Believe Me ✔️

[20] Ice Cream

To celebrate the face I'm not pregnant, I'm treating myself to ice cream. Though if I'm throwing up, I'm sick again. Great. Better than having Paul's baby. Janis and I exchanged numbers before I left so we can stay in touch and we have plans next week for lunch and a movie. I'm excited about seeing Janis again. I thought I lost her forever. Janis, who I haven't seen in over a year, has treated me better for five minutes than Vanessa has since this whole situation started. I park out front and walk inside the ice cream shop, spotting Uncle Frank at the counter and immediately turning around.

"Addy?"

Shit. I've been made. I turn around, defeated, and stomp over to him. "Hi, Uncle Frank."

"Shouldn't you be in school?"

I ignore his question and order instead. "Hi, can I have a triple scoop cup of mint chip?" As I go to pay, Uncle Frank pulls out his wallet and hands the worker some cash, telling him to keep the change as a tip. "Thanks, I guess."

"You're welcome, I guess."

I bite back a smile and wait for my treat. The worker hands us our ice cream and we sit across each other at a table by the window.

Uncle Frank sets his ice cream aside as I take a bite of mine and sighs. "Look, Addy, I'm so sorry for the way I treated you, how I pushed you away. I didn't take you seriously and that's now how an uncle or detective is supposed to act. People change and you did. I'm sorry you had to go through this alone. I imagine it must be hard."

Apologies are always so awkward. I stare down at my ice cream, stabbing it slowly with my plastic spoon. "What's going to happen now?"

"Well, the clothes and sheets we collected are being tested for DNA right now. Yours will definitely show up, but the people at the lab aren't so sure about finding Paul's. We'll know in about a month, maybe more."

I almost choke on my ice cream, asking, "A month? I have to wait a month?"

Uncle Frank shakes his head. "Addy, that's just how it is. I've flagged it as top priority, but the lab gets so many DNA samples to test. It'd be crazy to think the results would get back so soon." 

I roll my eyes. "Figures."

"After starting the report, I investigated at your school. If you had gone at all this week, you would have seen me." He stares at me and I give him a nervous grin. "I wanted to see if you weren't the only girl who's had a problem with Paul. I went and spoke with your principal and he agreed to let me set up an online submission box for girls and other students to anonymously send in any messages and concerns."

"And?"

"Turns out Paul has a history of sexually harassing other girls, but since they're all anonymous I can't do anything yet. I can't just go interview hundreds of students without a parent or guardian present."

"So, it's not enough to arrest him?"

Uncle Frank shakes his head. "No, but I can question him, and I did. He's real smug, you know that? If any of those girls would step forward and report their incidents, something could be done, but I understand they're afraid. It's their words against his."

"I know how that feels."

"I promise, Addy. Paul will not get away with this. I will do everything in my power to prove what happened and send him away." I smile and he starts eating again. "Have you spoken to your father about any of this?"

I can't tell if Uncle Frank is joking or not. "No? Why would I?"

"Your father is a very influential man. I'm sure he and the lawyers at his firm could find a way to get Paul arrested."