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I explain the entire situation to him. After Darci died, I told him that Grace had hit Ally in the past and that she was afraid of them, but that was about it. Now, I tell him about her mom, the hospital, and what Mark did. And afterward, he just stares at me.
“How do you know she’s not making this up?” he says. “Grace has been friends with Lydia for about a decade now. She and Mark have always seemed like such nice people. Ally is…a kid who has had a rough life.”
“She’s not lying. Rib cages don’t shatter themselves. They hurt her. And he raped her. If you want us to leave, we’ll go, but it’s hard for her to move right now. I’d at least rather wait until morning.”
He paces the floor for a few minutes. “She can stay for the night, but that’s it. And if they show up here looking for her, I’m going to tell them the truth.”
I bite back the words I want to say and instead tell him, “That’s fine.”
I go to the kitchen, grab a glass of water and some snacks, and return to my room.
“Hey, you’re awake,” I say.
“The show is good,” she tells me.
“Um, you can take your pill now. You have to take it with food and water, so I brought all this. What do you want?”
“Oh, um…I guessthe granola.”
“Good choice,” I say, handing her both the bag of granola and the water. “It has dried cherries.”
Ally forces a smile. “Youarethe same,” she says.
I shake my head. “I’m really not,” I tell her. “I just love you. That’s the only thing that’s the same. Can I sit with you?”
“Yes,” she says.
I sit down next to her, and she leans against my shoulder. I’m nervous to wrap my arm around her, but I do it anyway.
“Is this fine? Am I hurting you?”
“No,” she says. “I like it. I like your gauges, too, by the way.”
“Anything for you, baby.”
“I’m so sorry, Devon. I meant to leave. I didn’t mean for either of us to have to deal with this anymore.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, Ally. But I’m sorry, too.”
Shortly after she takes her pill, she falls asleep. I turn the TV off and don’t sleep at all. I lie awake in the dark, waiting for something bad to happen.
And it does.
Iwake up in a dark room to a distant sound of thudding. I shoot straight up, forgetting where I am and about the broken ribs, but the sudden movement gives me a sharp, painful reminder. I groan and reach toward Devon, wrapping my hand around his bicep.
“Devon, did you hear that? What was it?”
“It’s nothing, Ally. Don’t worry about it. Just stay here, okay?”
“Was it the door?” I ask. “Do you think they’re here?”
“I’m sure it was nothing,” he says. He places his hand on my cheek and kisses me on the forehead. “But I’m going to go check…just to make sure. Don’t leave this room.”
I hear him rifling around for something in the dark, and then he leaves the room and closes the door behind him. I stay there, seated in the bed, my pulse racing, and then I hear the sound again.
Like a fist against a wooden door.
I throw my legs over the side of the bed and bring myself to stand; the pain isn’t quite as excruciating as before, but my legsare still unsteady. I shuffle toward the door and then to the staircase. After descending about halfway, I get a clear view of Devon standing in front of the door.
