Pinned but Fluttering

Chapter 3

Thanks for your patience with my uploading schedule. I can only update my stories once per week, and sometimes on busy weeks, I can only update one story, not both. With my chronic illnesses, husband and 4 kids, 3 of whom I homeschool, plus three outside classes to teach in writing and medieval history, and two current publication projects, I don't always have time to update both stories each week. Thanks for reading—I always look forward to seeing your comments. :)

Chapter Three

It was not without severe misgivings that I watched Mrs. Jane drive away in her minivan, followed by the two officers of the court in a plain, unmarked black sedan. The two vehicles turned left at the end of the long dirt driveway, obviously returning to Port Angeles.

Mrs. Jane was beginning to impress me, not an easy thing to accomplish in my book. I had learned long ago to trust no one and to draw close to very few. Tiny as she was, Mrs. Jane had put Billy firmly in his place with scarcely-veiled threats of removing me from his home if he “did not regard Bella's well-being” and allow me to make my own decision regarding attending school in Forks.

If only....

But I glimpsed the beginnings of fear in Billy's dark eyes as Mrs. Jane ever-so-sweetly informed him of my wishes and that, as my legal advocate, she would question me as to his treatment of me before we met with Judge Aro on Monday. If my report was anything but positive, Mrs. Jane would immediately recommend my removal from the Black home.

I knew that Billy desired my monthly check from Social Security far too much to endanger its continuation. Between his disability check and my government check as an orphan, he and Jacob lived fairly well, even if I received very little benefit.

Billy wasn't happy; that fact was certain. The moment the vehicles disappeared down the driveway, Billy, with a grim nod of his head, wordlessly ordered Jacob to lock me in my room again.

I would take wordless communication any day over yelling and hitting. My head held high, I walked in front of Jacob and entered my room, worried that Billy's nod meant more than I had noticed. I felt a sense of near-gratitude as Jacob clicked the deadbolt into place on the outside of my door, locking me in.

Locking them out.

Thank God.

Weakly I leaned my forehead against the cool door frame.

So far, so good.

Throughout the afternoon and evening I heard Billy and Jacob's murmured discussion, sometimes becoming heated, of tactics and plans. I couldn't make out many words or phrases, even with my ear to the crack under my door, but their voices were not raised for once.

In a way, their calm calculations frightened me more than the angry yelling which was the norm in this house.

At least Jacob let me go to the bathroom before bed, and I returned to my room to find a pb & j sandwich on a paper plate and a bottle of water on my mattress.

To tell the truth, I wasn't expecting either courtesy tonight after the events of earlier today. I wondered if they were trying to make up for years of abuse with a little consideration tonight.

Talk about too little, waaay too late....

The next few days were tense. I felt that I was walking on eggshells far more delicately than usual around Jacob and Billy. As was usual on Wednesday nights, Billy and Jacob left for the council meeting, leaving me locked in my room.