“The problem is the same as when I was eight years old,” Avery spits back, “I think you’re a disgusting piece of shit—”
Her voice trails off in a pained yelp, and I hear the sound of a struggle from behind the door. In a panic, I try the door knob, only to find it locked. Adrenaline spikes through my system as I realize the direness of the situation. I can’t even count how many times this happened when we were little kids, when I was powerless to stop it. But I’m not a powerless little girl anymore. I raise my fists and pound on the thick wooden door, screaming through the barrier.
“Avery! Avery, it’s me! Open up!” I shout.
I hear my sister fumble desperately for the lock and wrench the door wipe open. I rush inside and come face-to-face with Avery. Her chest heaves with barely-contained sobs, and black mascara stains her cheeks with dark rivulets. One strap of her dress hangs off her shoulder, nearly ripped clean off. And standing behind Avery, glowering at me over her shoulder, is none other than Daryl Hellman.
A dozen memories of moments just like this come roaring back to me. Stumbling in on the wake of this man’s abuse, always aware of what had happened but never able to prove a thing. Daryl Hellman has been my father’s business partner for ten years now, since Avery and I were eight years old. And for ten years, he’s made Avery’s life a living hell. He’s been careful never to get caught with her outright. He’s made a habit of cornering her when no one is around to see, so that it has always been her word against his. This isn’t the first time I’ve walked in on the aftermath of his abuse, but it will be the last.
“It’s OK,” I whisper, taking Avery in my arms, “I’m here, now. He can’t hurt you.”
“Come, now. No one was hurting anyone, here,” Daryl mutters, taking a step toward us.
“Stop right there,” I command, placing myself between him and Avery.
“Calista, sweetie. You’re overreacting,” Daryl goes on, a false smile spreading across his tanned face.
“Like hell I am,” I spit, turning to Avery. “Go and find our parents,” I tell her, “I’ll be there in a minute, OK?”
Avery nods tearfully and takes off down the hallway, back toward the tinkling conversation of the party. With a belly full of rage, I turn on my heel and march up to Daryl Hellman. His face is flushed with booze and lust, and I wish I could smack that smarmy grin off his face. He reeks of alcohol, and must be half a dozen drinks in.
“And here I thought she was safe from you, now that she’s not a child,” I snarl, glaring up into his ruddy face. “I bet you think you’re really fucking smart, having gotten away with this for so long. But guess what? You’re done. This is the last time you’ll be within a hundred feet of her, you prick.”
Daryl laughs, running his eyes down the length of my body. “Why, are you here to take her place? Suits me just fine. You’re not quite as pretty, but you’ll do in a pinch.”
Before I can utter a word, his thick arms have circled around my waist like a vice. I gasp as he swings me around, slamming me up against the wall of the coat room. My head cracks against the hardwood, and starbursts erupt across my field of vision.
Daryl keeps me pinned there, my fists smashing against any bit of his burly form I can reach. His beefy hands rove down my body, cupping my breasts and ass as his pungent breath suffocates me. I try to scream, but his forearm jams up against my windpipe, rendering me voiceless. In a blind panic, I cock back my fist and slam it hard against the side of his face. Even this only startles him for a second or so. And when he focuses his eyes on me once more, his lust has been coupled with outrage.
“You little bitch,” he growls drunkenly, choking me with that one meaty forearm as he reaches his searching hand up my dress.
My entire body rallies against his disgusting advances. Instinctively, I bring my knee up sharply between his legs. The sudden strike finally throws him off. He staggers away from me, tumbling into a rack of coats. I sink back against the wall, my chest heaving with terrified, furious sobs. Though he’s been victimizing Avery for the last ten years, Daryl has never touched me before tonight. No one has ever laid his hands on me like that. Even in this moment, I know that the lesson I’ve learned tonight will stay with me for the rest of my life. It’s that knowledge that brings my foot crashing down on the bridge of Hellman’s foot, though he’s already been felled. Serves him the hell right.
Thundering footsteps echo through the cavernous house as someone sprints toward the coat room. My dad must have finally listened to Avery, seen how upset she was. Surely, he’s finally coming to give Hellman the throttling he’s always deserved. I scramble out into the hallway, putting as much distance between myself and the crumpled form of Daryl as I can. Just as I round the corner, stumbling on my high heels, two strong, stable hands catch me before I fall. I blink up through startled tears and find two familiar eyes blazing down at me. But it isn’t my father’s face that hovers before me now.
“Oh my god, Jack...” I gasp, my knees giving out beneath me. The shock of what’s just happened is starting to take hold of my body.
“Callie, are you OK?” he asks fiercely, holding me up in his solid embrace.
“He didn’t...I got him...” I breathe, unable to wrangle my thoughts into full sentences. “It’s Avery who... Where—?”
“I’m here Callie,” I hear my sister’s soft voice say from down the hall.
I swing my gaze her way. She’s paralyzed in the middle of the foyer, afraid to come any closer to Daryl’s prostrate form. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen her look so vulnerable. Gathering my strength, I rip myself away from the safety of Jack’s embrace and go to her. We wrap our arms around each other, holding one another up even as we’re held.
A wail of pain rings out from down the hall, and our attention snaps back to the coat room. We watch as Jack pins Daryl Hellman to the hardwood floor, cocks back his arm, and cracks his fist against the older man’s jaw. The second he saw for sure that Avery and I were out of harm’s way, Jack descended on our attacker. He moves with pure fury, in a rage like nothing I’ve ever seen from him, or anyone.
And I’m not about to stop him, either.
“What the hell is going on here?” roars a furious voice from the down the hall.
Avery and I spin around where we stand rooted in the center of the foyer. Five stormy, lined faces appear before us, advancing to staunch the unfolding disturbance before it causes a scene. My father Howard leads the charge with Jack’s dad, Richard, on his heels. They brush past Avery and I without so much as a passing glance. Bringing up the rear are my mother Sylvia, Jack’s mom Anita, and—much to my horror and dismay—Daryl Hellman’s wife, Beth.
The older women descend on us, forming a protective pen as the men go charging toward the coat room. Richard Cole, a silver-haired advertising executive and the bane of Jack’s existence, rips his son away from the fight, not without a great deal of effort. I feel my heart stop in its tracks and my father stands over his business partner. But instead of throttling the man for what he’s done, or coming to his daughters’ defense at all, he offers his hand to Daryl Hellman, helping him up off the floor.
“Is he...Did he just...?” I splutter, looking around at the stony women surrounding me.
“Go upstairs, girls,” my mother says to me and Avery. “We’ll deal with you two later.”
“Deal with us?” I explode, “And how are you going to deal with the man who just tried to rape your daughters?”
“Keep your voice down,” my mother hisses, glancing back toward the party.
“There’s no need to throw that kind of language around,” Anita clicks her tongue.
“What has gotten into all of you?” Richard Cole asks, dragging Jack toward us as my father and Daryl Hellman bring up the rear. “All of you, apologize to Mr. Hellman at once.”
“Like hell,” Jack says through gritted teeth, ripping his arm away from his father, “That scumbag cornered Avery in there, just like he’s been doing for
the past ten years. And when Callie tried to stop him—”
“That’s ridiculous,” Beth Hellman says lightly. “My husband did no such thing.”
“He’s had a couple of drinks, just like the rest of us,” my father adds. “You girls are just being overly sensitive. We’re just of a different time. Isn’t that right, Daryl?”
“I don’t know what to make of this younger generation,” Daryl grumbles, wiping a splatter of blood from his split lip.
“Mom, Dad,” I say urgently, looking back and forth between their impassive faces, “This man has been abusing Avery since she was—”
“Stop it Callie,” Avery hisses, clutching my hand, “I don’t want to do this now. Not with everyone here—”
“Since she was eight years old,” I go on, too furious to hold my tongue. “Not five minutes ago he had me pinned to a wall, trying to put his hands—”
“I’ve heard just about enough of this,” my father cuts me off, “These are not accusations you can just throw around, Calista. There are consequences—”
“Are there really?” I challenge, stepping up to my dad, “Because as far as I can tell, he’s been getting away with this scot-free for years—”
“I think I’d better make my exit, here,” Daryl says crisply, brushing past us toward the door, “Let you deals with these girls of yours. Come on, Beth.”
“You’re going to let him walk away, aren’t you?” I ask breathlessly, staring around at my parents and the Coles.
“Just look at Avery,” Jack snarls to the adults around us, gesturing to her ripped dress, her streaked makeup. “You think she’s making this up? You think we’re all—?”
“That’s enough,” my mother shouts, as the Hellmans beat a quick retreat, “I don’t know what kind of sick joke you three are trying to play, but my patience has officially run out. All of you either pull yourselves together and get back to the party or excuse yourselves.”
“Alright,” I fume, reaching for Avery’s hand, “We’ll leave.”
“That sounds like a fine idea,” my father says, crossing his arms. “Go cool off, and—”
“No Dad,” I cut in, “We’re leaving for good.”
“I need a drink,” Anita Cole mutters, walking away, “Come on, Richard. We’ll deal with Jack later.”
“We’ve been talking about this for a while, Avery and I,” I tell my parents as the Coles depart. “Now that we’re eighteen, we can finally—”
“Callie, no!” Avery says desperately, “We never agreed to anything.”
“Avery,” my mother says, exasperated, “Could you please tell us what your sister is rambling on about?”
“Tell them Ave,” I plead with my sister, taking her hands in mine. “I know it’s scary, but you have to sometime. Tell them what Daryl has been doing to you. Tell them that we’re leaving because they refuse to protect us, or listen, or—”
“I...I don’t...” Avery sputters, pulling her hands out of my grasp. “I’m sorry, Callie. I can’t. I don’t want to go. I wouldn’t know how to make it, on my own.”
“You won’t be on your own,” I plead, my hopes plummeting, “You’ll have me.”
But I can tell that I’ve already lost this battle. Avery shakes her head, and takes a shaky step back toward our parents. I stare at my sister, feeling the world fall away beneath my feet. She looks back at me from behind a mask of composed sorrow. I know, in this instant, that she’ll never tell my parents the whole truth of what has happened to her. She’ll never seek justice. She’ll never face this ugly truth again. From my very core, I know with absolute certainty that this silence is going to destroy her. She’s not coming with me.
But that doesn’t mean I’m going to stay.
“Right,” I breathe, looking around at my parents, my sister, and the pained face of Jackson Cole. “Well. Enjoy the rest of your party, then.”
“When will you be home?” my mother asks primly, laying a hand on Avery’s shoulder.
“Oh, mom,” I murmur, “You wouldn’t hear me if I told you.”
I turn on my heel and head for the door. As I turn away from my family, from the twinkling cocktail party, and even from Jackson Cole, I know that my stay in this world of their’s is over. The moment I step out that door, I’ll be utterly on my own. Nothing has ever been more freeing, and more terrifying, than this.
Just as I’m about to take that final step into the fresh spring night, someone catches my hand. I turn to find Jackson staring down at me, ardent desperation gleaming in his eyes. My family has already retreated into the great room. He’s the only one holding me here, now.
“Cal,” Jack rasps, lacing his fingers through mine and holding tight. “I know this whole thing is absolutely fucked, but come on. You can’t leave like this.”
“I can’t. But I have to,” I tell him firmly, meeting his desperate gaze. “Thank you. For helping me back there. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t—”
“Let me drive you somewhere. Anywhere,” he cuts me off, “We can figure out a game plan. Figure out how to take Hellman down, find a way to help Avery. We can do this together, Callie. Just please. Don’t—”
“Jack,” I say quietly, laying a hand on his firm chest, “I’m sorry, but there are some things that just can’t be fixed. No matter how hard you try.”
“I don’t accept that,” he says fiercely, holding my hand flush to his chest.
“That’s why you’re going to do amazing things with your life,” I reply, smiling sadly, “I hope I get to hear all about them someday.”
“Cal,” he whispers, taking my face in his hands.
“What is it, Jack?” I ask, my voice barely audible as I’m overcome by the nearness of him. Even though my body is still reeling from Hellman’s despicable touch, the nearness of Jack cuts right through that unease. I feel my body being drawn to his. It’s like gravity, this feeling. I find myself wondering if I really have the strength to break away. To turn my back on this person who has always understood me, even if from afar.
He levels his gaze at me, takes a breath, and simply says, “Don’t leave us.”
I stare up at him in the low light. I know that he means is, “Don’t leave me.” But to my honest surprise, it’s still not enough. I can’t be what he needs right now. I need to do what’s right for me, what’s going to keep me safe and whole. And god knows, that doesn’t involve staying under this roof for another night.
“Bye Jack,” I whisper back, brushing the rich brown locks away from his forehead, standing on tiptoe to reach him. My face is barely an inch away from his, and I feel my body making a decision before my brain has time to check it. I bring my lips swiftly to his, amazed by the soft fullness of his kiss. In half a second, his surprise wears off, and he kisses me right back. I wrap my arms around his broad shoulders, pressing myself flush against his muscled form. His arms circle the small of my back as our mouths move together. His tongue sweeps against mine, and I shudder with pleasure as the taste of him goes straight to my head.
A deep, aching want rushes through my body as I press myself to Jack. The intensity of our kiss takes us both by surprise...mostly because it feels so natural. So right. And it’s that rightness, more than anything that dashes my heart into a thousand pieces. No matter how good it feels, or how good we could have been together, I can’t stay to find out. Not now.
Now, I have to go. I tear myself from his embrace, my chest tight with impending despair. I turn away from him, from my home, from my family. From everything I’ve ever known.
“Callie,” he calls after me. I can hear the hopelessness in his voice. He knows I’m already gone. I turn to look at my brown-haired best friend of old. My Jack.
“Hey. By the way,” I say softly, “You really did make a wonderful Romeo. I wasn’t kidding about that ‘do amazing things with your life’. If you want to do the acting thing, don’t let anyone stop you.”
“I won’t,” he tells me, steeling himself against my le
aving. “I promise you, Cal.”
And with one last smile, I tear my eyes away from him. I take my final step away from my life so far, and my first step into the life I’m about to make from nothing.
Chapter Nine
New York City
Present Day
Ohhh boy... I think to myself, as I feel myself rising up from a heavy, vodka-soaked slumber, this is not gonna be pretty.
Rolling onto my back, I gingerly pry my eyelids open, just a hair. A groan escapes my throat as the vibrant morning sunlight floods straight into my brain, searing it. I stare, unseeing, at the pristine white ceiling high overhead. For a good long moment, it doesn’t even occur to me that I’ve never seen this particular ceiling before. Where are the water stains and hairline cracks in the paint that usually greet me upon waking? Why have the sounds of Bernadette’s many canine companions been replaced by a low whirring of traffic cut through with car horns and raised voices?
In short...Where the hell am I?
A cavalcade of images from last night parades through my barely-awake brain, crashing cymbals and all. I sit bolt upright as my hangover is temporarily seared away by the startling series of events that comes rushing back to me all at once. Driving to NYC, seeing Jackson sitting at that classy bar, the drinks, the way his eyes lingered on my body, the next round of drinks, his proposition, his promises, his body pressed against mine...
And of course, the brand new digs he’s set up for me.
My eyes dart all around the space, struggling to take in all this new information. I’m perched in the middle of a sprawling queen sized bed, hugging the cloud-like comforter around my shoulders. My green dress and black heels from last night are laid out on a wing-backed chair across the room. With a gasp, I glance down at my body and find that I’ve miraculously changed in a plain white tee shirt—A man’s tee shirt—with my own lacy panties underneath. And I have a pretty good idea as to which man’s tee shirt this is, too.
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