Chapter 41 #3
Liam stood there, just watching, then he snagged me with an arm around my waist before I made it onto the first step.
“Where is he?” My dad shook John, slamming him against the door. They were similar in size, but Dad had rage on his side, and John looked bewildered. “Brian!” he shouted again. “Get out here, you fucking pervert!”
Oh God, the look on John’s face. I didn’t want this. “Dad, stop!” Tears streamed down my face, and I tried to get to him, but Liam held me back.
“He’s not here, John,” Gloria said, walking over calmly. “He’s not at his house either, and he’s not coming back.”
How…
My dad’s face contorted, filled with more rage and disgust that it already had. “Kathryn called you.” It wasn’t even a question.
Betrayal sucked the air from my lungs. Liam pulled me closer against him.
“This isn’t over,” my dad snarled, pushing John away, then without another word, he stalked home.
Liam and I hurried after him. I was furious at my mom too, but my dad…his rage was frighteningly out of control. What did I do? Why did I ever think this would make it better?
“Dad!”
He didn’t stop.
Liam stepped in front of my dad at the door, blocking him from entering. “Roger, I know how you feel, but you need to calm down before you go in.”
“You have no idea how I feel! I put my little girl in a room with that monster! I did that to her!” My dad’s voice broke, and my heart broke with it.
“Unfortunately, sir, I do know.”
No! I did this to them! My bad decisions, my stupidity did this to them. “It’s my fault! All of it. Stop, please! Daddy, it’s not your fault. You didn’t know.”
“It’s not your fault, Firefly! None of it is.”
“I should have known,” my dad cried. “You tried, and we didn’t listen. I’m sorry, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”
This was killing me, and them. I swallowed hard and forced out the truth I knew deep down, buried beneath all my feelings. Well, mostly knew. Tried to know, maybe. “It’s Brian’s fault,” I said firmly. “And Snake Eye’s,” I added, looking at Liam.
Liam smiled back, sad and proud. “Sure is, Firefly.”
My dad opened his arms, and I threw myself into his embrace, clinging to the protection I’d always craved, always needed.
A small part of me said it was too little, too late, but I shushed that voice.
Maybe I’d feel that more later, but for now, the little girl inside me felt safe. Loved. Protected.
“Firefly, your mom’s coming.”
My dad stiffened and pulled away, stepping in front of me. Shielding me.
My mom opened the door and watched us, waiting, her eyes red and puffy, but her chin high.
“You’re protecting him?” my dad snarled.
“No, I’m protecting you two fools. Now come back inside.”
I followed them in and sat on the couch as close to Liam as I could get without being on his lap. His arm wrapped around me, holding me to him.
My mom sat on the other corner of the couch, and my dad paced the room. “You shouldn’t have done that, Kathryn. He deserves to pay. Jenna deserves it.”
“Jenna doesn’t need her father and boyfriend in jail! I’m not going to apologize for that.”
“It’s justified.”
“You know that’s bullshit. How will that help Jenna? Now sit down, Roger, so we can talk to her.”
I didn’t want to talk anymore. I was exhausted.
My dad sat, and my mom inched closer to me, taking my hand in hers. I let her, but her hand felt small and cold. Maybe I was too used to Liam’s huge hands. Or maybe I just didn’t feel…comfortable…or comforted…with her.
Did she even apologize? Or did she just make excuses for why she hadn’t believed me?
Liam touched my other hand, drawing my attention to him. “Firefly, are you up for talking more now?”
I shook my head.
“I understand, love,” my mom said, all sugary sweet, like things were somehow better. “I’ll order dinner. You can rest, and we’ll eat, then when you’re ready, you can tell us everything.”
Any spark of hope I’d had that things would be better now was doused.
Even though I should have expected it, it still stung that she was so oblivious.
She still wanted to pretend everything was okay, just in a different way.
I didn’t want to tell her that my skin was already crawling from being in this house.
There was no such thing as resting here.
The thought of eating now was sickening.
And I definitely didn’t want to tell them everything—not now and not ever.
“I’m sorry, Mom. I just want to go to the hotel with Liam.”
Her face fell. “Oh, but…”
“Kathryn,” Liam said, politely but firmly. “I’m taking Jenna to the hotel now. We’ll come back in the morning.”
“Okay, but we do have to call Tyler. We have to ask him if—”
“Fine!” I didn’t want to hear her next words. “Call after I leave and ask him to come home tomorrow. I can’t right now.”
“Of course, sweetheart,” my dad said, and my mom rushed to agree. Thank goodness. I couldn’t handle any more.
Liam stood, pulling me up with him. “Say goodnight, Firefly.”
“Goodnight, Mom, Dad. Thank you for...listening. I’m sorry for upsetting you.”
“Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for. We’re sorry. You have no idea how sorry.” My dad’s voice was gruff, like he was holding back tears. “I know it’s too late, but I’m going to take care of you. He’s going to pay for hurting you.”
“It’s okay,” I said, defaulting to the easy answer.
My mom wasn’t holding her tears back. They streamed down her face. “Things are going to be different now that we know. Now that you finally told us, we can bridge the distance between us. It’s going to be better.” She took a hesitant step toward me, arms opening.
I stood back for a moment before I closed the distance. She was small, the same size as me, but she gripped me tight. I let her hug me, but I didn’t hug her back.
Her words all felt so wrong. She did know. Should’ve known, at least. All these years, she’d never tried to understand or help. And now, she thought it would all be better? She still didn’t even apologize. In fact, did she just blame me for the distance between us?
“Jenna,” she sobbed. “I’m sorry, love. I’m so sorry.” Finally, an apology.
I stepped away. Neither rejecting nor accepting her apology. I was sorry, too—sorry I’d expected more.