Shatter By Micheal Jameson

Chapter Eight - Broken

"Ten years, Erin." My mother shrilled like a banshee, pacing my living floor. She ran her hands through her dark brown curls which she usually tied back into a sleek bun.

"I've protected you for ten years, TEN years, he's believed you've been dead. Ten years, christ."

"There's nothing to stop him coming after you now. NOTHING." my mother's eyes followed the newspapers scattered across my coffee table, each open to various tales of mine and Alexander romantic encounter. My mom had practically bought out the newsagent this morning.

"Everything I've done to keep you safe. RUINED...." She yelled "FOR WHAT A FUCKING ONE NIGHT STAND?" she slammed her fists down on my coffee table. 

It wasn't remotely funny but I couldn't stop the giggle that escaped my insane lips, even with a new name, a new identity, I've never truly been safe. I knew one day he would find out he'd been deceived and he would coming looking for me. That's why for the last ten years while I let my mother think that she had  indeed protected us, I watched over our shoulders just waiting for the day he would find us.

"How right, you are my sweet Grace and look at how the mighty Veronica has fallen. See how scared she is. She has good reason to be, she'll pay for keeping you away from me. Don't doubt it Gracie, I'll be seeing you very soon." The bogeyman taunted.

I hugged my knees to my chest, rocking myself gently. Go away, and leave me alone I silently begged.

"This isn't funny it isn't a game!"

I watched as a foreign thought crossed my mother's face causing her to pause mid step.

"Please tell me this isn't a game to you, that this isn't part of some fucked up mind game your playing with this man?" 

Her words reached across the space between us and swiftly slapped me in the face. I shook my head. Before that damn book, she wouldn't have said something like that to me. Even after the trail the book caused I didn't believe she thought I was capable of what was written among its pages. But now it was as though she had suddenly come to the conclusion that she didn't really know the daughter sitting in front of her. 

"Why now? Why after all this time did you decide you wanted to be so stupid?"

"I'm sorry." I whispered and cringed when her eyes narrowed on mine. "I don't know why, okay, he blindsided me is that what you want to hear? That for the second time in my life a man has brought me to my knees and I was helpless to stop it."

"That's not good enough, Erin, you promised. You promised me you wouldn't be so reckless again. Yet there you are spread across the front pages of the newspapers."

"I DIDN'T KNOW HE'D BRING ENTOURAGE OF PAPARAZZI WITH HIM." I yelled and immediately regretted it.

"Well that doesn't matter now does it?" She spat."You've given us no other option but to run. I can't seek the police's help without revealing my commitment of fraud. I've managed to keep your name and shops name out of the press for the time being, that should give us time." She ranted more to herself than to me. She didn't see the shake of my head.