Angel's Secret ✔️

[FORTY-SIX]

•ANGEL•

My mother's face pale, she moved back, and threw up her previous meal. I cursed under my breath holding back her hair watching more of it stain Gabe's rug who came in cursing.

"She's the one," my mother breathed.

"The one what? What is it?"

"She's the one he raped."

My head spun trying to make sense of everything.  I glanced at Gabe who mirrored my same expression.  We sat Mom down on the bed not even caring about the throw up.

"Okay, Mom.  Tell me what you're trying to say."

She breathed in, and breathed out. She gazed at the door collecting her thoughts.

"Sixteen years ago, your father was in an affair with a woman. During that time I didn't know this. You were four, Aislin was three, and Dom was six. Three young children, I was damn busy. So I worked from home a lot, and you're Dad worked regularly.  I remember him coming home later and later each night.  He even started missing dinners.  For a year, your father missed our dinners, he came home late and then he declared that he had a business trip to go to.  Said he'd be gone for a week.  I was so foolish for doing so, but I believed him and let him go.  He was so happy when he left. He barely called during that week. Maybe three days out of seven. Claimed that he was SO busy."

I looked at Gabe who was listening very attentively. My mind was whirling with thoughts. My father just kept disappointing me.

"When he came back home, he wasn't as happy as he was when he left. Instead he was angry all the time, and he'd drink. A lot. I observed him very carefully to notice that something was gravelly off with him. So I went through his suitcase that he didn't unload. Inside was a letter. Written in fancy cursive letters."

My Mom revealed a crumbled piece of paper.  It was the letter she was describing.  I read through it cringing at every word.  But the worse part was that in cursive letters, at the bottom right corner it read 'Naiyana Laurent.'

"Along with the note was a CD.  I snatched the CD, and hurried out our room.  I scurried downstairs and pretended that I was cooking dinner for you guys when he arrived.  I pulled it off, so he didn't think I knew anything.  Later that night, I watched the CD on my laptop.  It was the most disgusting thing I'd ever seen."

Mom shook her head, tears rolling out her eyes. Gabe rubbed her back gingerly.  My hands were molded into a tight fist. My nails dug ferociously into my skin.

"It was a video of him raping her.  She was naked except for a black lace bra, tied to a pool table as he took her. She tried to tell him to stop, begged him to but he didn't. Her arms were tied to the sides and so were her legs to the legs of the pool table. He put something in her mouth to shut her up after awhile, but then he made her drink something that just completely knocked her out. It was like she was dead."

My mom stopped talking. I couldn't imagine telling Aviana this. She would be torn into pieces.

Novian...

"He impregnated her. Right there in that room. And he kept telling her that he loved her as he raped her and impregnated her. He's a monster. He's a fucking monster."

She bawled even more. I got up, went outside and called Aviana. She didn't answer. I called her again.

"Angel?" her voice was groggy.

"Hey, baby, are you asleep?" she snorted on the other line.

"No... is everything okay?"

I nodded like she could see. "Yeah. Just had to check on you."

"Don't worry about me. I'm making it."

I chuckled even though it was hard to. "How's... is Novian okay?"

She laughed nervously. "You never ask about my brother. Are you sure ya good?"

"Yeah. Just trying to check on... everybody."

She was silent for a minute. But then said, "he's fine."

"I miss you."

"I miss you too... Angel is everything okay? You know it's late here right?"

I gazed at my tight fists. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry. Go to sleep, baby. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

With that she hung up. I walked back inside to find my Mom all freshened up, tears dried.

"I'm going to go," she whispered. I grabbed her and gave her a huge hug. I kissed her temple.

"Dad didn't deserve you," I whispered so only she heard.

She nodded. "No, he didn't."

"I'm walking you," I told her and did so.

Oh, when Aviana finds out about this, lord help everybody.