61. Kennedy
Kennedy
CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE
Months later
I’ve finally learned the meaning of having the support of a family.
After I left the courtroom the day I confronted Ryan and then his brother, Aell, I came home and everyone gathered around me, worried about what might cause my memory to return.
Anything.
For two whole months, it didn't. It was as if the episode never happened.
I took care of my children, loved my husband, and had the support of my dear Ernest.
I worked on my art, attended social events, family lunches, and parties.
I traveled and smiled.
Gradually, everyone became confident that I was okay.
Only Hades and Ernest remained vigilant, but over time, even my father relaxed.
Hades, no.
And then, one day, out of nowhere, I started crying in his arms and I couldn't stop because all at once, the horror of that night had come back.
I thought that the next morning I would be fine, but that wasn't what happened. I finally understood that I needed a type of help that my husband, as much as he loved me, couldn't give me.
As soon as my memory came back, I stopped seeing a psychiatrist, but I started going to therapy believing it would help me get over the bad phase, and that's what actually happened, but it also made me learn a lot about myself.
When I look back, I no longer have doubts whether I gave in too easily and forgave Hades ahead of time because, in the end, I am happy.
One day, one month, one more year of exercising my pride would only have kept me away from what I most wanted.
Him. Our children. A life together.
My friends and family were understanding and didn't force me to get well. They respected my time. They loved me even when I couldn't return that love. And mostly, they waited.
Just as suddenly as I broke, my healing began. One day, we were at the pool, and Kaiser, my youngest, let out a mamá , calling me Mommy in Greek.
I laughed because it was so cute!
The more I laughed, the more he called me, because one thing to be said for this boy is that he’s a show-off. King joined his brother, and to win the competition, he started uttering several phrases in Greek.
Even Hades, who rarely laughs, couldn't take it. That's when I looked around and saw that as horrible as that night was, I had beaten Ryan and Aell.
I emerged victorious over two monsters—three, if we include Pam in that list.
As Hades had promised me, Aell never even stood trial. Officially, he hanged himself inside the jail.
About a month later, Ryan disappeared from the supermax control unit prison and was never heard from again.
I didn't ask my husband if he had anything to do with it. I'm not bothered.
"Any chance of my artist taking a break?" Hades asks, but at the same time, he takes the iPad I was drawing on from my hand, lifts me in his arms, and starts walking to the bedroom.
"I'm not able to say no to you, Greek. What do you have in mind?"
"To devour every piece of you. I arrived hungry, Kennedy. Feed me, woman."
Hades
I never get tired of watching her sleep.
Sometimes during the night, I wake up like I did in the past, and only when I'm sure it's not a dream, that she's with me, can I relax again.
Kennedy's monsters are all dead.
She is safe, as she always should have been.
I will never allow anyone to hurt her again.