These Bright Lights Have Always Blinded Me

I was sitting in the car between Max and Tom, Ronnie’s blanket still wrapped around me. I rested my head on Max’s shoulder as Frank drove. “Frankie?” I asked barely above a whisper.

He looked in the rearview mirror. “Yeah sis?” he asked.

“I don’t feel so good. Everything’s all dizzy and my vision’s tunneling,” I replied as all that I mentioned started happening.

His eyes widened and he said, “We’re taking you to the hospital. Now.”

I nodded and looked over in the passenger seat to see Bill. He had his legs pulled up to his chest and his face was buried in his knees. “Billa?” I asked, again barely above a whisper. My voice did not want to stay around.

He looked back at me and asked, “Yeah?”

I just weakly smiled before my vision started tunneling more. I look up at Max when everything went black and I passed out.

*********************

I was pacing back and forth in the waiting room, wondering when we could see Chelsea. Everyone was here as well. Even Craig’s daughter Leila was here. She was sleeping in Craig’s lap, her little head resting on his chest. Ali was sitting next to him, Frank on the other side of her. Ali looked distressed about something. I have no clue what though.

She was quietly talking to Frank and Craig as I walked over.

“It was awful. I had to distract him so Tom and Chelsea could get out. I just hated what I had to do in order to distract him,” she said as I sat next to Craig.

“Don’t worry baby,” Craig said, “They’re out, Chelsea is getting checked on, and they’re safe. You’re safe as well Ali.”

“I could just hurt him. This wouldn’t be the first time he ra—I’m not supposed to say that,” she said interrupting herself.

“First time he what?” Frank asked.

Ali shook her head and said, “I’m going to go to the restroom.”

She stood up and I grabbed her hand, pulling her back down. “Did what Ali?” I asked her.

She shook her head. “I can’t Tom. I promised I wouldn’t say anything. She’d kill me if I told you guys,” she said.

“Come on baby. It would make it easier for us to find out everything he’s done and/or did to her tonight so Chelsea can heal better,” Craig said.

“You don’t heal better when something like this happens,” she said.

I stood up and said, “Come on Ali. Walk with me.”

She sighed and stood up. She kissed Craig on the lips and hugged Frank before we started walking. We walked a bit when I asked, “What were you going to say?”

She shook her head. “Look, you can confine in me. I’ll keep my mouth shut. Unless it’s really serious. But I will try my best not to tell Frank,” I told her.

She sighed. “I really am not supposed to tell you this, but after Ronnie was put in jail, Chelsea told me some things that Ronnie said and did while they were dating. I don’t even like to think about it, but she told me that the reason she didn’t break up with him soon was because he said he would kill everyone close to her if she did. She also told me that he…” she took a deep breath, “She told me that he raped her. Repeatedly too. All he ever used her for was sex and a punching bag.”

“You’re not like that with Max, are you?”

“What? Hell no. I’m a little apprehensive when it comes to that. The reasons are my own.”

“Ah. Understandable. Can I ask you a personal question?”

“Yeah. Whether I answer it or not depends on how personal it is.”

“I know this is probably none of my business, but are you a virgin?”

She was silent “No,” she replied shakily.

“Chelsea?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you okay?”

“Ya-yeah.”

“Are you sure? You sound upset. Please don’t tell me it was because of what I asked. I’ll feel really awful about it.”

“Tom, it’s nothing,” she said, although she didn’t sound like it. She sounded like she was about to cry. Damn me and my nosiness.

“Chelsea, it’s something. I can tell. You sound close to crying.”

“Look, I don’t want to talk about it, okay?’

I sighed. “Okay. I won’t make you. But you know you can always talk to me about anything, right? That’s what friends are for.”

She was silent. “Okay Tomi. Well, I have to get ready for Ali’s. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Alright Chelsea. I’ll talk to you later.”

“Okay Tomi. Buh-bye.”

“Bye.”

“Hello? Tom? Earth to Tomi!” Ali said waving her hand in front of my face.

I shook my head. “I could kill him. Look, I won’t tell Frank. I promise that. He’s got enough on his mind as it is. He doesn’t need to know that Chelsea was raped,” I told her.

She hugged me. “Thank you Tom,” she said, “Now, let’s go see if we can see Chelsea yet, okay?”

I nodded and she walked ahead of me. I sighed and muttered, “What I wouldn’t give to have her better.”

I shrugged to myself before walking back to the waiting room.