Sticky
Seven
Christmas at Hartley’s grandparents’ house smelled like warm cookies and excitement mixed with her grandmother’s heavy perfume. Her family looked happy, seated at the dinner table eating the meal they’d all helped to make. Some people talked to one another while others were content in just being in the company of everyone. Hartley was not grouped with either side, sitting uncomfortably between Jericho and her older brother Arden, who’d come down to visit again from college. She picked at her nearly full plate and tried not to listen to her parents talking about her with her aunts Julie and Marie.
“It’s been almost six months since it happened.” Her mom was saying in hushed tones, Julie and Marie nodding along across the table. “We thought maybe with time she’d come out and tell us who’d hurt her, but if anything she’s become more withdrawn, especially since Arden’s been visiting so often.”
“Maybe he was around Arden’s age, and so she feels uncomfortable around him.” Was Julie’s suggestion. Hartley heard Arden stifle a snort from her right, and was certain he’d been listening to the conversation as well. For the first time in months Hartley felt an emotion other than self-pity and sadness rise up inside her. She took a stab at her roast beef and attempted to ignore her oncoming anger.
“But Arden’s been trying really hard to break her out of her shell. He takes her out every time he comes to town to see movies and such, but she just keeps getting worse. I hardly ever see her eat anymore. Should we consider therapy?” The noise of conversation began to fade and was replaced by a dull roaring in her ears. She was dimly aware of her older brother excusing himself from the table to use the restroom, could just barely feel him brush up against her as he squeezed behind all the chairs.
“What if she was willing at the time and is regretting it now? The story she told you could be something she invented to make herself feel better.” If the snap Hartley felt in her brain had existed physically she was sure that everyone in attendance would’ve heard it, and before she knew it she was on her feet.
Words spewed from her mouth like bubbles blown from a wand, spreading along the table and popping next to the ears of her family members. She didn’t concentrate on the words she was saying, and when asked later wouldn’t be able to recall half of them, but there was one part that no one would ever forget. Arden was responsible for all of this. Arden had defiled Hartley.
She sat down when she was done, surprisingly at ease in the silence that had settled in her wake. No one spoke for the longest time, not even the kids, who’d seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation though most of them probably had no idea what Hartley had been talking about.
“Mom,” she heard her cousin Abby say quietly, “What did Hartley mean by rape? What’s rape?”
“It’s been almost six months since it happened.” Her mom was saying in hushed tones, Julie and Marie nodding along across the table. “We thought maybe with time she’d come out and tell us who’d hurt her, but if anything she’s become more withdrawn, especially since Arden’s been visiting so often.”
“Maybe he was around Arden’s age, and so she feels uncomfortable around him.” Was Julie’s suggestion. Hartley heard Arden stifle a snort from her right, and was certain he’d been listening to the conversation as well. For the first time in months Hartley felt an emotion other than self-pity and sadness rise up inside her. She took a stab at her roast beef and attempted to ignore her oncoming anger.
“But Arden’s been trying really hard to break her out of her shell. He takes her out every time he comes to town to see movies and such, but she just keeps getting worse. I hardly ever see her eat anymore. Should we consider therapy?” The noise of conversation began to fade and was replaced by a dull roaring in her ears. She was dimly aware of her older brother excusing himself from the table to use the restroom, could just barely feel him brush up against her as he squeezed behind all the chairs.
“What if she was willing at the time and is regretting it now? The story she told you could be something she invented to make herself feel better.” If the snap Hartley felt in her brain had existed physically she was sure that everyone in attendance would’ve heard it, and before she knew it she was on her feet.
Words spewed from her mouth like bubbles blown from a wand, spreading along the table and popping next to the ears of her family members. She didn’t concentrate on the words she was saying, and when asked later wouldn’t be able to recall half of them, but there was one part that no one would ever forget. Arden was responsible for all of this. Arden had defiled Hartley.
She sat down when she was done, surprisingly at ease in the silence that had settled in her wake. No one spoke for the longest time, not even the kids, who’d seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation though most of them probably had no idea what Hartley had been talking about.
“Mom,” she heard her cousin Abby say quietly, “What did Hartley mean by rape? What’s rape?”
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Sorry if this chapter disappoints. Only one more chapter until it's finished! This last one will be a sort of epilogue.