They talked about the trees, the birds, and a caterpillar they found inching its way across the sidewalk. They stopped and admired the purple tulip that had earlier caught Tessa’s attention. Ava loved how something so simple could please a child.
In a classroom setting, Tessa had a quiet temperament, but in this one on one situation with Ava, she blossomed. Ava purposely made their pace slow in hopes that Tessa would reveal something that would explain what was going on at home. It was crunch time to get some information out of her. She shifted the conversation.
“Tessa, do you like being at your house?”
“Yeah.”
“Do you and your mommy spend a lot of time together?” Guilt festered about questioning an innocent child, but she needed to get down to the bottom of why her mom had been dropping the ball lately. She held no peace regarding Tessa’s home life. Determination kept her on course to get some answers.
“We used to play a lot, but her boyfriend, Ray, lives with us now so she spends a lot of time with him.”
Ava didn’t know much about Tessa’s life, only that her dad had left without a word a few years back and never returned, leaving Kim, a young mom, to raise her alone. It was a sad situation, but up to this point, no reason existed to make her believe there were problems at home. Tessa hadn’t mentioned her mom’s boyfriend before, and that new admission caught Ava by surprise.
“Do you like him?”
“Yeah, he’s nice to me, but he makes my mommy cry a lot.”
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
“My mommy painted my room with pretty butterflies on the walls so when he is upset I can go to my room. She says it’s my special place.”
Ava’s stomach twisted. She hoped the situation wasn’t what she thought it was. They reached Tessa’s house, frustrated that their time together had run out. She knocked on the door and scoped out the run-down neighborhood. Tessa’s house was missing a few shutters and the siding looked worn. The families who lived on the street had low incomes, but did the best they could with what they had.
Ava grew nervous as she knocked again. She and Kim were not close by any means, but they talked often at school functions and conferences. They were on a first name basis, which she didn’t have with most of the other parents. Still, she wondered if Kim would be happy to see her at the front door.
The blinds were closed and the house looked dark. Finally locks jingled and the door opened a crack. Ava couldn’t see Kim, but she heard her gasp.
“Miss Williams, I wasn’t expecting you.” Ava noted the switch in formality, but she couldn’t read whether Kim was upset or just taken back.
“Hi Kim, may I come in, please?”
“Um, sure, maybe just a few minutes.”
Ava took Tessa’s hand and led her into the house, mulling over in her head what her next words should be. Kim looked nervous and Ava didn’t want to push too hard. Kim shut the door and immediately Ava saw, even in the dim light that her arm lay in a sling and the side of her face held a line of bruises.
“Kim, are you okay? What happened?”
“Oh, um, last night I fell and bruised my arm and face. I went to the doctor this morning and they gave me some medicine for the pain. I must have fallen asleep and didn’t hear Tessa come home.”
She leaned down and hugged her daughter with her good arm and kissed her head. “I’m so sorry I didn’t hear you come home, baby. You must have been so scared. I made some cookies for you earlier today. Why don’t you go into the kitchen and have one? I think dessert before supper would be just fine today.”
Tessa skipped through the dining room into the kitchen, oblivious to the adults’ uncomfortable silence. Ava sensed that Kim wanted her to leave. It was now or never.Lord, give me the words.
“I’m sorry about your arm and face, Kim. I hope they heal soon.”
“Thank you.”
“I brought Tessa home today because I hoped we would have a chance to talk. There have been too many instances in the last month where Tessa has been left alone and I’m just checking to see if everything is okay?”
Ava had debated during their walk to Tessa’s house if she should bring this issue to the attention of the principal or school counselor. She wanted to get more facts first, but this situation seemed to be quickly slipping away from her expertise. Tomorrow she would share the details that she had. She wanted to go by the books in case legal measures needed to be taken at some point.
“Everything is fine. There is no need to worry about Tessa.” Kim looked down at her watch and started biting her nails.
“I feel there is. I don’t mean to push, but I can tell Tessa is very concerned about you. She mentioned that you have a new boyfriend and that he is upsetting you.”
The statement took Kim by surprise and her eyes widened. She broke eye contact again by looking down toward the kitchen. Despite the sun outside, inside remained dark and dreary. A musty odor hung in the air.
“She told you about Ray?” Her voice barely reached above a whisper.
“Yes. Is there anything you want to talk about? I know you don’t know me well, but I’m a pretty good listener.”
Kim’s eyes welled up with tears and she shook her head back and forth. She ran her trembling fingers through her short blonde hair, lost in thought. A car drove by and she jumped. Ava hadn’t been in the church support group for very long, but she could see the signs of abuse etched in Kim’s frightened face.
With ease she touched Kim’s arm in the sling. “Did Ray do this to you, Kim?”
How would Kim respond to her blunt question? She guessed that Kim would lie, shut down, or kick her out. It would be a stretch for her to open up. There needed to be a foundation of trust before Kim would leak even the tiniest bit of truth. Ava took the first step and hoped she hadn’t pushed too far.
“I … um … can’t talk about this right now. I appreciate your concern, but I’m fine. Maybe sometime …”
Gravel crunched outside the dining room window. The vehicle that pulled into the driveway cut her words off and panic exploded in Kim’s eyes. “Tessa, baby,” she called toward the kitchen, “go upstairs and get ready for supper. Hurry, please.”
She turned back to Ava while Tessa darted up the stairs. “You need to go, Ava. Please.” She practically pushed Ava to the door.
“Okay, but please call me if you need anything …”
The back door opened and slammed shut. Kim jumped. “Kim, why didn’t you bring the garbage can in from the street and why isn’t dinner on the table? You’re about worthless!” A man’s voice yelled from the back of the house. It had to be Ray.
Ava wanted to run out the door because of the harshness of his voice. She couldn’t imagine how Kim felt with it being directed at her. Ray swore, followed by throwing something into the sink.
Kim cleared her throat. “Ray, we have a visitor.” Her voice quivered.
Ray strolled into the room with a smile pressed across his face. Ava expected to see the cutout mold the movies always portrayed of an abusive man. Beer belly, white tank top, and gruff sneer. Instead the opposite approached her. An attractive man, clean cut, with the confident look of a charmer.
“Ray, this is Tessa’s teacher, Miss Williams.”
He walked up to her and shook her hand. His closeness made Ava’s muscles tense. She wanted to step back but didn’t want to make the uneasy situation more awkward than it already was.
“It’s nice to finally meet you, Miss Williams. I’ve heard wonderful things about you. Tessa adores you.”
“Thank you. She is a very sweet girl and a joy in my classroom.”
“Your visit is unexpected. Is everything okay at school with Tessa?” His smile was deceptive but she was no fool.
Ava tucked her hair behind her ear and swallowed, trying to get the lump out of her throat. She wasn’t sure what to say or how to explain why she had come. The last thing she wanted to do was get Kim in more trouble. Ava didn’t want to lie, but she needed
to sugarcoat the truth. She’d never been good at thinking fast on her feet.
“I, um, haven’t talked with Kim much lately and thought I would walk Tessa home after school to see how she was doing.”
“Hmm, aren’t you a dedicated teacher?” His words, while spoken through the semblance of a smile, dripped with sarcasm.
“I care very much about my students’ home lives and their happiness.”
He folded tanned, muscular arms across his chest and took a step toward Ava, shedding all pretenses. Shivers surged through her body from the way he studied her, his eyes tracing the full length of her body.
“Tell you what, Miss Williams. Your concern is noted, but not needed. I am in charge of this household now and we are just fine. Kim and Tessa are well taken care of and our home life is honestly none of your business. Thank you for bringing Tessa home. It won’t be needed again in the future.”
Helplessness washed over Ava. She wanted to protect Kim and Tessa but didn’t know what to do. She heard and clearly understood Ray’s underlying threat. Her continued presence would only cause further distress for Kim. She turned toward Kim, ignoring him. “Kim, it was good to see you again.”
“You too. Good-bye, Miss Williams.”
Ava’s legs strained to move as if lead had filled her shoes, while she walked back to the school. Her anger stifled her cry, but once she settled down the tears would come. She had no doubt that man was hurting Kim whether she admitted it or not. In the five minutes that Ava was in Ray’s presence she could see how controlling and vindictive he was.
In their last meeting for the abuse support group they discussed some of the warning signs of abuse but also covered the topic of why most women take the beatings silently. The few reasons they discussed were sad and heartbreaking. It was upsetting to hear the statistics at first and not fully understand why these women just didn’t run or stick up for themselves. People could easily judge their lack of action when they weren’t in the circumstance. After being in a home that showed the signs, their entrapment was understandable.
Some women were simply embarrassed. They thought they knew this man they loved but were rudely awakened when their prince charming became a dud. A number of women kept quiet because they felt like they didn’t deserve better. Whether their self-esteem was shot or never there to begin with, it was the best they thought they could do. They also didn’t want to be alone or felt they couldn’t support themselves, so they mistakenly decided to just stay in the relationship. Several women were so in love, the abuse didn’t matter. In most cases remorse followed the abuse, so when the apologies started, they replaced their fear with affection and hope that the abuser would change.
Sadly, some women thought the abuse had been their fault. They put the blame on themselves because they didn’t do what they were told or because they made him angry and egged him on to the violence. They put the blame solely on themselves. The bottom line was that their actions deserved the beatings.
The last scenario was the hardest to swallow because the majority of women were afraid to leave or tell someone. They were scared for their life or scared they would get caught leaving and endure an even harsher punishment. Some were in fear their children would suffer and be hurt in the backlash of the anger. If they took the beating, it meant that they spared their children. It was a love wrongly misplaced and confused.
Ava reached the park and took a detour from walking back to the school. The playground appeared fairly empty. She sat on the swings and tried to unwind. The light breeze made the sweat on her forehead cool while she leaned her head against the chains. She wanted to talk with someone, get the frustration off her chest. One person came to mind. Without weighing the consequences and what the undercurrent of her actions meant, she took her cell phone out of her back pocket and dialed.
Matt drove east out of the city, doing his best to keep at the speed limit while talking himself out of turning on his lights for an excuse to go faster. The call from Ava came as he left the station, which put them on opposite sides of the city. Ava sounded upset but didn’t elaborate on why. She had simply asked if he could meet her at the park by her school.
Their first date had gone well besides the drama at the coffeehouse … or so he thought. When he held her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. But when she stiffened in his embrace, he needed to. Whatever hidden demons clung to her, pushing her wasn’t the answer. From the few words they shared on the phone he hoped she wasn’t upset about them. At least Ava didn’t say the four words every guy dreaded hearing—“We need to talk.” However, he would feel better once he saw her.
He handled his car with ease as he approached the park and found a parking spot near the front. About thirty yards from the playground, he spotted her sitting on one of the swings, kicking stones around with her shoe. She looked lost in thought and didn’t hear him approach.
“Hey,” Matt said as he wedged his frame into the swing next to hers.
Ava looked over. The tears glistening on her eyelashes took him off guard.
“Hi.”
Seeing her didn’t put his mind at ease and he began to second guess himself about why she had called him here.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes … no … I don’t know.” Her last words were articulated in frustration. She pushed the swing back and forth slowly, her feet never leaving the ground. “I think one of my student’s mom is being abused by her live-in boyfriend.”
He realized the redness in her face didn’t come from the warm weather, but from being upset. Her shoulders slumped forward as if weights had been placed on her. She was obviously involved in the situation emotionally, so he needed to keep a level head.
“Why do you think that?”
Ava stopped the swing and twisted around to look straight at him. “A few problems have occurred in the last couple of weeks that made me concerned about the home life of my student Tessa. I walked her home today to speak with her mom, Kim. Kim’s arm was in a sling and one side of her face was covered in bruises. She was nervous and on edge, clearly hiding something.”
“Did she admit to being abused?”
Matt had seen this too much in his profession. If a man had to beat a woman, it only showed that he was weak and a coward.
“No, but I could tell she wanted to, only we were interrupted by her boyfriend, Ray. Matt, he made me feel so uncomfortable. I couldn’t get out of that house fast enough.”
“Did he touch you or say something to upset you?” All level-headedness left him. If that man even touched a hair on her head …
“No, it was nothing like that. He was just stern in getting his point across that I was to keep my nose out of their business. It was mostly the way he spoke to her.”
Matt studied her, trying to see if he could read her emotions and if she was telling the truth. He speculated she was angry and honest. She wore her heart on her sleeve and her thoughts on her face.
He let her words soak in and watched the sun begin to set and coat the sky with splashes of pink and orange. They sat in comfortable silence, neither eager to break the quiet. Matt figured she called him for a reason, so he would wait. Ava had so many other people in her life that she could confide in. He hoped this was a good sign, the first step in her trusting him.
Ava broke the silence first. “Matt, I need you to do me a favor.”
“If I can.”
“I need you to intervene and check out this Ray guy, or even get Tessa and Kim away from him.” The pleading in her eyes crushed him.
Matt figured this would be Ava’s request and he hated having to disappoint her. Domestic abuse frustrated him and left a nasty taste in his mouth. He had taken a vow to serve and protect, but his hands were tied concerning this situation.
“Ava, I’m so sorry, but there is nothing I can do.”
“What do you mean, there’s nothing you can do?”
“Listen, I know you’re upset and I wish I could help, but I can’t.”
Her words didn’t come across as callous, just discouraged. Any type of abuse was a tricky problem where the law was concerned. Even if a wife was being abused by her husband, unless she pressed charges there was nothing the police could do. If they were called to the house because of a domestic disturbance, he could take the husband to jail for a night or two, but in most cases they would make bail quickly, and sadly it was usually paid by the wife.
If it would make a difference he’d knock at Kim’s door right now and check out the situation. However, Ava’s concern came from a hunch, and even if she was right and Kim was being abused, having a policeman show up would only cause Kim more problems. She had mentioned at Kyle and Kate’s wedding about being a part of the abuse support group at her church, which meant she knew the signs, but she also knew the way the system worked. If he were a betting man, he’d put his money on the fact that she knew what his answer would be but felt the need to ask anyway.
A few kids who looked to be middle school age walked across the playground as a shortcut to the basketball court. They were oblivious to the intense conversation that was taking place. He hesitated to answer her until they had their privacy.
Matt stood and came around to face her, crouching down to put him at eye level with Ava. He placed his hands on the chains of the swing, pulling her toward him so her knees touched his chest. He was invading her personal space, but he didn’t care.
“Ava, you and I both know there is nothing I can do. Unless Kim comes forward and presses charges, my hands are tied.” He didn’t like it, but it was the bitter truth.
“Or until he beats her to death.”
No accusations laced her tone, only sadness. The anger she’d held earlier diminished and was replaced with hopelessness.
A Rescued Heart (Rescued Heart Romance) Page 6