The Car Garage

Chapter 23: Revelations

My heart pounds in my chest as it seems like I'm taken back to the night I left my home. The memory of flashing police lights and sirens fills the present with something I never wanted to go back to. The reason I left my mother.

*flash back*

It was one of the biggest storms I'd ever seen. Wind was slamming the tree limbs into the window, I heard things crashing outside. I was scared. But the scariest of thing of all was in the living room, yet to be faced.

  Since my step father came into our lives, my life was hell. He was cruel and harsh. Never had anything nice to say to my mother. But to me, he was kind. Understanding. Almost fatherly. It didn't take long before I found out why.

    It was about a month after they got married when it started happening. It was a hand on my thigh. Or the brush of his hand against my lower back. It made me uncomfortable, but not enough to raise suspicion. 

  But it got so much worse after that. The touches got more aggressive and the lower back touches became an ass grab. But still, my mother was in love. I kept my mouth shut. But last week.. it went too far.

   Sparing the details, he came into my room and forced himself on me. He put tape over my mouth to silence my screams as he shoved himself into me as I wept. That. Was too far.

  Now, as I'm making my way into the kitchen, my heart was pounding and my hands were sweating. I don't know if it was fear that I was about to ruin my mother's life, or if it was the anticipation of finally being free from this nightmare.

   My mom was sitting on the kitchen stool as I come in and she's looking down at a book. "Whatcha reading?" I ask her. She doesn't respond, just holds up the cover. It was a book on how to be a wonderful wife. No doubt her "one true love" got it for her.

  I take a seat across from her and fold my hands on the kitchen island. "I need to tell you something" I say quietly and she looks up at me. "Peter came in my room last week..." I begin and she cuts me off.

   "He told me what happened", she says. My eyes widen and I open my mouth to ask her what he said. Did he really confess? "He told me you came on to him".

    My heart seems to stop beating and my mind starts slowing. "He said I came onto him? He taped my mouth shut!" I yell. "Mom he forced himself on me!".

   She stands up, pushing her glass of tea and the book off the island and slaps me straight across the face. I hold back a cry and I look at her with such surprise and confusion. "He didn't touch you. I don't want to hear anything about that ever again. Do you hear me? You're just a whore!".

   But I wouldn't shut up about it. I screamed and I begged her to believe me. So when Peter came home and heard us, he called the police.  I was taken in for disturbing the peace and then was taken to my uncles after my week sentence, due to my request, one in which my mother did not oblige.

        ______________________________

   It was one of the worst nights of my life. But I suppose it showed who my mother really was, so I couldn't hate it completely. But looking out now, it brought the fear and hurt back. I clutch Matt's arm as we climb off the ride and see what the commotion is.

   Matt takes one glance at the scene then pulls me back. "What?-" I ask but he cuts me off.

  "Addison you can't hate me. Okay? I did this for you. I didn't know it would go this far", he says quickly and nervously. My heart picks up speed. What did he do?

    "Matt?", I ask, fear in my voice.

   "I told your uncle about what Logan did... and he called the police and got him arrested here", he replies quietly.