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Getting out of my truck, I bend my neck to avoid hitting my head and get a twinge of pain from my injury. I had forgotten all about it. Even though I’m healing just fine, the pain is still there and I still have stitches. No more pain killers though, and no drinking for a while either. It’s time to deal with the pain, and not hide from it.
As I walk towards the house, I have a feeling of dread come over me. Not only do I not want to see the damage that was done to Ireland’s room but I know I’m about to face Mick. After what I did to his sister this may not go so well. I deserve whatever he dishes out though.
The pain in my neck is nothing compared to what I feel when I enter Ireland’s room. As I stand in the room where I have read bedtime stories, had tea parties, worn tiaras and tutus while playing princess, I am filled with a rage that has my heart beating so loudly that I can’t even hear myself think.
Thud…thud…thud…
Everything feels like it’s in slow motion as I look at her pink bedding cut to shreds. Somebody has taken a knife and literally shredded her blankets and pillows. There are feathers everywhere and her things are scattered all over the room. They have chosen one of her stufties to decapitate. Leaning against the body of that stuffed bear is a picture of Emily walking Ireland into school.
WHAT! THE! FUCK!
Rage. I am filled with rage.
Whoever this fucker is has been following Emily and Ireland. They know where she works, where Ireland goes to school, where they live and they have Emily’s phone number. What the hell is going on?!
I have to get out of this room before I lose it. I cross the hall to Emily’s room. Mick is standing there with Detective Noah Caldwell looking at something on the bed.
“What is it, Mick?”
Mick turns around and motions for me to join them. When I have full view of the bed, the scene isn’t anything dramatic. There is just a simple note that says,
Leave mine alone and I’ll leave yours alone.
“Mick, what the hell is going on? Who would want to do this to her?”
“Fuck if I know, man.”
Mick leaves the room and I follow him. He stops in the kitchen, grabs a coke for himself and hands one to me as well.
Leaning against the counter on the other side of the kitchen, I have a direct view of the refrigerator, and I can see a new picture that has been added to the gallery of Ireland art that covers the appliance. This new picture says Happy Birthday Mommy on it. Then I see the wilting bouquet of balloons tied to a dining room table chair, and I realize on top of everything else I missed her fucking birthday.
The woman I love was heartbroken, because of me, on her birthday.
“Don’t worry about it, man. She understands and she’s resilient as shit. You’ve been through a lot and nobody expects you to get over everything overnight.”
This is her brother, and I can’t let him let me get away with it that easily. I need to talk to him because if I’m lucky, he just might be my family one day.
“Thanks, Mick, but I still feel like a dick. The guilt took over, man, and it reminded me of losing my friend Matt over in Afghanistan, and not being there when my mom died. It’s no excuse, and I know that I have a lot of work to do to earn back her trust. I swear I won’t check out again, man. This was a huge wake-up call. Believe me when I say that I am in love with your sister. All I want to do is take care of her and Ireland and make them happy. I have been in love with her for years, and I’ll do anything not to lose her again. I know you probably want to kick my ass right now, but there isn’t anything you can say to keep me away from her.”
Mick crosses the kitchen and holds his hand out to me. He waits until I reach mine out to shake his before he says, “Good. As long as we’re all on the same page, and that Emmers and I are taken care of and happy, that’s all that matters. Now let’s figure this shit out.”
33
Emily
“Listen, Austin, thanks for stopping by before class starts. I am so sorry to bring you into this, but some strange stuff has been happening to me lately and the principal needs to talk to anybody that I might work closely with. There might be a police officer in the room as well, and I know that might make you uncomfortable, and I’m sorry about that.”
“No problem, Miss J. Of course, I’ll talk to them. Are you okay?”
He is such a sweet kid. I hate that he has to be involved in this.
“I’m fine, Austin. Thank you for asking. If it’s all right with you Officer Blackburn is gonna walk you down to the office to talk to Principal Utz?”
“Sure thing. I’ll see you later, Miss J and let me know if you need anything. After what you did for Jesse and how you take care of all of us, I got your back.”
I walk him to the classroom door where Officer Blackburn is waiting and I thank him once more. This is so embarrassing. I hate involving other people in my problems and I certainly don’t want Austin to think that I suspect he could be involved in this in any way. He’s a kid who struggles and he has a rough family life, but he’s a good kid.
I take a deep breath and prepare to endure even more embarrassment as I leave the classroom to head to the office and the library for Heidi. I know that the word is out and everybody knows what’s happening. Many of my co-workers are being brought in and questioned. I feel horrible. Stupid. Naive. These are not feelings I’m accustomed to. I don’t feel uncomfortable in my own skin.
