by Rae, Alicia
“Just…my…throat,” I rasped.
Jason’s eyes widened in shock. “My god, Lily. I’m so sorry we left.” He shook his head. “What the fuck happened?”
“Annie…” I fumbled for words. “A.J. and Annie were dating. He was the father.”
“Jesus,” Jason said in astonishment. “I had no fucking clue. But he’ll be lucky to live after putting his hands on you.”
I closed my eyes in agony. “None of us knew they were together.”
A loud crash reverberated throughout the room. Jason and I turned in the direction of the noise. Kyle had slammed A.J. against Annie’s desk, knocking everything over. Kyle’s fist was connecting with A.J.’s jaw over and over again. Blood was pouring out of A.J.’s nose and mouth.
“Kyle! Take it easy!” Jason yelled. “We need to figure out what in the hell is going on.”
Kyle didn’t even seem to hear Jason as he continued to hammer into A.J. I had to stop this. I didn’t know what Kyle was capable of. I knew he would go to any lengths to protect me. I flinched as I tried to sit up. Jason immediately leaned forward and supported my back as I shakily rose to my feet.
“Kyle!” I cried.
His head whipped in my direction, and as his eyes met mine, he let go of A.J. A.J. fell off of Annie’s desk. He reached forward to balance himself against the window. He pulled on the curtain to stand on his feet. Kyle took a step in my direction.
“Please stop. We need to let the police handle it,” I pleaded. I took a small step forward and glanced over at A.J. I felt betrayed by someone I thought was a true friend.
A.J.’s eyes, still as black as before, showed no mercy. He smirked as his hands wiped the blood off his mouth, and then he reached into his pocket. I was filled with pure fear as I followed his movements.
A.J. pulled out a black handgun and pointed it at the center of my chest. My heart seized on the spot. I couldn’t move as my thoughts filled with Kyle.
Kyle shouted loudly, “No!”
I whipped my head in the direction of Kyle. He lunged himself at A.J. just as the gun shot went off. The sounds of glass shattering filled the room as I screamed and ran straight for Kyle.
No! No! I will not let anyone take him from me.
A.J.’s backside went first with Kyle on top of him as they flew through the window. Jason and I collided at the window to see Kyle lying on top of A.J. on the ground below. Both were perfectly still.
My heart refused to beat.
Jason gripped my arm. “Come on. Let’s go!” He hustled me to the door.
Time stood still as I took every step down the hallway, out the door, and into the backyard. My blood was pulsating through my veins, and all the air fled my lungs at my first glimpse of Kyle. He had dragged himself off of A.J., and he was lying next to him on the grass. Kyle’s shirt was torn with blood staining his outer biceps and forearms. His right hand was holding his rib cage. A.J. was positioned on his back with his hands holding his head. Blood dripped down his left ear, leaving a thin trail down his throat. Similar cuts mirrored his arms.
Ignoring them, I rushed over to Kyle and collapsed onto my knees at his side. “Kyle!”
His head tilted up to meet my gaze. I felt my heart start to beat again when his eyes met mine. I never wanted to know what a day would be like without seeing my favorite brownish-green eyes. Wincing, he moved his right arm, hooking it around my waist, and he tucked me into his side.
I needed to hear his voice. “Are you okay?”
Kyle nodded slowly. “I’m fine,” he breathed unevenly.
I couldn’t believe he was okay. He just fell out of a window, for heaven’s sake. My hands rapidly searched his body for broken bones or a gunshot wound. The cut that had ripped his shirt looked deep, but the rest were flesh wounds.
“He missed,” Kyle answered.
When my fingers grazed the lower section of his ribs, he sucked in a deep breath, squinting his eyebrows together in discomfort.
“Sorry!” I retracted my hand quickly. “Is it broken?”
Kyle’s palm flattened on his chest. “I think so.” He raised his eyes to my neck and then slowly over my face. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here, Lily. Are you alright?”
I took his hand, caressing his bare skin with my thumb. “I’m fine,” I reassured him.
“So, it’s A.J., isn’t it?” Kyle questioned, quickly putting the puzzle pieces together.
“Yes. All of it,” I replied quietly. “The letters, threats, Annie, and the baby.” I shook my head, completely stunned. “I can’t believe it’s true.”
“I should have seen that coming.” Kyle let out a troubled breath. Jason gave Kyle a questioning look. “His behavior and actions make perfect sense now. He was always so quiet and withdrawn.”
“This isn’t your fault, Kyle,” I said in a gentle tone.
Damon came running around the corner. “What the—” His eyes rapidly glanced around to take in the events before him.
Damon lowered to kneel next to A.J., and he assessed his wounds. A.J. groaned in discomfort as Damon helped him to his feet and then led him away to create distance between us.
I assumed Damon thought he was breaking up a fight between A.J. and Kyle. Damon quickly dialed 911 and fired off our location.
Damon walked over and crouched down by us as Jason replied, “I would have never even suspected A.J. None of us knew he was dating Annie.”
“Annie and A.J. were dating?” Damon asked, looking at each of us in bewilderment. “And why in the hell did A.J. attack you, Lily?”
“Yes, Annie and A.J. were dating. According to A.J., they had been dating for many years.” I was having a hard time believing it was true. “He feels I’m responsible for her death…and for the death of their unborn child.”
“Wow,” Damon murmured, surprised as the rest of us were.
From the corner of my eye, I saw A.J. draw his knees up, resting his forearms on top of them.
Jason swung his head toward A.J., sharply narrowing his eyes. “Don’t you fucking move, or I’ll make sure you need a stretcher to carry you out,” he threatened.
Jason redirected his attention back to us. His voice was quiet, so only the four of us could hear. “So, will someone please tell me what in the hell is going on?” He looked at Kyle. “You just said you should have seen that coming. What don’t I know?”
“Lily has been receiving threats for a couple of weeks now, and we’ve been trying to figure out who was sending them,” Kyle replied.
Jason’s and Damon’s perplexed stares switched to me.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Jason asked.
“I never really had the chance.” I regretted causing the hurt I could see in Jason’s and Damon’s eyes. I assumed it was from keeping them in the dark. “I, especially, didn’t think it was someone close to us.”
“He signed the threats as Aaron,” Kyle added.
“That’s his first name, but he has never gone by it,” Damon clarified. “You didn’t know that’s his real name?”
“No,” I answered truthfully. “He has always gone by A.J. since before I can remember.”
“Shit, I didn’t even know that,” Jason murmured.
Damon nodded. “I was probably about five years old when I heard Meg teasing him about his name. She said it was a girl’s name. He hated the name Aaron even though it’s spelled correctly for a guy. She later told me that he’d made his parents swear to call him A.J. ”
From the corner of his eye, Jason glanced at A.J., who was sitting quietly with his head in his hands. “That is seriously messed up.”
“Yeah, it is,” Damon said, his voice barely audible.
“I definitely didn’t see that shit coming.” Jason sighed heavily. “I feel like such an idiot. Now that I look back, A.J. has been really distant the last few years. He was also really pissed off when you left town. I thought it was because he was grieving like everyone else. I figured he was mad because you took off before the funeral
s. Now, I see that there were motives behind it.” Jason turned to face Kyle. “Thank God you had that gut feeling.” His expression tightened. “I can’t even think about what would have happened if we hadn’t come back early from the trails.”
My love for Kyle expanded in that very instant. I remembered how much I’d prayed in those terrifying moments, not knowing if someone would save me in time. Kyle met my eyes, his love for me shining brightly. I smiled inside, knowing that nothing could ever separate us. We were fighters.
I blinked back tears as I looked over at Jason. Next to him, I noticed the confused expression on Damon’s face.
“You’re not responsible either, Jason.” I hesitated as I thought back to all the years this must have been going on. Annie had had a separate part of her life, and I had been left in the dark. “I was her sister, and I still didn’t know. We’ll never know her true reasons for keeping us out.” I couldn’t hide the hurt in my voice. This was a painful truth I would have to accept.
The sirens caught our attention, and we all looked up. Three EMTs came rushing around the side of the house. After assessing the situation, they divided and checked over A.J., Kyle, and me separately. I was extremely grateful for how quick and efficient they were.
Three police officers were on site a few minutes later, and they also split up and questioned us individually. I was overwhelmed as I tried to answer with as many details as possible. It was strange how, in the heat of the attack, it was hard to separate the fine points. It all seemed to blur together.
As we were quickly hustled into the ambulances, I was extremely thankful that we were all walking away fairly unharmed. Things could have been so much worse.
After settling into the hospital, the doctor insisted that Kyle stay overnight for observation while I was discharged after a few hours. His X-rays showed a fractured lower rib that was expected to heal on its own since there were no internal pieces of splintered bone. Even though Kyle had no signs of a concussion, the doctor recommended a CT scan because he had fallen out of a window. From the fall, Kyle also had bruises and many surface cuts. The worst cut was on his right bicep, and it required three stitches.
The doctor also took an X-ray of my throat because of the several bruises that had formed quickly and seemed to be darkening by the hour. It came back clear, but the doctor estimated that the purplish bruises could take a few weeks to fade.
Jason, Damon, Aunt Lucie, and Uncle Dan were the only ones to visit in the hospital. Aunt Lucie and Uncle Dan were genuinely shocked to find out the details of what had happened. Apparently, no one knew of A.J. and Annie’s dating history. I was surprised my father had never mentioned it to Dan in hopes of keeping tabs on them, but my family had always been fairly private.
Damon informed us that A.J. was being treated for a mild concussion and contusions on the back of his head. Several other areas on his body needed stitches as the doctor presumed he had taken the brunt of the fall.
Aunt Lucie stayed the longest. She was very upset that Ted, Jane, and Meg hadn’t visited. Deep down though, I understood why. I didn’t think I would ever be able to face a friend if my family member had attacked him or her.
I still had so many questions about A.J. and Annie. My gut told me some of my curiosities would never be answered. I wondered if Meg had known about A.J. and Annie and if she’d been trying to warn me about A.J., but I also figured that if A.J. had been trying to keep his relationship with Annie a secret, then Meg had probably been left in the dark, like the rest of us.
Around midnight, I finally told Aunt Lucie to go home. She looked exhausted and overwhelmed with emotions. I appreciated her support, and I thanked her for staying with me. It meant a great deal to me to see how much my family cared for me.
***
By noon the next day, Kyle was discharged from the hospital. Jason insisted he drive us home. The car ride seemed to drag as we were all lost in our own thoughts. I sat in the passenger seat so Kyle could stretch along the backseat.
After much debate with myself, I concluded that I needed to return home. I was slightly nervous to go back inside. Luckily, Damon had kindly taken the morning to board up Annie’s bedroom window and clean up all the glass outside. I was hoping that would make going back home easier. I would not let A.J. have the satisfaction of chasing me away. For the time being, this was my home. No one would take that away from me.
Jason parked the car and twisted to face me. “Are you sure you want to stay here?” he asked politely. “You are always welcome to stay with us. I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable here.”
My gut told me I was making the right decision. “Yes, I’m going to stay here.” I nodded confidently. “This is my home. I will leave on my own terms, not someone else’s.” No one would make me leave unless it was my own doing. I would be leaving soon enough as it was.
“Okay. Let me know if you change your mind,” Jason replied, leaning forward to hug me gently. “We will always be here for you, Lily. Just call, day or night.”
I thanked him profusely, feeling extremely blessed to have him in my life. He was someone I could count on, no matter what. I knew he would always have my back.
Jason tilted his head to Kyle in the backseat. “You, too.”
Kyle sat forward in his seat and slowly outstretched his hand to Jason. “Thank you. I don’t know what I would have done without you today. It means more to me than you know.”
Jason shook his hand. “Anytime.” He glanced down at his phone as it beeped rather loudly and glanced at the screen. “Oh, Mom says she’s bringing you dinner tonight. Are you up for some laid-back company?”
“Dinner would be great,” I replied. “We’ll see you guys then.”
I carefully stepped out of the car, ready to help Kyle out of the backseat. He was standing next to the door with one hand protecting his rib cage. His expression showed determination to be resilient and independent as he took my hand in his and led me to the side door of the house.
Once inside, Kyle and I gradually made our way upstairs to my bedroom. We each moved with slow, deliberate steps. As we approached Annie’s room, my stride faltered, and my breath caught.
Kyle stopped and turned to face me, his loving eyes searching mine, while he tightened his grip over my fingers. “Don’t let him win, Lily. This is your house.”
I exhaled deeply as I nodded. I will not be defeated. After a brief moment, I continued down the hallway to my room.
Kyle walked over to his dresser and grabbed a change of clothes as I headed straight for the bathroom to clean up. I glanced in the mirror, taking in the purplish bruising all over my neck. The worst part was down the center of my throat. A.J.’s thumbprints were clearly outlined on each side. Anger and disgust coursed throughout my body at having to see his mark on my skin for the next couple of weeks.
Not wanting to see the reminder any longer, I headed for the shower. I refused to surrender to how much it truly bothered me. As my insides battled to ignore the bruises, I fought for my new inner willpower to push my ugly thoughts aside.
I had won. I was alive.
If I could beat this, I could overcome anything. Strength and courage were the key, and I knew this now. I was no longer a person who sat on the sidelines.
The warm water felt heavenly as I stepped into the shower. I closed my eyes and welcomed the relaxing sensations. My tight muscles began to loosen under the heat. The moisture from the steam seemed to help my throat as it was becoming difficult to swallow with each progressing hour since the attack.
I heard Kyle enter the bathroom. He peeked his head in the shower. “Can I join you?” he asked.
I smiled softly. “Of course,” I answered.
He stepped in behind me and wrapped his gentle arms around my waist. I shut my eyes and laid my arms around his, reveling in his touch, as the water trickled along my bare skin. The shower might have eased my tired, aching muscles, but only this man could calm my nerves.
He was my other half in
every way. I felt complete when he was near. Some would say that made me weak, but I thought it made me stronger.
To be needed and loved were the greatest gifts in life. It gave a sense of belonging that we all yearned for. Whether with our careers, families, or friends, we needed it. Mankind was not created for us to survive on our own. I believed we had been created to work together and thrive off of one another.
I rotated in Kyle’s arms to gather my hands around his neck. I nestled my face into the curve of his shoulder. He kissed my cheek affectionately as he tightened his embrace around my lower back.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Lily? You’ve had one hell of a day,” he said quietly.
A.J.’s hands squeezing around my throat filled my mind. Tears brimmed my eyes at the recollection of events. I would do everything within my control to erase those memories, but I would not surrender to them.
“Yes,” I answered. “I’m just glad it’s over. Those letters have been dangling over my head for a couple of weeks now. Trying to figure out the connection has been haunting me. Now, I know.”
“They’ve bothered me, too,” Kyle replied. “I want you to have the closure you deserve, so you can move forward with your life. You’ve come a long way, Lily, in such a short time.” He lifted his hand and ran the backs of his fingers down my cheek. “I see such strength and determination in those beautiful eyes of yours, and it grows with every passing day.”
I leaned forward on my toes and lightly kissed his lips. “Thank you,” I whispered. “You opened my eyes to accept that I wasn’t truly living. I was just passing through the motions. Thank you for coming into my life, like an…” I couldn’t help but grin. “Overbearing lightning bolt out of nowhere. You gave me the courage and strength I needed to stand up for myself.”
Kyle’s eyebrow quirked up. “A lightning bolt?” He let out a laugh and then winced in pain. “That’s one way of putting it.”
“Don’t laugh, or you’ll hurt yourself!” I chided before carefully nudging his shoulder. “And you know what I mean.”