Out Of The Shadows (Lesbian fiction) (Edited version published on amazon)

Part 2

Lacey

The drive back to the house was silent. I was finally able to calm down a little once we hit the freeway. I kept a constant visual in rearview ensuring we were not being followed.

I looked over to my sister who stared out the window. "I'm sorry, I keep ruining everything," I said quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleeping Amelia.

Reaching over, my sister took my hand. As she turned to me I could see that her makeup was slightly smeared from the tears that were slowly falling, causing an ache in my chest. "I know you only did what you needed to Lace, it just frightened me a little. What happened back there? Why was he after you?" Concern filled her voice.

"They tried to..." My voice broke as I tried to swallow the lump forming in my throat. I placed both hands back on the wheel. "Jackie," I whispered, a name I hadn't spoken out loud in years. "It was happening all over again." I felt Lauren squeeze my thigh. "I didn't, I didn't let them. Not again, never again." My voice came out harsher as I gripped the steering wheel.

"Shhh," she said trying to calm me. "It's ok Lace, it's over now, you did well." We sat in silence once again. I pulled into the driveway within thirty minutes, a full fifteen minutes faster than it took us to get there due to the minimal traffic and the speed I was driving.

I exited quickly, pulling the door open for Lauren. I leaned down, took Amelia from her arms and carried her to the door. Lauren unlocked the door and held it open. Once inside she closed it and secured the deadbolt.

I made my way upstairs to the guest room and gently laid Amelia on the bed before taking a seat next to her. I watched her for a moment. I brushed a strand of hair from her face. Even after the events of the night she was breathtaking.

Lauren came into the room with a change of clothes for her. I started to stand when a hand caught my wrist, keeping me seated. By the tingling sensation, I was feeling I knew without looking the soft gentle hand belonged to Amelia. I turned to face her, my eyes instantly finding hers. She slowly sat up and pulled me into a hug which caught me off guard, causing my body tense up at the contact. "Thank you," she whispered as she placed a kiss on my cheek. She laid her head back on the pillow taking her vanilla scent with her.

I looked to my sister and nodded before leaving the room without a word. I went into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water before making my way down to my bedroom.

I turned my laptop on and for the first time in five years I pulled up an old video of Jackie and me had taken at Lincoln Park Zoo the summer before our senior year of high school. I hovered over the play button frozen for a few minutes. Snapping the lid shut I walked over to my closet. Quickly stripping out of my clothes, I pulled on a pair of running shorts leaving on my sports bra and pulled on my Nikes.

The house was quiet with the only light coming from the kitchen. It was three in the morning and the girls were probably asleep. I grabbed my house key and slipped out the door. My sister's house was located in a quiet neighborhood in Jefferson Park. The streets were silent. The only sound was my steady breathing as my feet hit the pavement.

Memories of my time with Jackie flooded my mind. She had been my anchor in life, she helped me cope with the abuse at the hands of my stepfather, constantly giving me hope for a better future once I was able to leave. Now I live with the knowledge that in the end I failed her. I couldn't bring her back from the horrors of that night. The USMC therapist I called it a form of survivor's guilt. She was right. I had failed to protect Jackie. I wish I had died that night because she never looked at me the same way again.

I ran for four miles before turning back, making a detour to the nearby park. I needed to calm my mind. My body instinctively fell into motion following the route of Tai Chi Quan I'd learned to help me in times like this,