Damaged

Damien

Jessica's POV: 

          I woke up tears streaming down my face. Charlie immediately moved to my side. He immediately embraced me. I grabbed his shirt and just kept crying. 

         These memories keep hitting me. Keep abusing my mental state, but I deserve it for what happened. The pain keeps reminding me of what happened. 

         Charlie kept shushing me and rocking me. His right hand holding the back of my head and his left arm wrapped around my waist. 

          All I could think is that even though I had all these guys who care about me, I still felt truly alone. My cousin hates me, and she most likely blames me for what happened, but what can I say. She’s going to to. I already hate myself so what’s another person hating me? 

         When I ran out of tears, and pulled away from Charlie, I just felt this numb feeling. Charlie just gave this look of concern. It was silent between us. 

         “You should try to go back to sleep,” he suggested tucking my blonde hair behind my right ear. I nodded my head and laid back down. I didn’t get anymore sleep that night. 

         A week has come and gone and we’re going on two weeks. David came back with the kids and it’s been hell. The kids just glare at me all the time when we’re in the same room or I walk by them. It’s very uncomfortable. 

          I’m sitting on the tree swing reading “Beloved” again. It is a good story line “the Color Purple.” But this story follows death in its own way. And the ghost of the main characters daughter whom she aborted haunts her. I kind of relate to it. Being haunted by your memories of what happened. 

           Though I may not have the living come back the memories seem to be just enough to do the trick.  

          I felt the swing move and looked over to see David had come out and sat with me. For a moment he looked lost in thought. I put my bookmark in to save my page. I set it on my lap and just waited for him to speak.

        It was silent for about fifteen minutes before he got up the courage to ask.

       “I know what you’re going through it’s going to be hard, but we have a man and his sons coming to stay with us for a little while and Johnny’s father is also coming to stay with us. I just wanted to know if you’re going to be okay?” He asked me with concern in his eyes. I didn’t realize at that moment that if I wasn’t okay with this, he would turn them away. I nodded. 

        “Are you sure?” I nodded again without hesitation. “Okay, Johnny’s father is going to be coming here today. His name is Damien. Johnny and Damien have some familial issues to work through, but that’s between them. I just wanted to make sure you were going to be okay with this.” I immediately grabbed my phone and started typing away.   

         “I’m more than okay with this. He wants to have a relationship with his son. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of that,” my phone spoke speaking my words. 

          “I knew you were going to say something like that,” David mused over the fact. Well at least they know me and what I might say. It should creep me out, but my mom did make sure they knew about me. 

         I’ve come to the conclusion and I’m keeping it to myself, that my mom knew this was going to happen. She made a place for me and gave me another chance at kind of having a family. I know nothing about them, but I want to know about them.  

          David left and I went back to reading my book. But my thoughts kept taking me away from the book. 

           It’s the middle of July right now and the heat is intense. It’s a little humid out, but I love being out in the sun. I was in a white floral sundress that went to my knees. It’s got spaghetti straps and I’m wearing my hair up in a ponytail with a white headband. I’m wearing flip flops with a big sunflower on each.

         Yes I did put sunscreen on before I came out here. My skin is white and I’m vulnerable to sunburns. 

          I look up at the blue sky and just watched the clouds go by. The wound on my head doesn’t hurt so bad anymore. I don’t cover it up and Jeremy says the stitches can come out soon. 

          I didn’t really watch the time, but the heat became too intense for me so I gathered my things and walked back to the house. Maybe I should take a swim later.   

         I went into the kitchen when I heard some voices from the hallway. The kitchen door thank goodness was not in front of the foyer. I snuck out of the kitchen and made sure no one was around. I went to the edge of the foyer and listened to the sad voice and what sounds like an angry Johnny.  

          “Dad, come on you were never in my life. You have tried before, but I’m not giving in. You think for a second that I’m going to let you back in? I don’t think so. Mom even said that you not a good man,” he spit. His anger feels deep.

          “Son, I have tried to get back in your life, but your mother-“ He was immediately cut off. His voice was deep and he sounded deeply sad and pained.

          “But my mother what? Saw you for who you were? You are a monster and that’s all you’ll ever be to me.” I hadn’t realized the tears started to fall from my eyes. The man barely spoke, but he was deeply sad and pained. Johnny sounds angry. I don’t know the situation, but from the few words spoken the relationship is not going to be repaired like this. It has to take time. 

          This reminds me of my mom and dads relationship. He would tell me and my brother and sister what a crappy mother mine was. He would do it all the time. But my mother wouldn’t say a word about it. She would just smile and say something about how good of a father he was. That’s why I always believed in her.

          This reminds me of my situation. Johnny seems to only be getting and believing in one side of the story. I guess because I could see through the situation doesn’t mean anybody else could.

           Johnny spouted a few more mean things and ran upstairs leaving Damien at the door. I peaked around the corner just a little bit. He looked to be crying. And I mean full on tears crying. 

           He was definitely taller than Johnny. He looked to be about 7’5”. He had shoulder length curly black hair, and deep brown eyes. Damien was wearing a white tee shirt and jeans. A pair of white Air Jordans. His suitcase and duffel bag were on either side of him.   

          But his crying was pulling at my heartstrings. I hadn’t realized that I had come out of my spot until I was standing in front of him with tears of my own. His sadness was affecting me and I didn’t realize it.

          He had his head in his hands crying when he suddenly removes them and stared into my eyes. I stood before him unable to look away. He seemed to calm down in front of me. But I couldn’t stop my tears. I didn’t know whether I wanted to run or see how things play out.     

          I wished I had a father like Damien. Trying to be a father and work on a relationship with your child. I never had that and I never will have that. Which made the tears pouring out of my eyes.  

          The funny thing is is that Damien came closer to me and put his hand on my head. His hand covered the top of my head. I stiffened in my spot. The shock of it all stopped my tears. My father never did this for me. 

           “Jessica!” Somebody called. It sounded like Daniel. “Jessica!” Daniel called again. Do they realize I can’t answer them. I pulled my phone out and typed quickly.  

            “Could you say right here for me?” I asked Damien through my phone. 

             “She’s here with me,” Damien called. Daniel turned the corner seeing me standing in front of Damien. David came right behind him. They both sighed in frustration. Damn am I really that predictable? 

             “I’m guessing she heard you and Johnny arguing.” Daniel stated. I just nodded. 

             “What are we going to do with you?” David asked rhetorically. I just shrugged. Damien looking absolutely confused at the situation. I just went over to David and Daniel and patted their backs. I looked at the time on my phone and then ran towards the Kitchen to prepare dinner.

Damien's POV:

        After the girl I’m assuming her name was Jessica. David and Daniel were calling her that. After she looked at her phone for the time and ran. I could definitely sense these two were very protective of her. She didn’t look more than fifteen.

            It shocked me that she was even crying. She looked to be a normal girl. Why do they have a normal girl here. She looked so sad though. She looked at me with a longing in her eyes. I could see it, but she became shocked when I put my hand on her head. Like she never received that kind of action from anyone.    

          What kind of life did she have? What about her family? That girl thinks she’s alone. I can see the loneliness in her eyes. It wasn’t too hard to see. I’ve lived a long time to know what loneliness looks like. She definitely felt lonely. 

           I just held this feeling like I want to hug her and tell her everything’s okay.

          “She’s already charmed you too huh?” Daniels voice pulled me from my thoughts.   

         “What do you mean?” I asked in confusion. 

         “That girl has a mysterious way of pulling people towards her. Her mother used to talk about her, but when we met her. We were instantly charmed. She literally has all of us wrapped her finger.” We started walking up the stairs. 

         “Though I don’t like saying this because she should be telling you or however she’s communicating at the moment. Her entire family except for two people were killed. From what I heard is that she heard everything, but she didn’t see anything. And due to the severity of her trauma she can’t speak,” Daniel said sadly. So that’s why she used her phone.

          “I’m guessing that’s why her emotions are more pronounced,” I stated. 

         “Yes, because she can’t speak it seems her mind can just run around, but also her emotions can be seen. It’s her way of communicating. She has been here for almost two weeks. It’s enough time to really observe her. In her own way though she has been observing us. You would never believe how astute she is.” This made me quite curious about her. 

        “Jessica went to go make dinner. She insists. Dinner will be at six give or take a couple minutes. When your done unpacking you can have a look around until dinner is ready,” Daniel explained. It seemed like we were at the top floor. We were on the left side of the about two doors down.

          They left me there with a key in my hand and I went inside my room.