Modern Family Trouble

Chapter 24: Honey

AN::sorry it's been months. I have no excuse.

No, Claire thought to herself. Dead. You can't possibly want your own child, your flesh and blood, dead. That's not right. No mother should think that about their child. Claire's thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. "Honey. I'm glad your okay." Phil said as he walked into the room. His voice was quieter then normal, soft, but not loving as it usually was.

Claire had been struggling so much since her rape. All of her thoughts were consumed by the darkness. She tried hard to stop thinking about what had happened but she couldn't. Everything reminded her of her attacker. When she felt a warm breeze she thought of his breath on her neck. When she touched something cold she thought of his unwelcome hands roaming her body. When ever she smelled an order she thought of his foul breath. When she heard the word honey, she remembered his voice whispering that in her ear. There was no escaping her thought, there was no escaping him.

"Hi Honey. Are you awake?" Phil questioned. He rose is voice a little but not to much. He saw her eyes open so he walked closer to her and put his hand on the bed. "Honey?" Phil repeated. "Don't......" Claire said almost at a whisper, "...you...ever.....call me that again." Claire's voice was quite she paused as she talked through her anger. Honey? Is that what he just called me? Honey? Claire knew he was trying to be nice but she still mumbled bastard under her breath.

The ride home was very silent. Claire was thinking about her failures. She failed at saving herself from her attacker. She failed at saving her children from finding out that their mother is weak. She failed to love he new child. She failed to be a good wife. Her husband was trying to be nice and make her feel safe. She went off on him and hasn't been very kind to him since the rape. Phil was thinking something very similar. He didn't protect his wife from this evil man. No he wasn't a man. A real man would not force himself onto innocent women. He was a monster. It physically pained Phil to see his wife in so much pain. He wanted to help her so badly. When he looked into her eyes he didn't see his Claire. She was broken. A shell of the strong, courageous women she was. it was strange, to see her like this. There was a time when he thought nothing could bring her down.

They drove into the driveway slowly. Phil wanted to get out of the car as fast as he could. There was so much tension. They both wanted to talk so badly but they couldn't find the words. As Phil grabbed the door, Claire reached over and grabbed his arm. "Wait." She said in a voice lower them a whisper. "I'm really sorry I freaked out at the hospital. I didn't mean to be rude. It just reminds me..." Claire stopped mid sentence. "I know, it's ok you don't need to apologize. It's not your fault." Phil said. He was heart broken by the look on his wife's face. At that moment he was positive that he would make that bastard pay for what he did.