The Secrets That Free Us

Chapter 33

The Anderson family had been turned upside down and inside out all at the same time.

They all knew Grace had something going on but not one of them could have ever imagined something so awful had been suffered by her in silence.

~

Hunter held Grace in his arms as they lay in her bed. They decided to stay at her house tonight.

She let out a sigh and he held her tighter, placing a soft kiss at her temple, "You were so brave tonight baby" he praised her.

"I don't feel brave, I feel like I've just set a bomb off. I feel.. I'm not sure..lighter I guess."

The secret she had held onto so tightly was now out in the open and no longer had an iron tight grip of her life.

She no longer had to hide why sometimes she didn't want to get out of bed, or why she sometimes suffers panic attacks in silent rooms as well as crowded ones. The fact that she was seeing a therapist no longer felt like something to hide and the shame she felt from that night was slowly slipping away.

Bit by bit, day by day, slowly but surely she was healing, or at least beginning to. And she had a sneaky suspicion it was something to do with the boy who was holding her in his arms.

~

All Ellen and Gary Anderson wanted for their children was for them to be happy, safe and well.

They thought the biggest issue they would have with their brood would be making sure none of them killed each other growing up. It was a miracle they had managed to keep Joey alive and an even bigger miracle that he was now keeping a mini human alive.

However, they thought since those would be the hardest tasks that could possibly arise that they were over the worst of it. Never in a million years did they expect a nightmare they didn't even want to consider a threat, an actual reality.

Gary held his wife as she sobbed. The odd lone tear escaping his own eyes.

"We should have never left her here." Ellen cried into her husbands shoulder.

She had been feeling down and needed some time away. She thought Grace would be safe. She doesn't blame Cole but she can't help but feel angry he put his younger sister in such a position.

"We can't lay blame on each other darling. It's not our fault and it's not Cole's fault. It was that predators fault. We all need each other right now not to be pointing fingers at one and other. Grace needs us." Gary tells her, determination in his voice.

He meant what he said, he wasn't going to let this pull his family apart.

~

Parker slammed his front door behind him. He paced the living room floor as he ran a hand through his hair.

He was going to ask his Mom and Dad if he could stay home that summer he spent at his grandparents home. If it hadn't been for the girl who lived next door to said grandparents, the one who he had a massive crush on, he would have been at home.

Maybe he could have stopped it, or maybe he would have been to busy partying, just like Cole was.

Parker was pissed at his brother. Deep down he didn't blame him but for right now he had to blame somebody.

If Cole hadn't have kept this secret Grace might not have tried to kill herself. She might have felt the love her family actually have for her.

Parker let out a groan of pain and anger as he punches the wall beside him.

Chloe comes rushing out from their bedroom, "What the fuck is going on?" She asks. She had been in a peaceful sleep until Parker came home and disturbed her.

Chloe realised something was wrong almost immediately, she rushed to him, "what is it?"

Parker wrapped his arms around his fiancée. He told her everything he had heard tonight as she held him and cried with him.

Chloe's family was none existent and Parker's had welcomed her with open arms. Grace was quiet but she was one of the most genuine people Chloe had ever met. The news that something so awful happened to a person who deserved so much better devastated her.

She comforted Parker until he finally calmed down enough to fall asleep with his head on her lap.

~

The twins were always closest with each other, which is saying something considering how close the whole family is. But, they also both held a soft spot for their baby sister.

Joey didn't know what to do with himself. He was hurt and angry but also disgusted with his own behaviour.

He pushed Grace to open up about this, he had been such a dick to her these last few months because he felt she had been selfish. He didn't understand why she acted the way she did, until now.

He sat in his sons nursery, holding him close. He couldn't imagine anything bad ever happening to the little boy in his arms.

A sleepy Brooke appeared at the door way and smiled at the sight of her two boys.

Joey held an arm out, inviting Brooke to join them for a hug.

As he held them both he promised in that moment to always keep them safe and to also be a better brother.

~

Mia had tried to keep it together for Grace tonight. She's the big sister and it's her job to be the brave one, the strong one.

But when she got home, and collapsed into the arms of Nate, she let the sobs rack her body.

~

Cole slammed his front door in a similar fashion to his brother. He unscrewed the lid from the bottle of whiskey he just bought and sunk against his sofa. He brought the bottle to his lips and let the warm liquid burn his throat.

Everyone knew.

His whole family knew what a fucking failure he was.

They knew what had happened on his watch and how he failed to protect Grace.

Well, they couldn't hate him anymore than he hates himself.

He goes to take another swig when there's a knock on his door.