Page 63 of Mending Me
“I spoke to some guys I know who work for Charleston PD about it and they said that if a rape victim doesn’t report the crime soon after it happens, the likelihood of their case being investigated is low. You told me she waited a few days before she reported it, maybe that’s why?” My blood boiled thinking about how her case could have been solved years ago if anyone would have just done a better job at looking. If they had even tried at all.
“That’s complete bullshit,” I hissed. My words were heated and I felt the anger starting to rise inside of me again.
“I agree, but that’s how it goes.” His voice was smooth as he spoke. “Listen, we have this now. We could take this to the police and she can press charges. That’s what you wanted. Right?”
I was pacing his office again and turned to look at him once more. When I asked him to try and find anything from the night she was attacked, I wasn’t sure what I’d do if he’d actually found something. Now that he had, I had to tell her what I had done and let her decide on what to do with it. I licked my lips and worried about what her reaction might be. Would she be grateful that we found her attacker or angry because I had betrayed her trust? I knew how much pain it brought her to tell me shehad been raped. Would I be causing her more pain now that I discovered who had raped her?
My eyes met his, which were filled with cautious hope.
“It’s not up to me to decide what happens next. It’s up to my girl. And whatever she chooses to do, I’ll stand behind it.”
And I meant it.
Because I would stand behind her for the rest of my life, ready to protect her from whatever harm came her way. I just hoped that I wasn’t the one who would be causing her harm by bringing her past back into her present.
1 my beautiful girl
36
BAILEY
Iswiped the loose pieces of hair that had fallen into my face away and untied the apron around my waist. I’d been cooking for a few hours now, trying to make dinner for Hank and me. I’d invited him over for dinner and to watch a movie. He didn’t know it yet, but we would be watching13 Going on 30again and I would be making him stand up and do the Thriller dance with Mattie, Jenna, and me when the scene played. Part of me wanted to ask him to dress up as Mattie and Jenna from13 Going on 30for Halloween and an evil part of me knew he would say yes.
Hank Martínez loved me fiercely and would do anything I asked him to, just like I would do for him.
After the night his father ambushed us at his place, we’d seen each other nearly every day. He would come here to pick me up after he got done working and then we would go and spend the night at his place. Ophelia had told me numerous times he was more than welcome to come stay at our place, but I didn’t want to impose on her more than I already was. Hank was comingover tonight though because she was out of town again for work and would be away for the next few days.
She and I had shared a coffee this morning before she left and she asked me how things were going.
“So, did you tell him you love him yet?” she half joked as she sipped her coffee.
“Actually, yeah, I did,” I confessed without pause. I wasn’t afraid to tell people how much I loved Hank.
“Look at you, my sweet Bailey girl all grown up and falling in love with a hot, sexy soldier.” She wiggled her eyebrows and shimmied her shoulders when she said the word ‘sexy’.
“You know Ophie, you can fall in love too if you let yourself.” I peered at my friend over the brim of my mug as I took a big gulp of coffee. She choked on her drink and started cackling.
“Bailey darling, don’t make me laugh. Love is nothing but a myth for women like me.” I studied my friend and tried to conceal the sadness I felt for her. I know she had her reasons for believing that love wasn’t for her, but I wasn’t letting go of the hope that one day she would find her match just like I had.
My head spun to find the clock that hung on the wall and noted that it was six fifteen and Hank should be here any minute. Everything for dinner was ready. Amanda had come over again to show me how to make a few more dishes Hank had told me about and I think I nailed them this time. Over the last few weeks, I had picked up several more side gigs planning private dinner parties and functions for some of the clients I’d worked with during my time at the event hall. Many of them complimented my hosting skills and ability to hire the perfect staff. Several asked me if I owned my own company. ‘One day,’ I would smile and tell them. Just as soon as someone hired me for a full-time gig and I could save up for it.
When I heard the knock on the door, my heart fluttered a few beats faster and I nearly skipped to open it. As I opened the door,I was met with a fresh bouquet of flowers and a very handsome looking Hank. Having him come to me after work made my entire day. It made me feel like we were playing house, which I hoped that some day soon wouldn’t just be playing. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me in for a kiss as we stood in the door frame. Something about it felt off, like he didn’t share his full self in it like he normally did. He handed me the flowers and followed me inside before I closed the door behind us and locked it.
“Mmm, something smells delicioso, hermosa?1,” he hummed as his eyes took in all the food laid out on the counter. His brown eyes grew wide when he saw what I had cooked for him and my heart swelled.
“I’m glad. I cooked some of your favorites tonight.” I bounced up and down with pride watching him smell and eye the food.
He strode towards me again and wrapped his arms around me in an embrace. Looping my arms around his neck, he picked me up and squeezed me tight. My feet lifted off the ground and he spun me around the kitchen before setting me back down. Burying his nose into my neck, I felt him inhale deeply before kissing the spot behind my ear. As he pulled away from me, I caught a look of pain in his eyes. Between his somber expression and the way his kiss felt off when he first arrived, a nervous stirring started in my stomach.
“Hank,” I started as he held me where we stood, his eyes looking down into mine. “What’s going on?”
He took a step back from me, startled, “What do you mean?”
“I can tell something’s wrong, I see it in your eyes. What is it? Is it something with your dad? Did he come back?” He was holding my hands but had taken a few steps away from me. I didn’t like how it felt; like he was standing right next to me somehow also hundreds of miles away.
“No, it’s not my dad.” His jaw clenched for a moment before he started again. “Come, let’s sit and talk for a second.”
I felt my heart sink lower in my chest and tried to not let my mind go to the worst possible place.He can’t be breaking up with me? Can he? I thought we were good. What did I do?He held my hand in his as he led me into the living room. I followed him to the couch where he sat down and I took a seat next to him. He wore a grim expression on his face and was staring down at his hands. My heart was racing as I waited for him to speak.
