How dare he make me this...
How dare he promise me everything when it wasn't me he should be giving it to?
How...
A sob racked through me again.
My phone went off...again.
Andrew:Baby, why aren't you answering my texts?
I powered my phone off and dragged myself into my bathroom.
I still smelled like him.
The thought sent something crashing through me.Did I need to get an STD test done?Oh....what if it got back to Dad or Chase?All the hospitals and doctors knew one another.They all knew who I was...
It was bad enough going in to get birth control pills from one of my dad's friends when I was in high school.
I needed to shower and get my head on straight.
I realized Andrew still had a key and quickly ran to the door to throw on the deadbolt.
I couldn't have him come back now.
How could I...what would I say?
I moved back through my space, cataloging everything I needed to fix, change, get rid of...and then I got myself into a scorching hot shower.
With one question lingering on my mind...how did I come back from this?
This sickening feeling in me.
I wanted to trust the words that Andrew had told me...about us, his wife...his responsibilities, what he was doing to break free for us.
But a bigger part of me was screaming that he made me this ugly thing.
And how do you come back from that?
Chapter 11
I made it to the car without further incident.
But my whole body, heart...soul felt battered.
I felt untethered...adrift.
How had my life come to this?
And what the fuck was that?
Did I imagine it?Or had Andrew's wife threatened my family...
Clara and Jackson were talking when I opened the passenger door and attempted to slide into the seat.But I was shaking so bad that I tripped and ungracefully fell in.
"Aunt Cass, are you ok?"
The sting from my calf catching on the frame of the car was overshadowed by the grief, shame and overwhelming feeling of confusion enveloping me.
