Just a Fool

Two weeks, fifteen hours and sixteen seconds later.

I’ve been counting since Mel’s been gone, and as every day passes I feel myself getting more desperate. I want my sister home right now, in front of my face okay and unharmed. It’s just, every time that I picture her home I picture my face when I came home—bruised, battered and broken. My hair was gross, too long and greasy and my face was a sickly pale—so pale it took days to even look half normal again.

And I remembered the feelings I had all the time—that someone was lurking around the corner, that if I turned the light off he’d be right there next to me. But what had helped me sleep at night was not only Matt sneaking into my room, but the fact that Marcus was behind bars, sentenced for nearly ten years.

And he was out there now, somewhere and I was even sure where. He would have had eleven years because not only was I kidnapped by being drugged, I was raped countless times and suffered assault by many objects. He would have served…almost nine years by now. He was sentenced without parole for raping me and harming me. I was also not getting the nutrients I needed, so I was deathly skinny.

My mind was ripped away from my past when I heard my cell phone going off. Immediately I knew it was Sarah, so I grabbed it off the bedside table. I was currently staying with my Dad who more preferred me staying here anyways since Mel’s disappearance. “Hey, Sar,” I said into the speaker. “How are you?”

There was a sigh, “ than being knee deep with the bakery?” She said and I imagined her running her hands through her hair. “Okay. How about you? Do you need anything? I could bake a kick ass cake and we could just eat it all. I’ll even put raspberry filling in!” I let a chuckle leave my lips and stood up off my bed. I looked around my room and realized I still had some unpacking to do, but I really didn’t want to do it—it would only make this more real.

“How about I come down to the bakery and help you out? I know Amber said you’ve been getting a lot of customers lately, so I can lend a hand.”

“Are you sure, Evie?” Sarah asked and I rolled my eyes as I started to get some clothes together.

“I’m positive, Sar.” I said, “Sitting around this house isn’t going to help me—not emotionally.” I paused to reach into the closet and grabbed a short off the hangers. “Plus, baking usually helps me think.”

“I owe you the biggest present ever, Evie!” Sarah cried out. “I love you!” I laughed.

“Be there in twenty.” I said before hanging up to get dressed.

__

After tugging on a random pair DC’s, I was heading out the door when I received the text. It was an unknown number, so I didn’t check it until I was in my car and ready to go. It was still in park as I opened the text message—there was also a picture.

My eyes couldn’t believe what I saw.

I put my hand over my mouth before the sob could escape as I looked at the picture, my eyes not being able to leave it. It was a picture of Mel, her face clearly shown except it was battered and bruised. He bottom lip was swollen and the left side of her face had a large blue and black mark on it. Her eye was swollen shut, but I could still see the hatred in both of them as she gazed into the camera.

“Mel,” I said quietly as I closed the picture and read the text out loud. “I’m waiting for you, baby. Xoxo until we meet again.”

I didn’t even think as I sent a text to Amber to meet me at Sarah’s bakery before I threw the phone to my passenger seat and tore out of the driveway.

__

I made it to Sarah’s bakery the same time Amber did. She parked her black Escalade just in front me, put some change in the meter and waited for me to get out of the car. I noticed she looked really nice today and went to comment on the outfit when her blue eyes met mine. “Interview with a record deal,” She said quickly, “Now what’s this shit about a text message from Marcus?” I nodded and pointed towards Sarah’s door, the sign reading ‘Sinful Delicacies’ and we made our way towards the door, where we knew Sarah was waiting for us. “Have you contacted the police, Evelyn?” Amber asked as we pushed through the doors.

I looked at her with exasperation. “The police?” I barked out. “I don’t trust those bastards! They lied to me!”

“They could trace the text message, Evelyn. Sarah!” Amber said, her head looking around the little bakery. Sarah came out from the back room, her hair up in a bun and wearing a cute little apron over a pair of tight jeans and a grey t-shirt. She was smiling as she came forward, about to say something until her eyes landed on Amber.

“Amber?” She asked. “Ev, what’s going on?” She wondered out loud. I looked over at Amber and amber looked over at me.

“Let’s get down to business,” I said as I turned around, flipped the lock and ‘open’ sign to ‘close’.

“Got any liquor?” Amber asked, “And those really good donut things?”

“Éclairs, Amber, and how many times do I need to remind you what they are called?” Sarah said incredulously. As she went behind her counter, grabbed a few plates and pulled out some Éclairs. I grabbed a table, put my purse down on the floor and Amber sat next to me. Sarah then bent over and I heard something being unlocked and opened. She put a bottle of Jake on the counter and turned towards her little fridge, where she kept soda’s and grabbed three cokes before coming over to us, placing everything down and going back to grab cups.

When Sarah was situated, she looked over at me and sighed. “What’s going on? Spill.”

So I showed her the text message from Marcus—her bring brown eyes widened in shock as she saw the picture of Mel, and I watched as tears fell from her eyes. “Mel?” She asked worriedly, her eyes finding mine over the table. I nodded my head and I could see her face turn from sadness to anger. “Who does this fucker think he is!” Sarah cried out.

“I don’t know, but this bitch won’t go to the police,” Amber said annoyed. “They could track this mother fucker.”

“Probably not, he could be using a TracPhone and judging by the fact that he’s a supposed-convict, he wouldn’t be able to open an account unless he uses a false identity.” Sarah sat back into her chair, crossed her legs over and sighed. “Plus, Dad said that they would need to have some kind of software downloaded.”

Amber looked over at Sarah, her head whipping so fast her ponytail hit her face. “That’s it!” Amber exclaimed her arms up in the air. “Your father’s a fucking detective, Sarah!” She looked at me and I saw the wheels turning in her head.

“Yeah…” I said slowly.

“He’s like a second father to us both, Evelyn.” Amber began. “He would kill anyone who hurt either one of us.”

I heard Sarah gasp. “She’s right!” She said and put her hand to her forehead, where she face-palmed it. “Dad can help you, Evelyn! I know that when Dad found out about Mel, he’s been pissed that the squad lied to you. He’s been trying to build a case against the Detective White guys since forever ago—ever since my mom died.”

I looked at my best friends, their eyes wide and shining with hope, but me on the other hand? I wasn’t even sure I could trust another detective, not even the police department. They lied to me, told me that I was safe when really I wasn’t.

“Evelyn?” Sarah said, breaking the silence. I looked over to her she was looking at me with worry. “My dad would do everything he could to get Mel back and to keep you safe.” She reached across the table and put her hand on my own and gave it a squeeze. “You can trust him, honey.”

I felt tears welling in my eyes, “I can’t afford to trust any of them.” I sobbed out. “This man is a terrible man, Sarah, and he could hurt my sister. I would know—I’ve been there.”

Sarah sighed. “Then don’t trust the detective part.” She said, “Trust my Dad.”

I knew she was right, I did, but I was having such a hard time. Ever since I found out Marcus was never caught, my whole world fell and shattered at me feet. These past two weeks have been terrible a have taken a toll on me. There have been many times where I have grabbed my phone, dialed the one number I have told myself I wouldn’t dial and waited to press the green button. I did once and it rang two times before I hung up and threw the phone across the room.

I would not call Matt—he wants to build a life without me in it, so be it. He does not deserve the right to know about her.

“You haven’t told Matt yet,” Amber said. I looked up and shook my head no as I wiped at my tears. “He’s going to be so mad if he finds out.”

“He will not,” I warned, “Find out—ever.” I looked towards Sarah and she was watching me curiously. “Let’s go to your house and tell Dad.”