Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129460 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 647(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
I’m about to assure her I have everything covered, but before I can speak, she mutters, “Why didn’t I think about recording him back then? I had a phone, remember? We used it to film all those stupid outtakes during Sunday school.”
I want to remind her that shock alters our perspective in an instant, but since a much more pressing matter requires my attention, I veer for that instead. “Warren was sexually assaulting Jess?”
“No.” She breathes out in relief before lifting her watering eyes to mine. “It wasn’t like that. But when the officers viewed my footage, it had me wondering why I didn’t do that back then. If I had, it wouldn’t have been my word against his for so long. Someone might have believed me.”
“I believed you.”
“You don’t count.” I’m afraid my deepest and darkest secret has been exposed. I have no reason to panic. “You’re family. Family is meant to have your back.” She stops talking, swallows, then peers off into the distance. “Well, most families.”
Her dad spearheaded the campaign to defame her accusations. I once thought it was because he didn’t want the world to know his father was a pedophile, but as the years moved on, I realized he wasn’t hiding his father’s skeletons.
He was hiding his own.
I lift my chin with determination when the ghosts of Octavia’s past stop strangling her sense enough for her to see through the madness. “Do you know which car is Jess’s?”
“Uh… yeah, I’m reasonably sure I know which one is hers. Why?”
Her concern for Jess has her snoop radar off-kilter. She doesn’t even take a nibble at the bait I just threw her. “We should pick her up from the station. We know how bad gossipers are, so we shouldn’t throw her to them since she did nothing wrong.” Octavia’s return from the station that took her witness statement was flanked by two patrol cars, hence her chances of remaining anonymous from churchgoers was sent flying out the window. “You might need to drive, though.” When she scrubs her eyes, she sways like a leaf in a hot summer breeze. “I didn’t think the Benadryl was working, so I took the scammer version.”
We class sleeping pills as a sham since they’re pretty much sinus tablets packaged in a more expensive manner. The ingredients are identical, but the price tags are far from the same.
“And you’re still walking. Impressive,” I murmur under my breath while guiding her into Jess’s living room.
She flops onto the couch before puffing out my chest with pride. “You should have seen her, Caleb. She didn’t back down once. She was like a bull in a China shop.” She stares at a speck of dust floating through the air while murmuring, “I wish I could have been as strong as her.”
“You were, Tiv.” Since that is the truth, it sounds that way. Don’t get me wrong. I’d rather women not be harassed in any way, but watching a woman put a man in his place is a good reminder that not all women need saving.
“I’ll call the precinct and ask when we can collect her,” Octavia says through a yawn before patting her hands down her sweats, seeking her phone. “Oh my God. I’m such an idiot. My phone is evidence.”
“Here, use mine while I clean up the mess.” I toss her my phone, dump the burgers I purchased Jess into the freezer with the half a dozen she hasn’t eaten yet, then head for the broom closet wedged between the bathroom and Jess’s spare room.
I’m so eager to pick up Jess, I don’t consider she may want to piece back together the vase that looks ancient. I dump the shards into the bin, then return the meal kit products back into the packaging they were delivered.
The company assured me the food wouldn’t soil within twelve hours when I called them panicked they were going to deliver the two-week supply while Jess was carting me across town for my first stripper gig.
The purchase of fourteen preplanned meals is why I had to do tonight’s booking. I spent the down payment on the meal service for Jess, and although I could have asked for a refund, I had already reneged on my offer to invite Jess to eat with us the night a moaned word had me forgetting who I was pleasing.
Last week when I said I should have walked away, I wasn’t referencing Jess. I was talking about the man I called my grandfather. If I didn’t freeze the first time he touched me, perhaps he wouldn’t have done it again and again and again. But I didn’t run. I let him hurt me.
I’m still letting him hurt me.
Although I don’t see it being quite so bad while recalling Octavia’s admiration of Jess.
If she can stand up for herself, perhaps she’s strong enough to stand up for us both.