“What changed?” I asked, intrigued.
“We talked… the night you disappeared. For the first time, he asked my version of the story, and I told him everything,” she explained. “Somehow, I felt free to drop the act.”
“I’m glad you did,” I told her with a smile.
“I was so happy to help him that night. I remembered your ex’s name from when you introduced him to me, and that helped Jayden and the police to track him down.”
“You helped me a lot that night, stalling him,” I told her, with a faint smile.
“Yes… I imagined it. I tried to keep him with me, but he only stayed a few seconds.”
“It was enough for me to escape.”
“Would you like to tell me what happened? From the beginning? Sometimes, it helps to talk about it,” she suggested.
I shook my head, rejecting the idea of going through my personal hell, but before I knew it, the words were coming out of my lips.
I told her everything… how I met him, how we started dating, our marriage, the beatings and rapes, and my mother’s death.
“We weren’t close, but her death affected me more than I expected. It took away my chance of ever becoming the daughter she wanted me to be, I guess…” I told Madeleine.
“It was her loss,” she assured me.
“Anyway… with her gone, I finally found the courage to leave Daniel. Getting my hands on some money was the hardest part, once I made up my mind, but once I did, I planned my escape thoroughly.”
“Why didn’t you reach out to one of the organizations that help women in your position?” Madeleine asked.
“I didn’t know any in New York, and googling it was too dangerous. I didn’t have my own phone or computer, and if he found out, I would be in deep trouble,” I explained. “I guess I could have gone to the police, but I truly didn’t believe they would help me, not after the few times they had been called to the house and the way Daniel convinced them we just liked to play it rough.”
Madeleine nodded. “Come to think of it, there aren’t enough organizations to help out on these cases, and most don’t have enough funds to help women escape or provide them with a new life.”
“Well, with your experience, you should start one,” I suggested, in a teasing tone. “You know, one that would give women shelter, money, or a place to start over. It should be connected with the witness protection program, so they could have new legal identities… that sort of stuff.”
Madeleine stayed in silence for a while, and for a moment, I thought I had insulted her. Her following words surprised me.
“That’s actually an excellent idea. I know a lot of people in a lot of places. Getting them to help us with this shouldn’t be so hard,” she said, with a thoughtful look on her face. “We would start in the three cities with the highest number of cases of domestic violence and see how it goes.”
“We…?” I asked, with a slight frown. “You mean, you and Jayden?”
She shook her head. “Jayden is too busy, but we certainly will use all his influence to get this done,” she replied, excited. “I meant you and me. You’ve been through it. No one, better than you, knows what we need and how we can truly help these women.”
“Me? I’m not even sure how long I’ll be in Seattle…” I protested.
Madeleine shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. Wherever you and Jayden move to, we can still do this. This is the technology era; I should know since my son has played an important part in it.”
“You’re assuming too much,” I murmured.
She smiled kindly at me. “Am I? I can only imagine how hard it has been for you, all these years putting up with that bastard… but we both know how you feel about Jayden. It’s painfully obvious.”
Heat colored my face. “It is?” I asked, biting my lower lip.
“Just for some of us… I don’t think my son knows it. Or perhaps, he’s afraid to trust his eyes,” she assured me, in a sad tone. “You can blame me for that.”
“Still…”
Madeleine shook her head, silencing me. “I know it’s too much, too soon. Just give yourself the chance you deserve. Don’t run away. Face it, and life might finally surprise you, in a good way.”
I was still having a hard time believing I was having this conversation with Madeleine.
