“I saw Michael through the window and figured you wouldn’t be too far away, so when I saw him sat on his own, I took a guess that you would be in here, and I want you to know that I want to help you too,” she says as she grabs my wrists, causing me to grit my teeth from the pain. She instantly lets go. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” My go-to-answer that I can’t seem to change.
“Lucy, please tell me so that I can help.”
Whether it is the fact that I need to unburden my hurt on someone else or whether it is the fact that I already know that I have been in here too long, I don’t know, but whatever the reason, it has me pulling the sleeves of my top up, showing her my wrists. Kim’s hands fly to her face, covering her gaping mouth. A few tense seconds pass us by before she looks me in the eye and speaks.
“We’re going to make sure he goes down for this, Lucy. He won’t get away with it.”
“He won’t,” I agree.
“Cal told me that I need to––”
“Take photos.” I finish her sentence for her.
“Yeah.”
“I can’t believe that I am doing this,” I say as she pulls out her phone and logs another round of evidence of the abuse.
“You sure you wanna stick this out? You can come with me now.” I sense the urgency in her tone. I desperately want to take her up on her offer, but I can’t, I need more than the few photos I have to put this asshole away.
“I can’t let another woman go through this, Kim. I have to make sure that he can never harm again.”
“But you have some evidence, Lucy, you can take the pictures that you do have to the police.”
“It’s not enough. I don’t want him to just get a slap on the wrists, Kim. I know I could go to the police and get a restraining order, but do you really think that is going to keep Michael away from me? Because I sure as hell don’t. I want him to suffer, to be locked away for a very long time. I need more, and I deserve justice, and not just some little piece of fucking paper that would tell him to stay away from me.”
I can see that she wants to argue with me, but she holds back and nods her head instead.
This moment, right here, solidifies our bond and repairs what was broken. Kim is back, as is Cal, and that’s all the strength that I need to know that I can see this through.
Their support, and their belief in me, renews my fight. If they can believe, then so can I.
I can do this.
Chapter Sixteen
Shutdown
“What’s taken you so long?” Michael asks when I return to the table.
“Sorry, I don’t feel too good,” I say as I sit back down and try to calm my racing heart.
“You do look a little pale,” he replies, assessing my appearance. I feel sweat beading across my forehead as I notice Kim exiting the walkway for the toilets. Michael has his back to her, but I must let my eyes linger a little too long as he starts to turn around.
Anxiety spikes through me.
If he sees her then I’m fucked. He will know that I lied about why I took so long, although I’m definitely not lying about feeling ill. My stomach churns and I have to think on my feet.
Think, pressure, excuse, it’s all too much.
“MICHAEL!” I yell.
People around me go silent and look over. Michael’s head whips back to look at me, utter shock and confusion on his face.
“Lucy?”
“I… I…” I go blank, my heart pounding, my vision blurring. The stress that I feel in this moment is like no stress I’ve experienced before. My whole body trembles. I feel hot, clammy.
