My Safe Place

Chapter 26

Adelyn

It's been a few days since talking to Mark.

I'm currently almost at my parents house, I'm back in town for Renee's graduation.

I park in the driveway and turn off my car. I grab my things from the backseat and walk inside. I open the front door that's already unlocked.

"Mom?" I call laying my things on the stairs.

"Addy!" She smiles walking around the corner. "Hi!" I smile as she pulls me into a hug. "How was the drive?" She asks.

"Quick, actually."

"That's good." She smiles.

"Hey, do you have some time to go outside and talk?" I question.

"Really?" She questions. I nod my head.

I don't think my Mom and I have ever just talked.

"Of course, let's go." She agrees.

We walk through the house and out the back door. We sit on the outdoor furniture facing the beach that's only a few feet away.

"I know that we never really talked about anything. With everything that happened with Rob, I think that we should talk about it." I say honestly.

Mom nods agreeing.

"I want you to understand that never would I ever blame you in anyway for what happened. You hadn't been happy for a long time, when you found David- I was glad to see that happening for you." I explain squeezing her hand.

I can still see the guilt written on her face. "I should have noticed, Adelyn."

I shake my head. "Yes, you should have." I agree. "But so many others should have too. I should have spoken up as soon as it happened, but I didn't. There is so many should haves or could haves- we can't dwell on it."

She nods. "It's just- it makes me feel so horrible everything you would have went through and I don't even know what happened." She whispers.

I look down. "Mom. I wish I could tell you, but you'd never look at me the same. I never wanted people to find out because they'd treat me as fragile or send me pity stares. I've worked so hard to find myself, a new version. I finally have it and I don't want to give that up."

"But Adelyn, I'm your Mother. For my own sanity I feel I need to know what happened, otherwise all possibilities spin around in my head."

I sigh and look down at my hands. "He drugged me, he raped me, he abused me, he manipulated me. He was an alcoholic, a drug addict." I whisper. "He kept me from food, water, a bed."

//

"Ready, Lynny?" Dad asks poking his head into my room. "Yep, I'll be done in a minute." I explain and he walks away.

I look at myself in the mirror. I had decided on a navy blue dress with large flowers partnered all over it. It actually looked elegant. I paired it with nude heels, and my hair was out straight.

I lay my purse over my shoulder and walk downstairs. "They're waiting in the car." Axel tells me. I nod. "Let's go."

We walk outside and slip into the backseat.

The drive to the school wasn't very far. It definitely brings back some memories though, some good- most bad.

I use to have to walk to school in the rain, heat, sometimes I hadn't eaten, most of the time I hadn't slept, and most of the time I had been drugged.