No Such Thing As A Hollywood Ending

chapter 39

Henry sat in the police station waiting room, his legs bouncing anxiously. The cold, sterile air of the place made the moment feel even heavier, and the harsh fluorescent lights above seemed to hum in time with the nervous racing of his thoughts. He stared at the floor, hands clenched in his lap, waiting for any kind of update.

*Why did Amelia do this?*

She had already admitted to what she did. She had even come to him and Lucy with an attempt at an apology, a confession, and an offer to let him be involved in the life of their unborn child. So why, after all of that, had she gone to the police and turned herself in?

Henry felt his stomach churn with confusion and frustration. The decision made no sense. They were figuring things out—weren't they? He had come to terms with the idea of being a father (to her child), even though it terrified him. Lucy had been supportive, too, even though their situation was incredibly complicated.

Now, all of that felt like it was slipping away, and Henry didn't know how to hold onto it.

"She'll be ready for you soon, just a bit longer," an officer said as he passed by, not even slowing down.

Henry just nodded numbly, unsure if he even wanted to have this conversation with Amelia. *What am I even going to say to her?* he wondered. Part of him still didn't understand why she had to involve the police in the first place. After all, it wasn't just about her anymore—there was a child involved. *Our child.*

His phone buzzed in his pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts. He pulled it out and saw that it was his mom calling again. He'd been dodging her calls for hours, unsure of how to explain why he was at a police station waiting to visit the girl who had raped him. But now, he couldn't ignore her any longer.

With a deep breath, he answered the call.

"Henry! Where are you?" His mother's voice came through, filled with concern and relief all at once. "I've been trying to reach you for hours."

"I'm... at the police station," Henry admitted, his voice quiet. He could almost hear his mom's breath catch on the other end of the line.

"The police station?" she repeated, her tone shifting immediately to alarm. "What happened? Is this about Amelia?"

Henry sighed and leaned forward, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to find the right words. "Yeah, she... turned herself in. I don't know why. I'm here to... see her before she goes to trial, I guess."

His mom was silent for a long moment, clearly processing everything he'd just said. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer, almost hesitant. "Henry, why do you want to see her? After everything she did to you..."

"I don't know," Henry said honestly. He had been asking himself that same question ever since he'd arrived. "I guess I just... need answers. I need to understand why she's doing this now, after everything."

There was another pause, and Henry could hear his mom's worry through the phone. "Henry, this is a lot. I just don't want you to get hurt more than you already have."

"I know, Mom," he said, trying to reassure her. "I'll be careful. I just need to talk to her. I'll be fine."

"Okay," his mom said, though he could hear the doubt in her voice. "Just... call me when it's over. Please."

"I will."

After hanging up, Henry felt even more conflicted. He was trying to stay calm, to hold it all together, but his emotions were all over the place. His stomach tightened as he thought about what Amelia had done, how she had betrayed him, and how she had the nerve to turn herself in like it was some kind of noble gesture. It felt like he had no control over his own life anymore.

*I just want to move on.* But how could he move on when everything kept pulling him back into the mess Amelia had made?

The officer returned and gestured toward the back hallway. "We'll bring her into the room shortly. She'll be handcuffed to the table before you go in."

Henry's heart sank as the reality of the situation fully hit him. *Handcuffed,* like some kind of criminal. The girl who had taken advantage of him—the girl who was carrying his child—was about to face something far bigger than either of them could have anticipated.

He stared at the hallway for a moment, then slumped back in his chair, feeling the weight of it all crash down on him again. His mind kept spiraling—what would happen now? Would there be a trial? Would he have to testify? What about their baby? How would any of this affect that child's future?

All he wanted was some semblance of control, something to grasp onto, but it felt like everything was slipping further out of his hands.

As he waited, the minutes felt like hours, and Henry wasn't sure if he even wanted to see Amelia anymore. But he had come this far, and he needed to know why she had done it. Why she had thrown everything into chaos again.

The sound of the door opening broke his thoughts, but it wasn't time yet. An officer stepped out, looking at him briefly. "She'll be ready soon."

Henry just nodded, feeling the knot in his stomach tighten further. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say when he finally saw her, but he knew one thing for certain—this would change everything.