Back to You (Sequel to Take Me Away From Here)

Chapter 9

Tim POV {Present}:

Sara and I sit quietly on the couch, while the tv plays in the background. We've hardly said a word to each other these last two weeks. I don't think I know the right thing to say anyhow. We just lost our son, and then I thought I was going to lose Faith... I think we both need some time to calm down. Sara leans forward, grabbing the remote off the coffee table and pausing the TV. She looks down at her knees for a moment, while I look her way, trying to figure out what the deal is. She turns toward, and takes a deep breath. 

"Tim, I need you to tell me what I don't know about you and her... This entire thing with her father, and him possibly killing our son needs to be discussed, because not knowing is driving me insane. I deserve to know." She rambles, making my chest ache. I lean back into my seat, shutting my eyes for a moment. "Tim, she knows everything about you... and I find that the reason I've stuck this out, is because she knows everything, and isn't afraid of it. The fact that you damn near killed her, twice, and then she can still look you in the eye, and care about you, tells me that there's something I'm not aware of that's crucial... something worth a lot to either you or her." She continues, leaving me a little confused. I think for a second, trying to figure out where I should start. 

"Faith's father would molest her as a kid. He stopped for a while, and then saw her with me, and started again. It was either out of jealousy, or because he was trying to punish her, or shame her, for seeing me. When she refused to stop seeing me, he moved her an hour away to try and keep us apart." I explain the bare essentials, seeing Sara try to process it. "I didn't know about it until about a week before he moved her away." I add, trying to think of any other missing pieces. 

"Why does he hate you?" She asks quietly. I wince, before crossing my arms in front of me. 

"We were poor, and I was a child out of wedlock... My step-father would beat the shit out of me and my mother, before getting drunk, or high off of god knows what. My mom always tried to hold the family together, and to fix things, but it never really worked. So I was the town wreck, and he didn't want me near his daughter, because that would be an embarrassment to the family name." I explain, trying not to hear myself speak. I've been trying to forget memories like these for the longest time... Sara takes a deep breath, seeming to cringe. 

"There's got to be more there... Tim, he tried to kill you, you understand that, right?" She remarks, while I feel my heart start to pound. I shut my eyes for a moment, trying not to think about it. 

"My step-father... he uh..." I stop, hearing my own thoughts running. "He raped her." I release, feeling it tear my chest apart. Sara stares, seeming to be almost appalled. "He heard about what her father had said, and she came by the house one day before I got home... and he told her that she could wait for me upstairs. When I came home, I walked into my room, and saw her on her back..." I stop myself once more, feeling my throat start to close up. I stare down at the coffee table. "He started screaming at me, while she just sobbed... and I went to try and calm her down, when he grabbed her by the neck... He straggled her, until she lost consciousness, and then he began just wailing on her... He beat the shit out of her, and then just left... So I got her clothed, and I sat with her until she woke up..." I let out, feeling myself grow nauseous. Sara shuts her eyes, before reaching over for my hand. She gives it a squeeze, before nodding slowly. "She had no clue what had happened... no recollection, whatsoever... She had told me she tripped and fell, and must've gotten bumped up that way. So, I never told her about the rape." I confess, watching Sara pull back a bit. 

"You never told her she was raped?" Sara asks, seeming to be almost repulsed. I nod, knowing it's awful. "Why wouldn't you tell her something like that?" She fires, anger starting to show.