Defy Desire

Chapter 40 - Maia

Six weeks later

'I wish you could stay longer,' my mother whined, and placed a hand over mine.

'I can't, Mum,' I told her. 'Uni could only sign me off for a month and I have to get back on track with my studies.'

'But Maia, it's too soon,' she said, with a face full of concern. 'You still have so much on your plate.'

She was referring to the upcoming court cases. My father had dealt with everything for me but I knew I had to show up and be present in court. There was substantial evidence against them both and I was confident justice would be done. I just wanted it to be over with.

That night had left me traumatised for two weeks after. I had wandered around my apartment like a zombie, barely speaking to Tom. I didn't eat, I just sat and stared into space, reliving that night in my head, and when I wasn't doing that I was sleeping the day away.

Tom was understanding and patient with me, but I took my pain out on him and constantly yelled or pushed him away. I found myself always thinking about how it would never have happened if I hadn't gotten involved with him.

He stayed in the apartment with me the whole week after that night and by the end of it I had convinced myself that it was all my fault for ever trying to kiss him. If I had controlled myself, we would never have started what we did and Lexie would never have targeted me. I asked him to leave at the end of that week. I told him to go home and give me space. He left and I didn't hear from him for three days. He was giving me space and I missed him the first night he wasn't there but afterwards it felt good. I felt better that he wasn't there, I felt like I was removing the cause of the problem.

He tried to get in touch after those three days, calling me, which I ignored, then texting me asking how I was. He tried again the day after, then again the day after that and the day after that he turned up at the apartment. I kept him at the door and remained distant. By that point, I had become settled at the idea of staying alone in my home and convinced myself I was better without him around. A little part of my heart broke at the loss, but my head was overruling and I knew it was the right thing to do. Nothing good had come of this relationship and I made sure these words were said harshly at the door so he got the message loud and clear. He didn't contact me again and I managed to get signed off uni for four weeks in which I returned home to my parents.

I sobbed in my mother's arms for three hours as my Dad paced the floor and shouted out loud. My Dad had done his best to handle this for me so that I could spend as little time as possible dealing with police and he vowed to do everything in his power to put Rachel and Lexie behind bars. I had to deal with the police on a few more occasions and some sort of support officer was assigned to me. She didn't help much.

Now things had all seemed to calm down and I was waiting to hear the next steps of their cases. Lexie and Rachel had denied everything but the evidence was there. I knew once this was over I could finally get my life back on track.

I was returning to St. Alban's on Monday for a meeting with my tutor to develop a learning plan and the hospital agreed to let me finish off my placement so I wasn't down on hours. I dreaded going back. I had asked to be moved to a different department but there wasn't any available mentors for it. They had reassured me Rachel wouldn't be returning to work, but it wasn't just Rachel I didn't want to see, it was him.

The hospital didn't know anything about what had happened between us; the only business they had with this case was Rachel's assault against me. My parents, however, were furious when I admitted what had went on. My father vowed to see his day with Tom and accused him of all sorts. I defended him as best I could until they finally calmed down after I reassured them it was over now.