hard sometimes, Peach. It never really leaves you. But get to sleep. It will be a new day soon." Mom kissed me and Ginny and just as I went to leave the room I asked,
"Where's Abby, Norah and Max?" I asked Ginny. She seemed pretty shaken and told me,
"We all got arrested for noise violation. Their parents picked them up at the police station."
"Ginny, I just can't believe that happened to mom." I whispered, my voice echoing eerily in the hallway.
"I know. I don't have any words to waste on her monster of a stepfather. And I feel so, so bad. For everything I did. But I guess that's the secret behind it. Why she never opened up to us."
"Yeah, now I feel so guilty for asking. I love her so much, Ginny. Even if I don't always say it." She nodded like she knew what I meant and disappeared into the bathroom. I snuck back downstairs to where the girls were sleeping, and tried to climb over the sleeping bags and Kara's arms spread out everywhere. As I moved around, Aria mumbled a little and rested her head back on my lap, like she could sense even when she was sleeping I wasn't there. Her rich emerald eyes opened just a fraction and In a breathy voice she murmured,
"Where were you? I got scared." My heart melted for her. I knew Aria didn't like sleeping by herself, and nearly always went in bed with Abby. Mostly because all she could hear was her parents barking at each other and arguing.
"Nowhere. It's ok. Get to sleep." I replied. She gave a small nod and dissolved into sleep. Madi and Kara were on the other side of me, also asleep. So for now, all we had to focus on was finding out who Jonathan Hills was. I'd found out more about my mom, which as much as the truth about her past made me want to cry a river, I needed to know who my dad was. Where he went. But I didn't want to prise the information from her again. Mom didn't deserve that.