Defending Jacob: The Aftermath Book 1

Homecoming

I wake in the morning, I'm in Jacobs bed, the sun is piercing through the blinds. My body is feeling drained from everything. My head is pounding from my hangover. I'm overthinking that entire day. I suppress my thoughts Laurie didn't hurt Jacob, she couldn't, she wouldn't have. She loved our son. I knew she had doubts, ever since Jacob was arrested. I knew though in my head there's no way she would have done that on purpose. It was raining and she was speeding.

I headed into bathroom, I dropped my boxers and shirt on the floor. I got into shower feeling the cold water hitting my face felt good. It shocked me awake and out my dark thoughts. I got cleaned up dressed. Doing my new normal routine, the same everyday I was currently trapped in. I headed downstairs grabbed a coffee, I'd eat something like waffles, toast or cereal for breakfast. I sat down at the kitchen table alone, looking at the packed and half packed boxes surrounding me. I had put selling the house on pause since the accident, also the indictment trail. The one where Logiudice, accused me of lying to protect my wife, my family. The day he put doubts in my head, when the jury came back with the no bill vote all my doubts subsided. I was relived they had confirmed my beliefs, that Laurie lost control speeding. Even now, I tried assure my own subconscious it was an accident over and over again. Doing this was building anger in me, why was my mind overthinking and playing tricks on me.

As I got up from the table, I rinsed the dishes, putting them in the dishwasher. I looked at the mess of take out garbage, bottles, and knew I had clean up. I had left weeks worth of garbage everywhere.

My biggest concern was always getting to hospital, to see Jacob, to visit Laurie. I needed to protect them both, I needed Laurie to know it was accident, to move past the last year. Lately since they voted no bill she started asking questions.  She said she remembered that I kept trying to call her cell phone the day of the accident. However she couldn't remember why she didn't answer. She asked why she was speeding, remembering that now more often, saying she'd never speed in the car, especially in the rain or Jacob with her. I told her she was late for Jacob's haircut appointment, that's why I called and why she was speeding. They left the house to late. Assuring her it was all in her head, that it was an accident.

It took me an hour or so, but all evidence of my take meals, and beer, whiskey bottles where now gone. Tomorrow morning was garbage day, so everything would be gone. The time had past and I headed out the door, getting into the black audi. I drove that thing everyday to and from work in the past. I would drive my wife and son on regular everyday things a family would do. In the past year, that car had become my own personal hell, every time I got into the car now I would have had gut feeling. The car had become not a safe space for myself or my family. I would get into that car in the past year with Laurie and Jacob, driving to Joanna's office, to Jacobs trail. The only time I felt relive and happy was the day, all charges against Jacob where dropped. I knew my son, he could never hurt anyone. He didn't kill Ben.

As I drive to hospital, I'm haunted by memories. I'm in the prison, staring him straight in the eye. Looking my father, Billy Barber through the glass, on the prison phone. I say "It was you, your behind Leonard Patz." Leonard killed himself, so Jacob could walk free. HONK!! I snap out of it realizing the light had turned green, I start driving. Telling myself no Leonard Patz killed Ben, not Jacob. "Come on Andy." I yell at myself, you know the truth it's  just my mind playing tricks. I pulled into a parking spot at the hospital. I headed inside.

I walk to the ICU coma unit, looking down a Jacob, I hold his hand. "Jacob, it's me dad, I love and miss you." I tell him. "Come on buddy, you got to fight and be strong, please wake up soon." I say.  I sit with him like this for an hour or so. "I love you son, I'll be back in bit, going to see your mom, she loves you." I said. I get up and walk outside his room.

I leave the ICU area, as Laurie is now upstairs, in private room, on the 6 floor. I walked into her room Laurie is sitting in the chair looking out the window. She looks to see me, she says "I saw Jacob again today. He looks a lot better, the doctor said the swelling on his brain has gone down." She tells me. "Andy you where late for meeting the doctor and me for update on him, why?" She asks.

I'm about to respond to her, when Laurie's doctor comes in. Dr Wilson, the younger doctor from the day of the accident walks in. He says "Hello Andy, Laurie. I have good news for you." He says with a smile. "Laurie has made huge progress, and will be discharged to go home today." He said. "She's still going to need some physical therapy, and I suggest seeing therapist for helping her memory comeback fully. I've recommended Dr. Brown, she's top in her field dealing with loss of memory do physical trauma like Laurie's." He said. As he hands me paperwork to sign, and the therapists information.

"Thank you" both Laurie and I tell him. Laurie looks sad and worried, saying "I can leave today? Your sure doctor, I rather stay here, close to Jacob." she pleads. "What if he wakes up and I'm not here with him, he will be terrified my son needs me, I'm his mom." She cries.

The doctor assures her as soon as Jacob wakes, even in the slightest they will call us to get to the hospital, to Jacob. He leaves the room, I say "Laurie, Jacob is safe and in the place possible, when he wakes day or night we will come here right away." I assure her. "Let's pack your things and get you home, please." I say to her.

We head down the car, Laurie in wheelchair, I help her into the car. We leave driving home, it's quiet, we don't say much to each other. I try to get her to speak, she just keeps saying she wishes she could remember what happened since Mexico. She says the trip was great nothing bad happened, we where happy. She keeps wondering how the car accident happened. I keep telling her it was accident and they just happen. That Jacob will wake soon and we will be happy family all together again.

We get home, I help Laurie into the house. She just looks around the house at the boxes in the living room. "I still want to move away from Newton, it will be a fresh start for Jacob and all of us." Laurie says. "Andy, do you have strange feeling  standing in this house?" she asks.

"No Why? yes the past year was hard on all of us, but we are together, and Jacob will wake up and be home with us soon." I tell her.

She just looks at me puzzled, almost the same face she had for weeks after Mexico, the same look she gave me our talk the night before the accident. I feel the fear inside instantly. I'm hoping her memories never comeback to her.  I walk Laurie upstairs and help her into bed. She says she tired and goes to sleep. I get into bed with her, praying my nightmares are gone. That Laurie's memory doesn't comeback. I have got make sure of it. I tell myself I will protect my wife, my son, my family at all costs.