The elevator arrived and I stepped inside, determined to shrug off any negative thoughts from that moment on. Tonight was about celebrating my first date with the man I never thought existed for me.
I’d no sooner exited the elevator on my floor when I heard screaming coming from what appeared to be my apartment. I sprinted down the hall, attempting to balance my items in order to free a hand to open the door. I didn’t have to; the door was partially open and when I pushed into my foyer, I was horrified by the sight.
A middle-aged woman and man, who must’ve been Jude’s parents, in addition to a priest were towering over him on the sofa. Jude covered his head with his arms as if he was blocking himself from physical blows but quickly assessing the situation, I thought it was from the emotional attacks they must be assaulting him with.
I tossed everything I’d been holding onto the table in the foyer and then darted to stand in front of Jude. Turning on the enraged trio I demanded, “What the hell is going on?”
“None of your business,” the woman screeched. “We’re here to take my son back where he belongs.”
Placing my hand on Jude’s shoulder, he grabbed it and held it tight as if I was his lifeline. And in truth, I figured I was. “Oh,but it is very much my business,” I spoke, my voice strong and commanding. “Since you invaded my home.”
The woman sneered, “Jude let us in.”
“I doubt it was by invitation,” I said, my voice still steady. Although, she was pushing the limits of my patience.
I kneeled down to Jude’s level. “Do you have anything more to say to them?”
Jude shook his head.
“He has a lot more to say.” From my periphery, I saw the priest take a step toward me.
I jumped up and spun around. Growling, I said, “I suggest you don’t come closer, Father.”
With my back turned to the woman, she lunged for Jude in an attempt to take his arm.
Thank fuck her husband stopped her because I didn’t want to get arrested for putting my hands on her. “Madeline, we need to go. You’ve said your piece.”
“No,” she shrilled and pushed him away. “Jude, you’re making a mockery of us. Shacking up with a pervert.” Whipping around to me, she screeched, “And what kind of evil person are you to take advantage of an innocent priest? A priest for God’s sake.” She stepped closer to me, pointing her index finger toward my chest. “A rapist,” she taunted and wiggled two fingers in my face like she knew about my past. Repeating herself, she dropped her voice. “Rapist.”
I stumbled backward as I swallowed back the bile that clogged my throat. Too stunned to defend myself, Jude jumped up. “Shut up, Mother!”
“I can say what I want?—”
Jude cut off her sentence. “No, you cannot. This is not your house.”
“We’re just trying to help,” Father Matthew said, “We came to take you back where you belong.”
Jude let out a harsh laugh. “I don’t think so.” His face was a tight canvas of disgust when he swiveled back to his mother, “I put up with you berating me. But you will not attack the man that I lo— care about. The only person who’s ever had my interests at heart. So,Mother,” he said, “I’ll tell you one more time. Get the fuck out now. Or help me God, I’ll call the police.”
Jude’s vindication of me brought me out of myself. I snatched my phone from my pocket. Raising the screen in sight, I hovered my finger over the emergency icon. My hand shook violently and Jude took it from me. Then he walked past the trio to the door that was still ajar.
Jude’s mother dared him, “You wouldn’t call the cops on your mother.”
“Yes, I would, without a shred of regret.” Shifting his attention to his dad, he said, “I would’ve been angry at you for not standing up to me. But all I feel right now is sympathy that you have to put up with your wife.”
The priest was the last to get the brunt of Jude’s anger. “As for you, Father Matthew, I will be petitioning the archbishop to have you suspended. So, you might want to think of being the one to repent.”
The priest harrumphed. “You wouldn’t do that to me. I’ve been trying to help you.”
Jude scoffed. “There’s not a human alive who needs your kind of help.”
Just then my neighbor appeared outside my door. “Ethan, I heard shouting,” she called, poking her head in.
“I’m here, Kenzi,” I said, having to hold on to furniture until my tremors calmed. When I was next to Jude, I said, “Sorry for the disruption. A family argument that got out of hand. They’re leaving now.”
Kenzi, a social worker for child protective services, appeared skeptical and looked from the trio to Jude to me. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Jude’s given them an ultimatum,” I said as a way of letting Kenzi know that the situation was not resolved.
