Denzel
"So why do you think she's at Wissam's house?" asked Mama Kat.
"Because it is the least likely place she would go. Wissam did a lot to her and that'll be the last place she wants to be." I said as I drove.
"But that wouldn't make sense." said LaToya.
"Why?"
"Because her abuse didn't happen in that house, he abused her in the house he got in the hills. The house we're going to is the condo he had. She was rarely even there."
"Then we should go to the hills?"
"I'm not so sure."
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't make sense."
"Why wouldn't it? He abused her. He caused her so much pain."
"Yeah, but when I was in therapy, one of the main things I've learned is when someone is at the point that Janet is, they go back to the root of their pain and Wissam isn't the root. He just added on."
"Are you sure?"
"Definitely. Janet was battling depression before she met Wissam. That means something else is the root."
"But where would that be?"
"The old house." said Rebbie.
"Why do you say that?" asked Mama Kat.
"Go there, Denzel."
"Why?"
"Just because, mother." said LaToya.
"But I don't understand."
"Just....drive, Denzel." I headed to the old Jackson family home. I didn't fully understand, but I knew it had to be related to whatever Gil was talking about earlier. I got on the freeway and drove as the ladies
talked in the back.
"Rebbie, what are you two hiding from me?"
"Mother, please. Let's just get to Janet." said LaToya.
"But there's something I need to know..so tell me."
"Trust me, mother. Don't worry about it."
"No! I'm going to worry about it. What is going on with Janet? What happened to my baby?" I looked in the rear view mirror and saw Rebbie and LaToya trade looks. "What happened?!" Rebbie sighed.
"Mother, Janet was molested." I saw Mama Kat's face to white.
"What?" Her voice shook. "When?"
"When she was seven."
"Seven! Seven! Are you serious?!"
"She didn't want to tell you." said LaToya.
"How do you know that?"
"She told us that. When she was nine, she told us that it was still happening and she said that...."
"Wait. Nine? Still happening? That means it was going on for two years! Right?!"
"Yes."
"Two years. My baby was being molested for two years and I didn't know. No one told me. Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Janet didn't want you to know. She's probably going to be mad at us now."
"Why would you listen to a nine year old like that? You were adults."
"And she was the one it was happening to. The only reason she even told us is because she was going to run away."
"Really?"
"Yes, she was about to run off with some fourteen year old who said he'd protect her. We managed to stop her by saying we'd never tell her secret." said Rebbie. They were quiet for a while.
"I'm sorry, mother. We wanted to tell you, but Janet said she would deny it." Mama Kat sighed.
"Ummm...we're pulling up." I said as I pulled onto the property. I parked in front of the house and we all got out. "This place is huge. How are we going to find her?"
"We'll just split up." said Gil. We all went in.
"Mother, you wait down here." said Rebbie.
"Okay." She sat down. We all began looking. Rebbie went with LaToya and Gil went with me.
"Man, look at this place." I said.
"She really did some damage." said Gil. We looked around and saw pictures broken along with furniture and doors. We went upstairs and saw even more damage. There were empty alcohol bottles and some were broken. We saw holes in the walls that were obviously there from a drunken rage. I went into a room and immediately froze.
"Oh, my god."
"What is it...oh my." We looked around.
"Was this her room?"
"Yep, this was Janet's room as a child. After a while, she wanted a bigger room and she moved out of this one but they never got rid of this one. Why did she do this?"
"This must've been where it happened. He must've done it to her in here."
"Now we really have to find her." We continued looking when we heard a piercing scream.
"Noooo!" We ran to it and found LaToya and Rebbie in a room. In her arms, LaToya held Janet. "Wake up, Janet. Wake up." She hit her cheek and shook her.
"I'm going to call the ambulance." Rebbie made the call.
"Janet, please. Please, wake up." LaToya started crying. "Please." She held her close and rocked her. "Don't die, please." Eventually she stopped and broke down on the floor while holding her. "Please, don't leave. I'm so sorry." She just cried into Janet's chest. "I should've been there for you. I'm so sorry."
"Is she awake?" Rebbie came back in. LaToya looked at her and shook her head.
"No." Rebbie got on the floor next to her and hugged her.
"Oh my god." They both cried. "We have to get her to the hospital. The ambulance is too far. Come on." Rebbie stood up. "Denzel, get her." I went to grab her but LaToya held her. "Toy, you have to let him get her."
"But..." Rebbie pulled her away from Janet as I picked her up. "But she's...."
"No, she's not. Let's go. I got her stuff." We all went back downstairs.
"Hey, did you..." Mama Kat froze. "Oh my god."
"We have to get to the hospital, mother." Mama Kat moved faster than I ever saw her. I got Janet in the car and by the time I closed the door, the car sped off.
"What the hell?" I said.
"Toy drives fast. Here." Rebbie handed me Janet's keys and we took off in her car after LaToya. She drove so fast that it was almost impossible to keep up with her. It was worth it though. LaToya managed to get to the hospital in under ten minutes.
We didn't even park. I jumped out and got Janet out of the backseat before running into the hospital. "Help! She needs help!" A few nurses came up.
"What happened?"
"She overdosed on something. I don't know what." They checked her out.
"I'm not getting a pulse. Get anyone you can down here. We need someone." They pushed her to the back. One nurse looked back at me. "We'll do everything we can."
"Thank you." She nodded and went back. Suddenly everything caught up to me and I broke down.
"Denzel!" Gil came behind me. "She's going to be okay. Breathe. Breathe." Tears poured out of my eyes like a never ending flood. She had to be okay.
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If you can't tell, this book is going be longer than my others.
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