The Perfect Family

Aftermath

Emily:

Vincent hovered over me for a while after he finished his abominable act, remaining silent as he climbed off of me and threw his clothes back on. 

There was a hint of guilt in his dark eyes and his lips were pursed so tightly that the vein in his neck began throbbing. He looked like he might cry.

That only pissed me off even more, because that was the same crap he pulled seventeen years ago. He'd become blind with the wicked desire to take what was not rightfully his in the first place, but when he was finished, he acted like a guilty victim.

The guilt did not come from remorse for raping me, but rather it came from the fear that he had lost my love in the act.  After seventeen years, how could he not see that I would never fall in love with him? 

His denial had not only ruined my life, but Cora's life as well.  He had gone way too far this time, and I was determined to make sure that he paid for it.

"Would you like to take a warm shower before we leave?"  Those were his first words in ten minutes.

I covered my chest with my arms and stood from the bed. "No, I just want some clothes. Please..."

He opened my closet and pushed through my clothes until he came across a sleeveless black blouse, one that I only wore on special occasions.

"Wear this."

"I don't want to wear that.  I want a t-shirt."

"You'll look much prettier in this.  Wear it, Emily."

I snatched the shirt from his hand and tossed it on after putting a white bra on. He waited until I was fully dressed before stepping closer to me and laying his hands on my shoulders. "I'm sorry that I lost control back there. It's been so long since-"

His words faded away, and he stared at the floor.

"Take me to Cora." I whispered.

"I will. I promise."

His eyes fell back on mine.  "You really are just as beautiful as the day we met. Seeing you again makes me feel twenty one years old."

"I know what you mean."  I said, rubbing my arm as a chill ran through me. 

I did feel like my twenty one year old self all over again; the young girl who was scared and helpless because of the evil man in her life.  My knees began quaking underneath me and I whimpered softly.

No!  I couldn't allow him to make me feel this way. I had to be strong for myself, and for Cora.

"I'm so glad to hear you say that." He pressed his hand on my cheek and smiled weakly. "I was afraid that you might be angry with me because of this."

"Forget about it. Let's just go to Cora."

"Y-you really mean it? You're not angry with me?"

"No." I had to force the word out of my throat. "I'm not angry with you. Let's not talk about it anymore."

"Okay."

He took hold of my arm and pulled me to the front door, peering out of the peephole before he pushed it open. The lights in every other house were turned off, so there were no witnesses.  I climbed into the passenger seat of his car and he pulled out of my driveway and on to the main highway. 

Both of us were silent as the night until he switched on the radio. He grimaced when a Britney Spears song blasted from the speakers, and he turned it off. "Oops, I hated that song again." He cracked, smiling at his own stupid joke. "It's really Toxic."