Every Shattered Thing (Come Alive) (25 page)

There has to be a way,
I think.

He leans over and kisses my forehead and Jude walks in the door with Emma. Something’s up—I can tell. Emma is avoiding my gaze. I know them well enough to not ask. They’ll let me know when they’re ready...or I am.

Jude smiles and catches my eye and walks over to my bed, waiting for Kevin to slide off so he can take his place. Kevin moves to the other side of the room to grab one of the chairs.

“Hey, kid. How are you feeling?”

“Better. Where’s Benjamin?”

“Good. We dropped him off at his grandparents on the way here. We figured he had enough hospital for one day.” He looks at Emma as she leans against the doorframe of the room. She’s still avoiding my gaze—focusing instead on the hallway and the doctors passing by. I can’t take it anymore.

Forget waiting.

“What’s going on?”

Jude rests his hand on mine.

“Your dad filed a missing child report.”

I shake my head. “What does that even mean? I haven’t even been gone...”

“For 24 hours. We know. But, it means the police force is required to keep an eye out for you.

You’re this close to being classified as a runaway. With that article that just came out about Marisol, we need to get you back home before you are taken into custody. With your dad’s history and how he’s using the police for his benefit, this isn’t good for you. We don’t need them to have any reason to take you in to custody.”

I grimace at Marisol’s name and finger the blanket. “Um...did you guys read the article?”

Jude and Kevin glance at each other. Jude nods. “Yeah. We read it. Seems the authorities are a little overwhelmed at the moment. And no, I haven’t said anything, Steph.”

I breathe a sigh of relief I didn’t even know I was holding, "Thanks, Jude. Have they found her?”

“Not yet. Everyone of her friends is playing mum’s the word and her father is pretending to know nothing. No one can find her mom.”

“She visited me.”

Kevin jerks his head around. “What?! She was...she was here? In this room? Steph...” he glances again at Jude and then back to me, “Why didn’t you say something?”

“I don’t know...it just, it was weird. It didn’t feel like I needed to until now.”

“What did she say? Was anyone else here?” Jude starts shooting questions at me and noticing my eyes starting to glaze over he starts over, “Sorry, Steph. I don’t mean to overwhelm you. Did she say anything?”

“She just said there was some way the guys found out they were being followed by authorities and so they turned around; ended up finding a taxi-driver to make his car a portable brothel for the evening.”

Jude’s eyes widen. Emma, quiet until now, moves toward Jude, grabbing his arm for balance.

“What? A...a
taxi
?” Kevin looks at Jude for explanation and he nods, trying to remain calm. He stands up and runs his fingers through his hair.

“I’ve uh...I’ve heard of this happening before. Usually in larger cities, mostly during big events like the Super Bowl or the Olympics. Sometimes though it’s just commonplace.” He lowers his head and starts to pace, thinking out loud. Emma takes to sitting on a nearby chair, her head in her hands, muffled sobs coming out of her mouth.

“Did she say where they were?”

“No.”

“Did she tell you who took her specifically?”

“No.”

“Did she tell you anything else we should know?”

“Yeah. She said other guys talk about me. Tell her they like her more. She also said my dad has plans for me when he finds me.”

Kevin starts clinching his fists. I know he’s upset. I know he’s struggling to find the balance between defending me and being there for me. I reach for his hand and his fingers relax.

Jude looks at me and studies my face.

“You know we’re going to get you out of this, right? You trust me, don’t you?”

I nod and a lone tear escapes, running down my cheek. “I trust you, Jude. What are we going to do though? How am I going to get out of this?”

“I have no idea, Steph. But I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you’re safe. I won’t stop until I figure it out - you believe me, right?”

I glance at Kevin who let go of my hand and is now pacing the room. Emma is still rocking in the chair, her anxiety peaked.

I nod again and force a smile. “I believe you.”

Jude sniffs back tears and kisses me on the forehead. “Good. Now let’s talk about a plan.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“So let me get this straight. I can’t even stay the night with you guys?”

Jude winces. “No.”

“Not just one night?” I hear Emma sniff and I move my eyes toward her—she’s already turning and walking off into the hallway. I glance back at Jude and catch him looking at his wife.

“She’s taking this really hard, Stephanie. And I am too. It feels like we are feeding you to the lion, but we’re going to do everything we can to get you out of there—for good. You just have to trust us.

We’re not giving up—not in the slightest. We may not know where to start, but we’re doing something.

We’re figuring it out as we go along.” His eyes are spitting fire.

“Okay.” My voice is small. My breath is coming in quick gasps, memories once again flashing through my head like a broken film strip wheel. Blinking and broken and blurry...I fight for control of my thoughts. “I just....” My breaths come quicker and I grab for the metal railings on my bed. “He’s a monster. I’m supposed to pretend nothing’s happened?”

“Absolutely not.” Kevin jumps in to the conversation and Jude glances his way. “I mean, right Jude? This isn’t leaving her hanging. It’s only temporary. Right?”

Jude sighs. “It is temporary. But we really need to be careful we don’t have some knee-jerk reaction that makes this worse for Stephanie.” He looks at me. “Trust me. If I could take you from this hospital, I would. I would bring you home and we’d never have to worry about this ever again. But because of the attention Marisol is getting, we just have to lay low—maybe only for a couple of nights.”

I shake my head in confusion. “Are the authorities planning on doing something?”

Jude shrugs. “I have no idea. I haven’t been able to get info from anyone in our local police force.

I just know that usually, the good guys have no idea and the bad guys start to get a little crazy when information starts leaking. We need to be careful.”

I nod and whisper. “Why does it feel like it may get worse before it gets better?”

Jude clears his throat.

“I don’t know, Steph. I can’t—I can’t pretend to understand what you’re going through.”

Kevin comes over and grabs my hand and rubs his thumb over my own. “You always have us.

Always. And you know where we live if you have to make a run for it.”

Jude leans down and pulls up a bag resting on the floor. “We got you something, too. Hopefully something that will help us keep in communication with each other.”

I look at him and crinkle my eyebrows. “You got me something?”

He hands me the bag and I open it to find a cell phone, nicer than anything I’ve had before.

“We added you to our plan, so you don’t have to worry about minutes or texting or anything like that. Our phone numbers are already saved and shortlisted on the speed dial. There should be no reason why you can’t ever get a hold of us. Just uh...make sure your dad doesn’t get a hold of it. Make sure to keep it on you at all times, okay?”

My head drops and I smile. I don’t deserve these people. And yet, they keep coming back. Keep helping me and believing in me. I look at him and wipe the tears from my eyes. “Guys. Thanks so much.

You...you didn’t have to do this, at all.”

“Yes we did.” Emma calls from the door. She’s finally come in - her cheeks blotchy from crying.

I look up and notice her smiling and standing next to Dr. Martin. Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes though

—and her fingers are clenched together by her sides.

Not good. Stop stressing for me, Emma.

Dr. Martin walks through the door.

“Hey Stephanie. I have some good news for you. It looks like we were finally able to get a hold of your father. He’s on his way to pick you up. He sounds pretty concerned. You should be able to leave in a few hours.” The doctor is elated. She has no idea what’s really going on because apparently in order to keep my confidentiality, Derrick didn’t fill in the rest of the staff about my situation. She smiles at Emma like she’s done us a favor and turns to walk away.

My face crumples, my head falling into my hands.

No. No - no - no - no - NO! My dad can’t come. He can’t.

I feel Kevin’s arms around me and I collapse against him for strength, relying on the fierceness of his hold and his breath close to my ear. I can’t help but compare his embrace to the ones I received the night before. One forced, the other welcomed. One dirty, the other pure.

“Stephanie, I promise with everything inside of me we’re going to get you out of there one day. I know it...I feel it. I will do it myself if I have to.”

I freeze at his words.

“Please don’t say that unless you mean it.”

Kevin looks at me.

“I mean it, Steph. Every syllable. You’re going to get out of there.”

My heart starts throbbing—seriously—
throbbing
with the pain of wanting to believe.

I look at Emma. She walks over to me, tears in her eyes, and whispers in my ear. “We promise, love. Anything we can do to make this nightmare end, we’ll be there. We’ll do it. It doesn’t matter. And until then, hang on. We’re coming as fast as we can.”

I lean my head against Emma’s and we stay there for a while before Jude clears his throat. “Um -

Emma, we need to leave before her father shows.” He looks at me and smiles. “Hang in there, Steph.”

I watch them leave and finally meet Kevin’s gaze before I hear the crashing of boots against the tile floor outside. My breath catches and he places his hand on my arm.

“Don’t worry. I’m gone. I love you.” He kisses my cheek and slides out the door, placing his hoodie over his head as he throws a glance over his shoulder, probably trying to catch a look at my dad. I pray he doesn’t notice Kevin and wait for him to walk in the room.

Breath raspy, heart pounding and tears forming—I wait for the man who haunts my dreams.

Chapter Twenty-Four

He walks in and Dr. Martin immediately begins talking.

“She sustained some serious lacerations from forced contact, Mr. Tiller. She’s very lucky her injuries aren’t worse.”

My father grunts and rubs his eyes with his hands, the picture of a father broken over his daughter’s attack.

“Do you have any idea who did this?” His voice sounds strained, like he’s actually forcing back tears. I fight the laughter at his display of emotion and wait for her to fall in to his grasp. They always do when they haven’t had any experience with him in the past.

Dr. Martin catches my eye and I shake my head slightly—begging her to not share what I

confessed to any doctor who would listen.

Not that it matters.

“No...although the extent of her abuse makes us wonder if more than one person was involved.

She will need a few days of rest.”

He nods his head and lowers his eyebrows. Walking over to the side of my bed he caresses my arm and leans over to kiss my cheek. I hide the disgust on my face when I feel his whiskers grate against my skin.

“Don’t think I can’t smell that cologne, you whore. I saw the boy leave. You trying to have some fun on the side? Not gonna happen.” He takes one of my injured fingers and twists it slightly. I bite my lip to keep from screaming. “Don’t let me see him around you again unless he’s got money in his hands and a condom in his pocket. I can find him. I can always find him. You better let him know I’m watching.” I flinch. His breath is hot and I hear him chuckle. “Besides. Odds are he wouldn’t be able to say no to Marisol. She paid you a visit today, didn’t she? Are you beginning to understand just how powerful your pops is? You think your life is a mess now, dontcha? Just wait, you little bitch. Don’t cross me. I gots more surprises up my sleeve.”

Don’t make a face, Stephanie. Don’t make a face.

I close my eyes and breathe deeply. My stomach lurching at the picture of Marisol trying to come on to Kevin - having already seen her at work in the hallway at school, I know her tactics.

“Thanks, dad.”

I use the standard script. Be thankful; act graceful; show love.

“And don’t think you’re getting away with this. What kind of crap are you trying to pull? Coming to the hospital?! What the hell, Stephanie?”

His breath is fire as he pats my shoulder and brings his head up away from my ear. He’s done with the lecturing. For now. I watch his eyes and fight against the bile when I notice his pretend tears peeking out the side of his eyes. I look over at Dr. Martin and she’s bought it all.

“Mr. Tiller, I would like to give you a card for our child psychologist. In these cases we feel it’s necessary the girls gain complete restoration. Stephanie’s gone through quite the ordeal—it’s important you know it will take her awhile to achieve normalcy. Even then, everything will be different.”

She has no idea what my normal looks like.

I cough and they both shoot me a glance. My dad’s face creases into a scowl.

“Oh...sorry. I just saw a clown walking down the hall and he made me laugh. He was uh...wearing some type of...” I motion to my robe and hope they understand what I am attempting to say. My dad rolls his eyes and Dr. Martin smiles.

“Oh yes, that’s Hank. He’s our resident comedian. He works with the kids in the trauma unit.

They love him! Such a talent.” She straightens her jacket and places her pen in her pocket. “Please do not hesitate to call if you have any questions about Stephanie’s recovery. And Stephanie...” she turns and looks at me. “Take care of yourself. No more late walks?”

I nod.

“Yep.”

She turns to give my father a grin.

“Here are her papers—you guys are free to leave.”