Cheers to New Beginnings

Chapter 9: You can run, but you can't hide

Lilibeth Edwards:

I awoke to a hard knock on the door. Sitting straight up I glanced over to see Tonya opening the door. A female police officer stepped inside. Looking passed my aunt, her gaze settled on me, a scowl appearing on her lips.

“Tonya, you are aware you are harboring a runaway, correct?” she asked in a hard voice. Tonya made her way over and sat on the end of the couch, obviously wore out from standing. Turning her attention to me, the cop introduced herself. “My name is Carol. I’m a friend of your aunt. We received a call from a police station about an hour ago. A woman named Tammy Edwards is searching for her missing seventeen year old sister.” My aunt looked at me in confusion. My eyes dropped to the cell phone lying on the floor by the couch.

“I fell asleep before I could call,” I explained quietly. They both sighed, and Carol collapsed into the arm chair.

“It looks like you need to come down to the station,” she said sadly. I panicked.

“What? No, I can clear everything up with a phone call!” I shouted. She smiled sadly at me.

“Of course you can. But by the looks of those bruises, you need to press charges on someone.” I glanced down at my arms and wrist noting the greenish purple bruises. My gaze kept going until it fell on my thighs. My shorts had pulled up during the night, and the legs were now at my pantie line. My bruised thighs were completely visible to all three of us. I quickly pulled my shorts back down.

“No, I don’t. The past is the past, and that’s where it should stay,” I answered quietly. It’s not like the judge or jury would agree with me. I’ve been through that system too many times.

“You can press charges. You’re past doesn’t conclude anything by law,” Carol said obviously concerned. How she knew what I was thinking was beyond my comprehension.

“I’ve already used the restroom. He used protection, and the bruises are a day and a half old. It’s not going to go anywhere in court. Besides, I don’t plan on seeing him ever again anyway.”

“That doesn’t mean anything. Just tell us his name, and we can talk to him. The bruises are enough to start the case and there might be witnesses,” she said kindly.

“Witnesses who were drunk and high and wouldn’t remember one thing from Friday night. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to call my sister.” I picked up the phone and went to my old bedroom. Some of my clothes were still scattered around the floor from my quick packing job. Tonya hadn’t cleaned it at all. I quickly dialed our cell phone number.

“Lili!” my sister practically shouted when she answered the phone.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry about me I’m okay. I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. I fell asleep last night before I could call.” I bit my lip knowing what she was going to say.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she shouted at me. “Do you have any idea how worried I was? You should know better than to let what Cadience said get to you! He’s a jackass. I’ve always told you that!”

“No he was right,” I said sadly not wanting my sister to hate Cadience. He had been absolutely completely right. “Do you know where I was Thursday night when I said I was studying with Chloe?” I paused waiting for an answer but she didn’t give one. “I was at a party with a guy I barely know getting drunk.” I heard her stifle a sob, and I wanted to hurt myself for causing it.

“Cadience put you in a back slide! You were doing just fine until he got here!” she reasoned.

“No, Tammy I wasn’t. I’m a binge addict, but I am getting better. I’m not however going back. I’m going to get a job and help Tonya. She’s got liver cancer, Tam. They gave her six months to live, a month ago. I’ll be eighteen in a month, so bringing me back is sort of pointless.” She was sobbing on the other end of the line. “Tam, please don’t cry. I’ll be fine. I love you. Go out and have fun with your friends without worrying about me. Stay over at Howard’s without wondering if I’m in bed early enough. Stop working so damn hard to raise me when I should have been helping raise myself. I’m not your responsibility. So make this a fresh start for you. Have a life without me holding you down.” I glanced around my room at my clothes, the half empty dresser, the broken mirror, and the unmade bed trying not to cry.