A mask.
A mask she has to wear every day to avoid conflict with Jaco.
My heart breaks for her.
Talia shakes her head, smiling darkly. “The Marcas family is powerful. But so is mine. Give me a second, I won’t be long,” she says, standing up and grabbing her phone.
While she’s away, Lindsey begins to panic. “Please, she can’t interfere. If Jaco even hears I was talking to you two, he’ll be furious. I don’t know what he’ll do. I never know when his anger will escalate and become something darker. Please, please tell her not to talk to anyone. I need to go. I should never have sat down…”
She tries to stand, and I take her hand, standing too, and not letting her leave. Tears are shimmering behind her eyes, andshe looks terrified. “Just give her a moment. Let’s hear what she has to say,” I ask calmly.
Talia comes back to the table and stands with us.
“I have a safe house ready for you. We’ll take you straight there. I promise you, Lindsey, we are going to keep you safe. This might be your one chance to escape him. I can’t force you to come with us. But I am asking you… think about your future. Think carefully about what happens if you stay with him…”
Lindsey looks like a wild rabbit being circled by wolves. She looks scared and frozen in place. We both watch her in silence, pleading with our eyes. Begging her to let us help her.
Her voice is shaking when she finally speaks. “I’ll go with you,” she whispers. “I don’t want to go back to him.”
As she says the words, her shoulders slump in relief of her choice. She still looks terrified, but somehow like the world has been lifted off her back.
“Let’s go now.”
