Unwilling to stick up for herself, because the only way to do so would be by spilling her secret, telling them what she’d overheard, the mess just intensified. Knowing her confession would create a bad storm, one she didn’t know how to handle, she stayed quiet, ignoring him. As time moved on, it got easier to act out rather than tell all.
What she didn’t understand, was why she got so mad at Rachel? Why she’d be so naughty, behaving like a real jerk forno good reason. Unable to stop herself, she’d blame her mother, and as each day followed another, it got easier to be a-a little shit as her dad nicknamed her. In fact, the tantrums and screaming felt good… like a relief from the stress inside.
Another thing bothered her more everytime she thought about it… like why didn’t Rachel know that Rosie had a problem? One she couldn’t talk about. Weren’t mothers supposed to sense these things… to understand when their kids needed help?
Having to keep her misery inside made her feel lost, alone… and madder each day. Scared she’d burst and blurt out the secret, she talked to God every night, begging for help to keep her mouth shut and for him to find her a way to forget.
***
If Damon felt bad before, hearing Rosie’s thoughts unmanned him totally.
With his insides bleeding pure self-scorn, he cried and cried.
There were no tears, no physical proof of his emotions, but his soul knew exactly what it experienced, and though he hadn’t shed many tears in his human form, they gushed from him now.
Damon knew exactly the phone call Rosie had overheard. Normally, he wouldn’t take the time anywhere near his home to talk to another woman. Careful to never give Rachel ammunition to kick his sorry ass to the curb, divorce him and take him for half of everything they owned, he hid his extra curricular activities from her.
Or thought he had. Now he knew differently. She’d known he tomcatted around from time to time but had said nothing. Guess he wasn’t as smart as he figured. Not that he’d done much to try and hide his cheating, but he’d told the lies necessary to keep face.
Well, until Lily. It had been her fault that he’d become so lax in the way he carried on. She’d been the demanding woman who’d caught him in her web and wouldn’t let go, making himbehave in ways even he never dreamed possible. Thinking again of the words they’d spoken on that call, knowing that Rosie had overheard him telling Lily what he intended on doing to her later that night, made him cringe. Christ. No child should ever hear those crude descriptions of a man spanking and basically assaulting another woman because she loves being treated so brutally.
Lord, what have I done to my precious, innocent, little girl?
Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
The sirens woke Rachel from the slump she’d regressed to. Knowing she could do nothing about the past, she shied away from the pain. Thankfully, her mind took her to the vast number of things she needed to take care of rather than remembering the shame of those lost days.
Thankful that Lance would be there to help her through all of the hassles of dealing with a death in the family is what kept her from totally losing it. A knock on the window brought her out of herself, and she opened the car door and stepped out to see a middle-aged, haggard-looking woman standing there, her face filled with grief. “Do you have someone in the building too?”
“Yes. My husband.” Rachel spoke gently. Seeing the other woman’s sadness reminded her that she wasn’t the only person suffering because of this tragedy.
“I’m sorry. I thought that was the case when I saw you here before. But when you disappeared yesterday, I got worried that he might have been one of the last three bodies to be retrieved.I’ve been back and forth since the building fell. In fact, I’d planned to visit my daughter that day except she’d called to say don’t come. She had a visitor and didn’t want me interrupting.” The once striking lady with auburn hair, blue eyes, and a slim build gave Rachel food for thought. Could she be Lily’s mother?
“Mrs. Freemont?”
Backing up a step, the woman shook her head. “Mrs. Freemont is my daughter’s married name. I’m Mrs. Rawlins. Hannah Rawlins.”
“I’m so sorry for your loss.”
Mrs. Rawlins seemed disturbed before blurting out, “I don’t understand. The officer told me your name was Rachel Marks, the same name of the man they suspect was with my daughter when the building collapsed. Was he your ex?”
“No. We weren’t separated.”
“Which means Lily was up to her old tricks… carrying on with a married man.” Mrs. Rawlin’s face turned whiter, which seemed impossible since she’d been pale from the beginning. Suddenly, hiding her face, shoulders shaking, her voice sounded weak. “Oh, God, I’m so ashamed. For Lily. Can you ever forgive her? My daughter had a problem.”
“Had? You know she’s dead? Have they found her body?”
“No. But they say no one could have survived this long. Which makes me believe they’re both gone. We have to accept it.”
“Yet I can’t seem to do that. And I haven’t a sane explanation, other than to say that I’ve felt him near me, almost as if he were talking to me.”
Stunned, the other woman stared into Rachel’s face, her hopes suddenly lifting. “You have? Since they were together, it might mean they’re both alive.”
Rachel reached out to touch the other woman’s arm. “No. I’m not saying that. Hell, I don’t really know what I’m saying. Theresponders told me it would be a miracle for anyone to be alive. But I guess… I guess maybe I believe in miracles.”
“Thank you. I needed to hear those words. I’m alone now, my husband passed a few years back. That’s why I was so determined to get Lily the help she needs. I can afford to pay for it with the money the old miser wouldn’t let me use before.” Seeing Rachel’s shock, Mrs. Rawlins spoke quickly. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. John, my husband, was a good man and a good father. At first, he did everything he could to help Lily, but we failed, and he gave up, forcing me to do the same. But now that I’m in charge of the funds, I’m willing to do more for my poor girl.”
