Letting Love In Barson Story

Chapter 22

This chapter is rated M to be safe, due to discussions of abuse, and drugs.

After a fast dinner, Rafael, and Olivia excused themselves, and left the club.When they entered a cab. Rafael reached for Olivia's hand. She quickly gave it to him. She was silent the entire ride home to her apartment, and Rafael was worried. He paid the cabbie, when his hand returned to Olivia's hand, she squeezed it. They exited the cab. The minute they entered Olivia's building, she let go of his hand, and rushed to her apartment door. He saw her quickly look behind her to make sure he was following. When he placed his hand on her back, she unlocked, and opened the door. "What's wrong? Olivia, I'm here, let me be here for you." He whispered in her ear.Lucy who had been laying on the couch popped up, and spoke. "Hi! The 2 of you have fun?""Yes, Lucy, thank-you."Rafael answered.
Lucy looked at Olivia worriedly. "Are you alright, Liv." Lucy asked.
"Yes, I'm fine, Lucy. " Olivia smiled weakly. "I'm going to check on Noah". She said, quickly moving to the little hallway, and disappearing."Thanks for watching Noah tonight, Lucy. " Rafael said, reaching for his wallet."No, Liv already paid me. I hope you had fun.""We did. Have a good night.""Good night", Lucy said, walking to the door, and opening it. "Take care of Liv.",she called over her shoulder."I always will." Rafael said, Lucy turned her head, and smiled before leaving. When he heard the door click closed, he walked to Noah's room. He found Olivia watching her son sleep. "Liv." He whispered. She jumped a little. "It's Rafa."
She turned to face him. "Rafa." She said, relieved."Talk to me." He replied. Olivia slipped her hand in his, and walked slowly with him out to the living room."Do you want tea, coffee, ice cream?" Rafael asked when they were sitting on her couch,
Slowly, she nodded her head no. She released his hand, stood up, and began to pace. It took her a minute to come to a stop, and face him, but she did it, and Rafael was relieved. Her voice was soft. "I told you when Larry started to make me uncomfortable I decided to stay out of the apartment. It was Serena's apartment anyway, it was never mine." She paused for a few seconds before she continued. "I slept anywhere , but there... sometimes on park benches, sometimes Grand Central Station, sometimes bus stations. I stayed to myself in school, I didn't want anyone to know about my mother or Larry. One day in the cafeteria at school, I went to pay for my lunch, I thought I had money in my pocket, but I didn't. I was about to apologize to the cashier, and leave my tray when Hugo stopped me, he paid for my lunch. I didn't want charity, so the next time I had money I paid him back. He and I became friends, we never dated, I think he was my first friend. In time I was able to tell him what Larry was doing.
"Larry was grooming you." Rafael said, The idea of Olivia living the life of a homeless teen, because she was afraid to go home broke Rafael's heart. "How did you get money? Olivia, I adore you. You can tell me anything, and it would never change the way I feel about you." He said, honestly."The night that I left Serena's I took a shower, I had nice clothes, I was careful with them. They didn't look like I slept in them. After school the next day, I walked into a restaurant, and got a job as a hostess. I was hired on the spot to work the dinner shift. It wasn't much money, but it was enough to buy food, some cheap clothes, a toothbrush, shampoo, and a backpack. Everyday, I showered in school or at a gym, I found.
"How long did you live like that?" Rafael asked, getting up from the couch, and walking to her."Not that long. I had a key to the apartment, and I would go there some mornings when I was sure that both my mother and Larry were out. I would nap in my bed."
"Did your mother ever look for you?""No. She was happy I was out of her hair.""What about the person who hired you at the restaurant?" He asked, gently."You mean, was the person a pervert? No, he wasn't." Olivia replied, softly.
"What was it that made you leave?: Rafael asked, At his words, Olivia turned away from him, and faced the wall."I came back to the apartment on a Friday after school... high school. I was alone, I did my homework. After it was done I wanted to eat something. I made a tuna sandwich. I decided I wanted to take a shower before eating, so I did. I was in that shower for about 15 minutes. I shut the water off. I slid the shower door open,I got out, I reached for a towel, and there was Larry, standing there, watching me, blocking me. I screamed at him to leave. He moved closer. He gripped my shoulders hard. It hurt, before I knew it he was kissing me. After what seemed like an eternity, I managed to kick him. He grunted in pain, and moved away from me. I grabbed the towel, and ran to the room I slept in, I was throwing some clothes on when Larry started talking, and pounding on the door. He screamed that he loved me, he said he would never hurt me, and that he wanted to spend his days making me feel good. He was trying to get in, but the door was locked, and I placed a chair in front of it. He was still screaming when I climbed down the fire escape. I ran to Hugo's apartment. I thought he would let me sleep in a spare room. I just wanted to feel... safe.I knocked on the door , it was opened, I called out his name. He didn't answer, but I kept searching. I found him in his bedroom getting high.I begged him to stop, and to go to rehab. He said I was overreacting. He said he had it under control. I left his apartment, found a payphone, and called his uncle at work. I told him his nephew needed help, he needed rehab. His uncle told me he would be at Hugo's apartment in 10 minutes. He told me to go home, that it was 11PM, much too late for me to be on the streets alone. I never saw Hugo again... until tonight.""Olivia, did Hugo hurt you?"" Rafael asked, concentrating on his voice to keep it from cracking. Olivia needed him, he couldn't crumble in front of her tonight. She turned away from the wall, and finally faced him.
"Not physically.I knew after I found him high on cocaine that I could never trust him, and that hurt. A few weeks later I went back to my mother's apartment. I knew she would be home I... I wanted her to love me. I wanted her to say that she missed me. She didn't. It was a Tuesday. She was off on Tuesdays,and she always used her Tuesdays to drink at home. I walked in, and she screamed at me that Larry was moving. She didn't say where. I moved back in with her that day. I felt so guilty for leaving her. When she passed out from drinking, I took care of her, I put her to bed. Then I did my homework. The next morning I helped her through another hangover. Everything went back to normal, until I met Burton, my mother's student. I told you about him the night we committed to each other."Rafael nodded in agreement, she did tell him about her mother's student, she just never said his name. It infuriated Rafael that Olivia had been surrounded by predators. In a way she was still dealing with them. As a cop she was fighting them, making sure people were protected from them. No adult had stepped up to protect Olivia from anyone or anything. He locked his intense green eyes on her soft brown ones. It took him a few seconds to respond verbally, he tried to keep his voice from cracking with the despair he felt for the woman he loved. "Olivia, I'm so sorry." He opened his arms, and she let herself fall into his embrace, and buried her face in his chest. "Shh, I have you," Let it out." He said as she began to sob. He carefully placed a hand on her back to support her. "I'm sorry, these things never should have happened to you. You're a warrior, Olivia." He said, loudly so she could hear him over her excruciating cries. "I'm right here, I will always be here for you. I wish I could take the pain away. Let it out." "Te amo, Te amo, Olivia." He said, his heart breaking for her for the millionth time tonight.
Rafael didn't care how many years had passed, Larry Holland was going to pay.