Radiant Eclipse

I tried to see it the way the lawyer wanted me to see it, but it was hard to do that. “You can't understand,” I said softly, as I sat across the circular table from him in a fancy law firm building. The Assistant District Attorney, a woman of about fifty with paling blond hair and beautiful brown eyes, nodded and seemed to comprehend my discomfort with the situation before me. “I was tortured by this man for more than a decade of my life,” I explained as calmly as I could. “I couldn't sleep at night unless I checked every door and window twice, and I even got a guns license so I could have a pistol in almost every room of my house.”

I paused and looked at the ADA. “I will give my testimony, write it down, answer your questions, but there's no way in all hell that I am allowing that bastard's lawyer to even get a chance to look me in the eyes. Anyone who defends a man like Michael doesn't deserve respect. At least, not mine.”

The ADA didn't say anything, but her hand suddenly reached out across the table and rested it upon my own, which forced me to look her in the face with tears in my eyes. “You won't answer a single question. I promise you that. I'll object that quite vengefully, Miss Nelson. I give you my word.”

Chewing on my bottom lip, stomach turning, I nodded and got to my feet as I handed her a large envelope. “My testimony,” I said, as she smiled gently and grasped it. “I want this to be the only time I will ever have to write about something as horrible as this. And I want to never talk about it unless decreed to by God himself, and you should know I'm not too keen on the God thing.”

She nodded.

Johnny was waiting for me outside the law firm, his arms crossed as he leaned against the marble complex of a lion statue, his body wrapped in a warm winter jacket. He spotted me walking down the steps and quickly walked over to meet me in a rush of worry. His hands were pressed to my face as he asked, “You okay?”

I sighed. “I hope so,” was all I said, as I moved into the hug he began to give. Face against his chest, I said, “I'm supposed to go to court next month for the kidnapping and...and the rape.”

Johnny's heart pounded angrily, and he whispered, “That guy better get a body guard, 'cause I'm going to tear him to shreds if he is ever in a ten state radius of you.”

“He's waiting for the trial in a cozy prison cell,” I said unemotionally, as I held Johnny's hand and followed the stairs down to the street, where he hailed a cab and directed it to the hotel.

March arrived too loudly, with tabloids and stories raging around about what had happened to Slaves of Bathory's lead singer and bass player, and I spent a lot of time tearing apart those articles, tears flooding down my face as my whole life was spilled into the public's greedy hands. E! News wanted to do an hour special on me, and I told them to go to hell, and then word quickly spread about me. I was bitter about it all (No shit!) and I was becoming distant with everyone. That was bull. I was closer than ever to my band mates, and even to the guys of Avenged Sevenfold. Just because I didn't want the world to peek into my past through the small keyhole being allowed for me to speak doesn't mean I was a hermit.

So I did things my way. I contacted a publisher after finishing my novel, and they didn't even take a second glance at it. They shook my hand and welcomed me to their family as I gave the media a giant middle finger, in essence.

After the trial ended in my favor, I decided it was time to find an old friend of mine, and I escaped to go smoke out my father and brother.

Johnny tagged along with me as I pulled into the drive way of the small bungalow that my father still lived in. My brother's car was parked at the curbside, and I gulped as I slammed the door shut. Johnny rounded the Escalade to meet me, his arm wrapping around my waist as I sighed and looked down at my feet. “You'll be okay,” he reassured me, kissing my temple gently to relax my nerves as I nodded and walked towards the front door.

I paused as I pressed my hand to the door knob. This wasn't my home anymore. I couldn't just walk in like I did when I was in high school. So I just slid my hand away and was about to knock when the door flew open.

Marcus was tall and lean with tan skin and clean-cut dark hair, and he wore a pair of black dress slacks with a light blue button down shirt tucked in, sleeves rolled up to the elbow as green eyes stared at me. He didn't know what to say for a minute, so I said softly, “Hello, Marcus.”

He gulped and nodded, as he stepped out of the way of the door and allowed Johnny to follow after me into the living room. He closed the door behind us and led us into the small kitchen, where he said, “I've got coffee brewed if you'd like any. Or there's soda. I don't really know what you would prefer.”

I set down my purse on the island counter and slid my sweater off slowly, draping it over the back of the kitchen chair as I smiled and said, “Water is fine.”

Marcus nodded, still no smile, and looked at Johnny, who shook his head and replied, “I'm fine. Thank you, though.”

“This is Johnny Seward by the way, Marcus,” I introduced, as he handed me a cup of water and shook Johnny's hand. I felt my throat close up as I confessed, “He's my fiance.”

Marcus stared at me wide eyed as he got full view of his new sister. “Your...” he paused and pressed his hand to his mouth as I witnessed tears fill his eyes. “You're pregnant?” he finally said as I laughed a little bit and wrapped my arms around my brother. He sobbed into my shoulder, and I quieted him as he cried, “I'm so sorry, Vickie. I just didn't know what to think. I should have been there for you. I should have called or visited you. I'm so sorry.”

I kissed Marcus's cheek and said, “You can do that now. I want you to be there for me now. I love you Marcus, and I want my daughter or son to have an Uncle like never before. Just like I want dad to be a Grandpa. I figure it's not that easy for him as it is for us, but I want to at least try. I'm trying to get over all that stuff.”

My brother nodded and pulled away as he smiled and kissed my forehead. “You're so big, Vick,” he laughed, as I giggled with him. He pressed his hands to my stomach and ran them over it gently as I watched Johnny get a little tense. It was his child, and I think he meant to protect it from whoever he had to. Marcus smiled at Johnny and shook his hand firmly as he said, “Thank you for being there for my sister, Johnny. I'm glad she's found someone she can rely on.”

Johnny nodded and said, “Thank you. That really does mean a lot to me. And to Vickie, too, I'm sure.”

As they pulled their hands away, I heard the front door open, and the room fell silent except for the thud of the door now closing, and foot steps across carpeted flooring. I held my breath a second as Marcus stepped before me and my father paused at the threshold of the kitchen and living room. He was an older version of Marcus, except for he wasn't as tall, and his hair was dulled in hue, but he looked the same as I remembered him.

My first reaction was to call him Daddy and hug him, but I knew this wasn't a good idea until I saw what was his reaction to me. Johnny stepped out of the way of my brother and father, and stepped beside me, slipping his arm around my waist as Marcus decided to finally break the silence.

“Vickie wanted to visit, dad,” he said firmly, in a protective tone that I had longed to hear for so long. “She's got news for us. It's goo news, dad, and I think you should let her speak.”

My dad's eyes fell on my own, as I felt myself become seven years old again, little and scared as I waited to get chastised for spilling Kool-Aid on the living room floor. He looked at Johnny quickly, and my heart skipped a beat as I inhaled deeply. But he didn't yell at me to leave. He didn't tell me what a mistake I was, or how I ruined everything I ever touched. He set the groceries on the table and nodded at Marcus, who smiled at me.

I stepped forward and watched my dad's eyes grow wide. He stood nearer to me, and I waited for him to speak, to say anything at all, but he just fell to his knees, and ran his hands over my pregnant belly as he sobbed and cried, causing tears to flood my eyes and down my cheeks as I pressed my hand unto my father's.

He got to his feet and engulfed me in a tight hug as I wrapped my arms around his warm body. “I'm so sorry, dad,” I sobbed, my body shaking a little from years of being fatherless and alone.

“No, honey,” he said, holding my face in his hands, “I'm sorry. I'm the one who made a mistake. Not you. All you ever did was try to love me and I shoved you away. I'm so sorry, Vickie. I love you, baby. You've always been my little girl. You're grown now, but you're still my only little girl. I love you. I always loved you. I was just bitter and horrified that anything so horrible could happen to my family, so I took it out on you. I'm sorry.”

“I love you, Daddy,” I said.

“I love you, too, Vickie,” my dad said, as we hugged.