The Tutor

Chapter 20

Amy was so pissed off, she could barely breathe, she couldn't believe the series of events. The whole rapist rich boys, the attacks on her life, but what pissed her off the most, was that James, the man she had grown to care about, who obviously cared for her. He was kind and gentle, commanding, a part of her loved that part of him, the business part. The part that told her how it was going to be. She felt like she needed that. He was a real man, he worked on what could only be called a farm, it was really a farm, perhaps a farm of convenience but still a farm. She turned onto the loop around town, it was nearly deserted at this hour. What could he have possibly done that was so terrible, the two men who had attacked her were alive after all, he hadn't killed them. She didn't understand why he was so upset. But clearly he was upset. She made a loop around town and pulled off when she reached Andy's exit, she pulled in and parked. She grabbed her things and went inside. She went into the bedroom, she heard voices calling her but she ignored them. She slammed the door. She didn't bother to undress she just kicked off her shoes and crawled under the blankets and sobbed.

Amy wasn't sure how long she lay crumpled in the bed, but it was still light out when there was a knock on the door. "GO AWAY"

"Amy, It's Cora, I... I really need to talk to you"

Amy sighed, she hadn't talked to Cora in two weeks and given all that she had been through she deserved to be heard. "Okay!" her voice softening.

She sat up and pushed her back against the headboard. "Have you been crying?" Cora asked.

"You might could say that"

"But it's okay, the bad men.."

"It's not that"

"What then?"

"Just James..."

"James?"

"My writing tutor"

"The one you were getting all wound up over?"

"Yeah"

"What about him?"

"He won't let me see him anymore."

"Why not?"

"I don't know... What did you want to talk about Cora?"

"There is something, I just don't know how to break it, shit I'm scared to tell anyone Amy, but look you came and got me, you saved me, so I feel like you would at least understand the most"

"What Cora?"

"I'm pregnant, one of those men that night made me pregnant"

"The doctors were worried about that when you were in the hospital, seven weeks?"

Cora nodded, "God Amy I'm so scared what if I give birth to a monster like one of those men."

"Cora, you're going to keep it?"

"Amy I don't know what I am going to do, keep the baby or..."

"An Abortion"

"Yeah"

Amy's clasped her friend's hand, "Cora it's up to you, but if you need me to, I'll be there, I'll hold your hand"

"Really?" Cora's eyes were wet with tears, "you would do that for me? After all of this?"

"Really Cora, after all of this, I don't hate you, You're my friend and friends don't abandon friends just because the road gets a little rough"

"A little rough" Cora laughed, "I almost died"

"But you didn't"

"What about the baby?"

"If you decide not to keep it, I'll still be your friend, if you decide that you want to have the baby and keep it, I'll be the best Aunt you can ask for"

"You would do that for me?"

"Cora, Yes I would do that for you, you may have made a stupid mistake, we all make stupid mistakes, I'm not going to punish you for making it."

"Thank you Amy" Cora held her friend fiercely and cried. "Amy..."

"Cora?"

"There is something else".

"What?"

"Um I spent three weeks with Marcus, you know Officer Linwood's brother?"

"Yeah?"

"He took care of me, you know it was the first time a man has actually taken care of me"

"Uh-huh?"

"It was the most wonderful thing"

"Did you?"

"No, nothing like that"

"But?"

"Two men came after me and he, took care of me, he killed them, Amy, he was willing to kill for me, I was with him for almost three weeks, he never touched me. He made me breakfast lunch and dinner and never asked me for anything! I can't believe he was that kind, that caring, that compassionate, he sat and listened to me talk, he would ask questions but he didn't make a move on me, at first I thought he thought I was ugly. But that wasn't it, I mean he has scars that make mine look like a couple of polka dots. God he's, he's just so wonderful and I want him, I want to be with him."

Amy nodded biting her lip, "I'm really happy for you"

"But Amy, I'm pregnant, what if I get an abortion and he hates me for it, what if I don't and keep the baby and him... Hates me for that" she finished in a whisper.

"Do you love him?" Amy asked her own throat felt constricted.

"I, I think so"

"Does he love you?"

"I don't know Amy, I'm so scared to find out"

"Why?"

"I don't know if I could take that rejection, my heart feels like it's going to explode when I'm near him, I can barely breathe, I want to grab him and hold him and kiss him and... well"

"Yeah I know how you feel"

"You do?"

"I feel the same way about James."

"Oh I'm so sorry Amy, I didn't mean to"

"No Cora it's okay, I'm a big girl and I'm happy for you"

"But you have to be hurting something terrible"

"I am" Amy sighed blinking away tears "but that's okay, I'm not done, he agreed to tutor me, I'm not going to let him back out of our agreement"

"But, what if?"

"He refuses to let me in? Then I will do what I have to do"

"Why?"

"Because Cora, because a good man is worth fighting for."

"Thank you Amy"

"What? What did I do?"

"You made me feel better, not because of James, but letting me know I'm not alone."

"You were never alone Cora"

"Yes, Amy I was" Cora admitted her brows knitting and her eyes dropping, "I was very alone, I used my friends, I used my body to get what I wanted, now I realize that I did it because I was hopelessly lonely. I'm sorry"

"Cora what are you apologizing for?"

"For the way, I treated you, the way I treated Trina, I am, I was a terrible person, I'm going to try and be better"

"Okay, I'm here to help you get that way"

"Thanks"