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Abigail
I couldn't sleep last night. Tossed and turned, seeing the years of abuse behind my eyelids. The few times I dozed off; I woke drenched in sweat. After the fifth time, I said, screw it and just got up. I tried to eat but ended up puking. Thank you, baby, for not letting me feed you. I've been sitting on the shower floor, letting the water beat down on me for God knows how long when the door opens.
“Baby girl?” I hear Vic’s voice softly filter in.
“I’m taking a shower,” I call hoping he’ll just go away and not look in here.
“You've been in there an awfully long time.” I see his shadow through the glass. “Clayton made some breakfast. Pancakes and bacon. A fresh berry smoothie too. You like smoothies.”
“I already ate and couldn’t keep it down. You go ahead.”
“When? Before you got in here? That was a long time ago. Try again.” He insists. “Don't make me come in there. Or worse, call for reinforcements.”
“Vic, please just go.” I cry, wrapping my arms around my legs tighter.
I see his body lower, and he puts his back to the glass. “Baby girl. I can’t imagine what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours, but keeping it cooped up, ain’t doin’ ya a lick of good. You hardly slept, now I ain’t got answers like Mister Perfect, but I can listen.”
“I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to get through it.” I sniff, but other than that, don’t move.
“All the more reason to get up outta the floor and pull it together. Come on.” He stands back up with a grunt. “Let’s get you ready for the day.”
“Nothing can get me ready for this. I’ve already heard and seen more than I want. Yesterday, they played a video and Harmand came after me again. I almost killed him.” I can’t stop the sob that bubbles out of me. “The bad part is I wanted to kill him. I didn’t want to stop and wouldn’t have.”
The shower door opens, and Vic, fully dressed, grabs me, pulling me into his arms. “No one would have blamed you for it if you had.” He smoothes my hair back, making me look up at him. “I wish I could take away your pain. Make it all a memory we could just pluck outta your head. I wish I could take on your burdens, but I can’t. All I can do is be here to hold you when you need me, and when you don’t think you need me too.”
“He said he was going to knock the baby out of me,” I say, burying my head into Vic’s chest.
“Then you did all the right things. You protected yourself and our little tadpole.” He turns the water off, and I feel him shift. A second later, a thick cotton towel is being wrapped around me. “Here, sit.”
“What if they decide it wasn’t self-defense? Will I have to have the baby in prison?”
“Baby girl, that isn’t gonna happen. Harrison told us the lock had been forced. He broke in to get to you. He’s toast.” Vic says, stripping, seeing as he’s soaked to the bone now.
“You don’t know that for sure.” I shiver.
“Are you sitting here right now without any charges?”
“That could change as soon as I walk into the courthouse today.”
“No, if they were going to charge you, they would be here, with cuffs in hand. Not waiting for you to arrive at the courthouse. That’s not how this thing works. They don’t make it convenient for you.” He wraps a towel around himself. “Now let’s get dressed before Clayton comes looking. I promise you everything is going to get better. After today we are gonna see the end of the Harmand’s in this town.”
“I just want to sleep the weekend away. Can we do that?”
“After today, we can. As soon as you finish with the court, you call us, and we’ll come home. We’ll get all kinds of junk food, make popcorn, get in our pj’s, and binge-watch whatever you want for the next two days. How’s that sound?” He tilts my chin up so he can kiss me softly. He’s being so- I don’t know, it’s like he’s taking a page out of Clayton’s playbook.
“I love you even though aliens may have invaded your body.”
“What does that mean?” He chuckles, searching my eyes for a cause.
“You’re not acting like you is all. You’re acting more like Clayton.”
“What? You’re losing it. I don’t always gotta be a dick, do I? Can’t I shine up my armor once in a while? Even if it is spit shine?” Vic pulls me into him. “Would you rather I just ignore how you’re feeling and try to take advantage of your naked little body under this cotton towel? I can do that too, ya know?” Now all I feel is a hard cock against me.
“You’re a toad!” I push him away and hop down, tightening the towel around me. I run smack into Clayton on my way through the door.
“I was wonderin’ where you all got off to. Guess I found out.” He shakes his head. “Foods gettin’ cold.”
“I told him to go eat; he wouldn’t listen to me.” I walk past Clayton going to the closet.
“Some things are more important than food,” Vic responds, and Clayton looks on confused.
***
FRED AND I ARE IN THE holding room where they have been making me wait. Today there are people lined up outside with posters. Apparently, this small town has made big news. A lot say stuff about rapists and molesters and about how they should rot in hell. There were a few that said women lie and how someone just wants money. The cops are all over the place, trying to keep people apart.
Fred’s sitting and stacking everything by date. Me? I'm pacing the room like a caged animal when the door opens, and my lawyer comes in with the ADA.
“I’m sorry for the delay, Abigail,” Marissa says, pulling up a chair opposite me. “I was reviewing the reports of what happened last night. I’m so sorry, are you okay?”
"I'm working through it."
“Harmand is awake and under police supervision. He’s going to give his deposition from the hospital today. I’m on my way over there in just a little bit, but I wanted to see what you have.” She starts to look over the scene before her. I watch her face as it changes from happy to stone cold. Her head nods as she reads page after page of notes. “Well, I’ve seen enough. I’m going to assume you wish to press all possible charges against all involved parties?”
I nod. “Ye-yes.”
“Okay. Look, I’ll have Ben take you out through the back. I’m going to take this to my boss and to the judge. We’ll take care of it. You go home and try to take it easy. I or someone from my office will call you on Monday or Tuesday to let you know where we stand. As of right now, it’s going to be like shooting fish in a barrel.” Marissa pulls all the pictures and papers together, sliding them into a manila folder. “I’ll send Ben right in.” She grasps my hand tightly. “We’re gonna get em.”
“Thank you,” I say, leaning against Fred as his arm wraps around my shoulder.
She nods, and without another word, she and my lawyer are gone.
“Monkey, let’s gather your stuff, and we’re going over to the shop until the boys get out of school.”
“They’re just waiting for me to call. I’ll tell them to meet us at the house. I just want to go home and rest. Vic promised.”
“Okay, you call them and let them know we’ll be out of here soon.” I grab my phone off the table, hitting Clayton’s name and wait for him to answer.
“Honey? Is that you?” He asks, surprised. It’s only been a couple of hours since I saw him.
“Yeah, I’m done. Vic told me to call, and you all would come home. I-I can go to the shop if I need too.”
“No, we’ll be there. I just gotta go grab him. Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m just ready to get out of here. It’s a mess. We barely got into the courthouse. I’ll explain when you get to the house. Fred’s going to wait with me.”
“Alright. I just texted Vic. He said to ask, what snacks you want?”
“I don’t care. I just want to go home and get out of these clothes.”
“Alright, Honey. We’ll see you soon.”
“Wait. No burgers.”
“Umm... How about I make enchiladas and Spanish rice, or would you rather we do like pigs in blankets and pizza rolls that kinda stuff?”
“I want eggs.”
“Deviled? Scrambled? Poached, a quiche?”
“Egg sandwich. Sheesh.”
“Any kinda bread? Or like English muffins? Do you want meat and cheese on that? Any sides? I’m taking orders here.” He laughs.
“An egg sandwich, Clayton. Just a normal one on white bread. It’s not that hard. Forget it. I’ll make it.”
“You will burn it is what you’ll do.” He chuckles. “I’m on it. See you soon.”
