by C. Lymari
“Have they found him?”
Clark gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles going white. “Not yet. Chief didn’t want me in the search, said I was too close to the case.” Clark stopped talking, taking a moment to compose himself. “I’m sure I’ll end up killing him.”
Jameson Morrison deserved that and worse for killing his wife.
“Who found her?”
“Who do you think? Jess did. Juliet said her screams woke her up, and she ran over to their place.”
I closed my eyes, preparing myself for what was about to happen. When we got to the apartments, there were a few cops already by the entrance. They were stopping people from trying to go in. News like this spread like wildfire in this town. A fucking murder was a big deal. I rushed after my brother when we heard our names being called.
“Are the girls okay? Is my sister all right?” Max caught up to us, frantically demanding answers.
“Your sister is fine,” I snapped, and he glared at me.
When we came into the complex, the door to Juliet’s apartment was open. So was the one to Jess and Rosie’s. In the living room was a black body bag.
“Jesus Christ.” Max ran a hand over his face. “My brother told me to come running, but he didn’t tell me what for.”
I watched Max run over to Juliet, and a part of me wanted to run over to her as well. She was looking at the wall stoically while Rosie slept in her lap, looking peaceful. Jess was staring at the television with a blank look in her eyes.
“Julie, are you okay?” Max kneeled in front of his sister.
She didn’t answer him, but shook her head. It took everything in me not to run to her, but I had to remember she had a husband.
I wanted to touch Rosie to make sure she was okay, but I didn’t want to be near Juliet. Instead, I went to Jess while I pretended like the redhead was not in the room.
“Are you okay, kid?” I asked the stupid question as I took a seat next to her.
“I haven’t been okay in a long time,” she replied.
My brother made a signal for me to cover Jess’s eyes.
I got up, obscuring her view so she could look at me. “You know you can always count on me, right?”
“We should have seen this coming, right?”
“Fuck,” I whispered.
She was in shock. When I turned around, Rosie was lying on the couch while Juliet and her brother talked with an officer. Max was typing on his cell phone furiously while he spoke to a cop. I moved over and kissed Rosie on her cheek. My eyes watered, and I knew I had to figure out a way to be there for the girls without having to cross paths with Juliet.
“What’s going on?” I asked my brother, who came in to check on the girls, passing by Max and Juliet.
“Juliet and Max are working on getting temporary custody of the girls before the state takes them.”
“That’s good,” I replied.
“Guess being a Dunnett is good for something,” Clark muttered.
I sat with Rosie as I watched Juliet’s shoulders sag in relief. When the officer left, Max hugged her. I looked away when she started to cry into her brother’s arms. A while later, after the officers had cleared out, people began to arrive. Mom and Dad ran to the girls. Jana and Rusty stopped and hugged Juliet, as did Freya and Emma. Dex came straight to me.
“How are you holding up?”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not. You’re attached not only to her, but the girls as well.”
I appreciated him not saying her name, but I ignored his question. Picking up Rosie, I decided to take her to Juliet’s room so the noise wouldn’t wake her.
The lights were off, and I was about to leave when I felt a presence, and I knew she’d followed me.
“Jake,” she said.
“Let me get through,” I said, feeling drained, my headache back front and center again.
“Please just let me explain.”
“I’m done, Juliet. You’ve been playing games since high school. I’m fucking done.” I pushed past her and left for home.
JULIET
The last few days had not been easy. I would never forget the way Jess screamed, waking me up from my misery. The way Rosie kept saying, “Mommy, wake up,” or the way Jess kept shaking her mom. I’d never forget the dried blood on the back of her head or the lifeless, blank eyes. Most of all, I’d always remember the way it made me feel like that could have been me.
It was probably not the best time to have a come-to-Jesus moment, but it helped me realized that I shouldn’t feel ashamed. That I shouldn’t care if people knew that I was abused. That even though it wasn’t supposed to happen to people like me, it still did.
One long hour was what it took the police to find Jameson. He was trying to drive up to Michigan, leaving his sins behind. When he got interrogated, he confessed to pushing her because she didn’t have a Christmas meal ready. He was going to jail for a long time.
Today was the funeral. Everyone in town pitched in to give Jess and Rosie’s mom a peaceful resting place. Now that forensics was done with the crime scene, I had opted to stay behind to clean out the apartment. Jess shouldn’t have to be the one to do it. As much as I loved the girls, I didn’t want to be at a funeral when all I was thinking was that could have been me. Besides, Jake would be there, and he’d made it clear he wanted nothing to do with me.
Since I was throwing everything away, I didn’t bother to lock the door. It was a hassle to have to unlock it every time I went outside. That was my mistake. When I turned around, Chad was there smiling at me as he closed the door.
I’m strong.
I’m strong.
I’m strong.
“You can’t be here.” I moved back, trying to find anything to use on him, but I couldn’t find a thing. The place was almost barren.
“Did you enjoy making a fool of me?” he seethed as he undid his tie.
“Chad, please.”
“Oh, now you want to beg me? Tell me, how long did it take you to fuck him?”
“You need to leave.” I kept walking away and cursed when I felt the sofa at the back of my knees.
“What did I tell you, wife? Anticipation makes this much sweeter.” And just like that, my strength left.
Looking at my reflection in the vanity mirror, I didn’t like what stared back at me. My face was covered in makeup, I was in fine clothes, and I had done nothing. It wasn’t like I was going anywhere.
“Juliet!” I jumped up from the seat when I heard Chad’s voice.
“I’m… I’m up here,” I called out, my body already shaking at the tone of his voice.
He’s my husband. He will never hurt me. He’s my husband. I’m okay. He loves me.
That last part felt like a lie.
Chad came in glaring at me. “I had an interesting conversation with Gary.”
“Oh-oh yeah? What about?”
“Did you or did you not talk with your brother the day of his rehearsal?”
I laughed. “What? I can’t talk to my brother anymore?”
“Juliet,” he warned.
I got up, faking confidence. “It was his wedding. Of course I was going to talk to him.”
“You were the last person he talked to before he called his wedding off.”
I stood quiet.
“Do you know what that little stunt cost me? Not only did I lose funding, but my bid for senator could be rejected. I don’t need a scandal, and what did you do?”
“I didn’t do anything.”
It sounded like a plea. I tried to move away casually, but Chad’s eyes followed the movement.
“Don’t lie to me!” he yelled, and I felt like the house was going to collapse on me.
“He loved her,” I admitted weakly, and nervously.
“You stupid bitch!” he said before he slapped me so hard that I fell to the floor.
I stayed on the floor, too shocked to move, my cheek burning.
“I’m leaving and telling m
y father!” I yelled at him, trying to get up, but that made him snap.
He dragged me by the hair, making me scream. “You’re threatening me? What part of ‘I don’t need a scandal’ can’t you get through your head.”
“Chad!” I screamed as he threw me on the floor.
He kneeled above me and brought his hand to my neck, cutting off my air. I started to hit him, bucking my body at the lack of oxygen. I moved my hands, trying to find anything around to help me. The only thing I could reach was one of my heels, and I swung it as his face with all the strength I could muster.
“You bitch!” he screamed, holding on to the side of his head.
I pushed him, but he held on to my wrist, and that felt like it was burning as well. I pushed and pulled until I managed to swing my fist at his nose. I couldn’t feel my right wrist, but I didn’t let that stop me. I slammed the door behind me and ran down the stairs. My bag was by the door, so I grabbed it and ran barefoot to the car, glad it was keyless and I could press the button and run away. I didn’t stop driving until I made it to the hospital, where I proceeded to pass out.
I woke up dazed and confused. I wasn’t in a hospital, but I wasn’t in my cheap apartment either. Looking at myself, the first thing I noticed was a lime-green cast, and I closed my eyes, trying to forget how it got there.
“You’re finally awake.” Prescott, who was sitting in a chair in the corner, stood up and sat on the edge of my bed.
“Wha… what… ha… happened?” My throat was on fire. It hurt to talk.
Prescott brought his hand to my throat and soothingly traced the sides. I didn’t have to look to know Chad left bruises.
“You don’t remember?” He asked sadly.
“Chad…”
“I swear, if I could, I’d kill the son of a bitch. You were in bad shape, Julie, and I knew you didn’t want anyone knowing your business, so I had everything arranged at my house so you could be comfortable.”
“Why didn’t you tell me she woke up?” Max walked into the room and pushed Prescott out of the way.
He came to me and buried his head in my neck. I laid there unmoving as my brother started to sob.
“Why didn’t you fucking tell us?” he said once he composed himself.
Both of my brothers looked at me expectantly.
“I felt so ashamed,” I whispered.
“Fuck, Julie, you have to know we would move heaven and earth for you,” Prescott said.
“I’d thought he’d kill me for sure.” My voice was low and weak, but my brothers were hanging to my every word.
“He thought he did when you passed out on him,” Prescott told me. “Blake left after the service to help you clean. He saw Chad coming out, and he didn’t know who he was, but something didn’t click right with him. He ran to the apartment and found you; he then called Clark. Fuck, Julie, we weren’t sure if you would make it. I was so fucking scared…”
“When is the doctor coming in again?” Jake stood in the door.
He halted when he saw me.
“Babe,” he whispered as he walked toward me.
Both of my brothers left and closed the door.
“Babe, you have no idea how scared I was. Every hour that passed by and you didn’t wake up, I hated myself a little more.” He brought his hand to my cheek, and when I flinched, regret shone in his eyes. “I swear if I could, I’d kill him.”
“How are my girls?”
Jake flinched at my low, raspy tone.
“My mom has been taking care of them. They didn’t want to stay at Prescott’s. Jess has been beside herself, and Rosie has been asking for you.”
I nodded, feeling exhausted and in pain. I needed to pee—my bladder felt like it was poking needles into me.
When I tried to get up, I cried out from the soreness I felt in my body.
“Please, babe, don’t move,” he scolded me.
“I need to pee.”
“I got you,” he said before he lifted me and took me to the bathroom.
“Can you wait outside?”
“Babe, you need help.”
“Wait outside.”
“Babe.”
“Please. I don’t want you to see me like this.”
“I’m never going to forget this for as long as I live. Baby, your beautiful face, your tiny arm… I can’t un-see it. I hate that I wasn’t there, baby. I hate myself.”
“Can you please close the door?”
Jake looked pained, but he did as I asked.
I stood in front of the mirror looking at my face, and it was a look I would never forget. My bruises were like having your mistakes marked on your skin. Once I was done, I opened the door, but Jake was already there getting me back into bed.
“I’m tired.”
Jake, however, didn’t go away, and I was too tired to protest. I let him hold me as I drifted back to sleep. Once I woke again, he was still there.
“I can’t do this, Jake,” I whispered, and I knew he heard me because he went rock still.
“I know I fucked up, Jules.”
“No, you didn’t,” I told him, reaching for his hand. “You were nothing less than perfect. I…just need time. I need to process everything, and I don’t think it’s wise if I do that with you. I came to town broken, and I thought I was healed, but I was wrong. I need to learn to stand on my two feet and not depend on anyone but myself.”
“I can help you, Juliet.”
I looked at Jake “Bear” Carson, my teenage fantasy and the man I thought I loved.
“This is something I have to do alone,” I insisted. “Please, just let me go. I need to do this.”
Jake’s eyes watered, but when he blinked, the moisture was gone. “I’m going to give you time. Just know that when you find yourself, you can come find me.”
“I don’t want you to wait for me. It’s not fair.”
Jake didn’t answer me. He came for my left hand and pulled it up so I could see the neon-green cast. It was such a bright color; it glared at me.
“He might have broken your bones, but baby, he could never touch your soul. I chose this as a reminder of your new start… of our new beginning. I love you, Juliet. I always have, and I think you do as well. You were always the one for me. Not Brooke or Stacy. Just you.”
I blinked back tears, but stayed quiet.
“When you are strong enough, come find me.” Jake got up, and he kissed my cheek gently before kissing my lips.
Once he was out of the room, I cried.
That was how Prescott found me. He didn’t say a word, just got in bed with me and held me.
“I heard what you told him.”
I raised my eyebrows at my brother, who had been eavesdropping. He shrugged it off.
“Are you sure that’s what you want?” he asked.
“Chad is never going to leave me alone.”
“You don’t have to worry about Chad or Dad ever again.”
He told me all the dirt he’d found on my husband—well, soon-to-be ex-husband—and I looked at him, astonished.
“I’m sorry for hurting you, but Dad had to believe I was in his corner while I investigated him and Chad.”
“What about Dad?” I tried getting up.
I was shocked at his admission. Before I could rise, Prescott scolded me, then rubbed circles on my arms. Apparently, my husband had a trail of hookers whom he liked to abuse. Since his daddy dearest was part of the good old boys’ club, there was nothing that could be done to him. As for my father, well, his greed went further than I believed.
“Mom’s leaving Dad.”
My eyebrows raised to my hairline. Never in a million years did I think that would happen.
Prescott rolled his eyes at me. “She’s had enough of Dad’s shit. Seeing you… it really shook her up. Max is handling her divorce.”
I didn’t say anything; I wasn’t sure I could forgive her yet.
My brother was on a roll, sharing everything he’d been up to these past few mo
nths. He had been distant. Prescott was finally leaving Rachel. Apparently, he got a vasectomy. Talk about going to extreme measures. Rachel knew she was not going to get a thing from my brother—not his love, not his loyalties, not even a kid—so she agreed to divorce him. My brother called checkmate on a game no one had any idea he was playing.
42
Juliet
Spring
The fresh smell of spring was in the air, and with it came an end to the longest winter of my life. A lot had happened since I’d begun to heal. I might have thought I was standing on my own two feet when I arrived back in Sunny Pines, but all I was doing was stumbling around all over town.
I no longer had my crappy apartment. I didn’t think it was wise to stay. I didn’t want the girls to be triggered. Since Prescott had a house all to himself, he’d asked me and the girls to move in. For someone who never had any real responsibilities, I liked to think I was doing more than okay taking care of the girls.
The three of us had wounds no one would ever see unless they looked deep into our souls. Scars would only surface when they were triggered. We were now a family. Not just any family, but a real one that went deeper than blood, because we weren’t born into it—we’d chosen it.
I’d be lying if I said my chest didn’t hurt and I didn’t want to cry when I looked at the girls. While I had recovered, their mother had been murdered. In a way, it forced me to heal much quicker than necessary, but taking care of them brought me joy.
“Juliet,” Rosie groaned when she came into my room.
Prescott’s house was massive, so he let us have the basement with the two rooms and kitchenette. He gave us privacy.
“Yes?” I sat up, my hair a tangled mess from being woken up abruptly.
“You promised we getting pancakes today.”
Jess looked at me from where she was walking out of the room. She didn’t go to work anymore, and she was finishing her classes online. I had more than enough money for the three of us. Prescott wouldn’t take a dime for rent, and we didn’t go out much, but it wasn’t like we were starving either. Prescott always had food. Emma stopped by, and sometimes so did Jana. Only when Prescott wasn’t around. In the past weeks, I started to get my best friend back. My ties with my brothers were getting stronger.