Emerald (Steele Investigations) (21 page)

I sit beside the judge and look out over the two front
rows.  Grant and Judy, Kami and Will, Rae and Elliott, Rae’s mom Suzette and
her husband Michael, Tom, Travis and Harley, their compassionate eyes on me. 
They’re all here to support me as I read my victim impact statement.  Of all
the women and girls who came forward to give statements to Detective Kormier, I
am the only one speaking today.  I understand that.  Everyone has different
ways of healing. 

I make no move to look across to where my father is seated
with his lawyer.  I take deep breath and speak from my heart:

“My name is Jemma Calloway and I am twenty three years
old.  It took twenty two years of my life until I finally felt safe.  Feeling
safe is something a lot of people take for granted, but unfortunately at the
hands of my parents, Raymond and Cynthia Calloway, I was not granted the
luxury.  My father physically and sexually abused me throughout my childhood
and he told me repeatedly that I had to do these things to him to make him a
happy daddy.  When I misbehaved, instead of sending to me room or chastising
me, he would pinch my breasts or my bottom or roughly grab my vagina.”

My tears run unchecked down my face as I bravely continue.

“When I was sixteen my father took me to his friend’s
house and left me there for the night.  The ‘friend’ had paid my father a
substantial amount of money to take my virginity.  I wasn’t aware of this at
the time but the next day when my father came to pick me up, it didn’t bother
him that I was so sore I could barely walk.  No, he just kept telling me that I
was going to make him so much money; that I was his “prize pony”.  My mother
had been aware of the goings on in our house because she was also subjected to
them to a degree.  I witnessed him being physically and sexually aggressive to
my mother on numerous occasions.  The morning my father dropped me home, he did
not walk me inside and make sure I was okay.  He simply dropped me off at the
foot path and left me to make my way inside.  My mother came out and gave me a
bunch of money, an airplane ticket and the name of a lady who I was to contact
for a job.

My father allowed this only because my mother convinced
him.  I don’t know why.  But she did.  There was a catch, however, and that was
that I had to send my father one thousand dollars per month.  If I was late on
these payments he would show up and threaten to drag me back home where he
would “set me to work”.  He also got physical on these occasions. I spent the
first three years attending weekly therapy sessions to help me deal with the
demons inside me – I blamed myself for what went on in my house, I was angry at
myself, my father, my mother, the whole world.  I was so depressed I couldn’t
remember the last time I smiled, let alone laughed out loud.  Those therapy
sessions saved me.  They taught me that my father was in the wrong, that I did
nothing to make him behave the way he behaved.

I lived an entirely lonely and disturbingly secretive
existence until one year ago.  My father had conditioned me to believe that if
I made friends and told them what was happening in our home, he would have to
do things to my friends.  I never made a friend until I met Tom at an interview
where we both applying for a job.  We were both lucky enough to be successful
and I was even luckier because not only did I make a friend and get a job, I
also made a bunch more friends, found my soul mate and landed myself a family. 
A proper, caring, loving, supportive family.

If I had not met my partner, I would never have found out
that my father had been subjecting other girls to this torture.  It was finding
that out, that gave me the strength to make a report to the police so that he
could be stopped.

My father is a monster.  He should have loved and
cherished me.  Protected me from harm, not inflicted it on me.

I am glad he has finally been stopped, because now myself
and all those other girls he harmed can live peacefully and go about our lives
feeling safe.

As of today, Raymond and Cynthia Calloway no longer exist
to me.”

I stand in the dock and make my way back to sit by Travis. 
Before I can get to him, Judy hugs me fiercely.  She wipes the tears from my
eyes, ignoring her own which are streaming down her face, and then she lets me
go to my husband.

“You okay?” he asks, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and
holding me close.

“I feel lighter.  Relieved.”  I exhale the breath I didn’t know
I’d been holding.

“Mr. Calloway, please rise,” the bailiff instructs.

The judge reads a pre-prepared speech about what a heinous
crime my father committed, repeatedly and for an undetermined amount of time. 
He also speaks of my father not showing remorse for what he had done, but
instead remorse that he got caught.

“I sentence you to twenty five years in prison.  You will
not be eligible for parole.”  Then he bangs his gavel and walks out as we cheer
and my father is led out of the courtroom and out of my life.

******

Two months later

“Push, baby.  You’re doing great.  God, Nurse, can’t you give
her something for the pain?  Please.”

“Mr. Steele, I can’t give your wife anything now.  It’s too
late.  The baby will be here soon.  Now, give a big push, Jemma and hold it
until I count to ten. 
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine,
ten.

And again – PUSH.”

I push with everything I’ve got and a guttural sound tears
from my throat “Arrgghh.”

“The head!  The head!  I can see the head.  Oh, baby, you’re
doin’ so good.  I love you.  I’m sorry,” Travis rambles in my ear.

“Shut up,” I scream at him as I push through another
contraction.  Then I hear the most beautiful sound in the world – my baby’s
first cry.

“Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Steele.  You have a baby
girl,” the Nurse cheers as she hands me a bundle wrapped in blue and pink
hospital blankets.  I look down at my daughter –
my daughter –
and kiss
her soft forehead.  Then I start blubbering.

“I’m sorry I told you to shut up,” I sniffle.

“Don’t worry about that, mama.  We’ve got a daughter.  A
baby girl,” I wipe the tears from Travis’s cheeks as he kisses his daughter and
me repeatedly.

“Call our family in, honey,” I say, smiling.

He disappears out to the waiting room and reappears moments
later with Judy, Grant, Kami, Will, Travis, Rae, Elliott and Tom.  They are
laden with balloons, flowers, teddy bears and whole host of presents.  I pass
the baby to Travis who then hands her around so everyone can have a cuddle.

“What did you decide for a name?”  Rae asks

“We’re going to call her, Haven Judy Steele,” I answer.

Judy bursts into tears and hugs and kisses Travis before
laying the same affection on me.

I love that my daughter will grow up in this family.  I love
that she’ll always feel safe, protected and loved. 

Finally, I feel that way too.

Thank you for reading EMERALD.  If you enjoyed this book,
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