Page 64 of Saving You Losing Me

I am so grateful and as the water washes the blood from my mouth, Jet crouches down beside Lucy. “What’s happened, Clara? Whatever it is, you’re safe now.”

I face them with a river of tears streaming from my bloodied eyes and whisper, “I’ve killed him.”

A stunned silence accompanies my words before Jet says reassuringly, “What happened? Start from the beginning.”

As I struggle to form the words, they listen without interruption and it’s as if I’m speaking about somebody else as I fill them in on what was the worst thing to ever happen to me in my life. I struggle to fill in the details and the air is heavy with compassion as I falter to the end of my tragic story.

Jet’s tone is laden with sympathy as he says gently, “It’s ok, darlin’, you came to the right place. We’ll sort it out.”

He turns to Lucy. “Grab some hot tea for Clara. Help her clean up, and I’ll sort this shit out.”

Lucy reacts quickly. “It’s ok, Clara. You’re safe with us. Let’s see to those wounds and get you some clean clothes.”

As we leave the room, Jet say into his cell, “Ryder, we’ve got a problem.”

I’mgrateful for Lucy’s help as I clean up and change into some of her clothes. She offers me painkillers and lots of hot tea and although the pain is unbearable, I feel safe here.

By the time Jet returns I have calmed down a little and as we search for answers I note the pity in Lucy’s eyes and sigh. “Don’tfeel sorry for us, Lucy. We lived a worse life than the one that’s coming. At least we can live it without fear of him.”

She says incredulously, “He didn’t ever hurt them, did he?”

I laugh, a bitter sound that I’m more than used to. “Not physically, but mentally, I’m not so sure. He was a cold bastard with no feeling and even his own blood, as young as they are, didn’t escape his temper. He never laid a finger on them, but his words cut deep. They won’t miss him because I saw the fear in their eyes when he called them. They must have heard the arguments, and the thrown punches.”

I shrug. “This is nothing they haven’t seen before. Apparently, their mom is quite accident prone. She was certainly a fool because I should have done this years ago.”

I turn to Jet and say with a worried frown. “We have nowhere to go. No friends will want to help us for fear of recriminations. My family has moved away and wants no part of my life. I can’t go back there - I just can’t. What are we going to do?”

He laughs darkly. “You’re right, you can’t go back there, because there’s nothing left to go back to.”

I throw him a sharp look as he laughs. “Your house is burning along with your husband’s soul. There is no evidence and nothing to incriminate you.”

I gasp and stare at Jet with disbelief as he shrugs. “This way you can start again with nothing from your past to drag you down.”

I’m confused. “Then I possess nothing at all.”

Jet shakes his head. “You have your freedom, and that’s worth more than any house or its contents. I’m pretty sure the insurance will pay out and you can start again wherever you want to go.”

Lucy says kindly. “You can stay at my apartment until you find your feet. I’m pretty sure I’ll be out of town for a while, and it’s the perfect place for you and the girls.”

I can’t believe what I’m hearing because nobody has ever been this kind to me. “Would you really do that—for us?”

She grasps my hand and says firmly. “Listen, you may think you’re alone, but there are still people around here who care what happens to you. Stay strong and be the best mom those girls could ever wish for. You’re free now and you can live a life without fear.”

My shoulders sag. “Live without fear, you say. If only I could.”

Jet asks, “What do you have to fear?”

“My husband made a lot of enemies over the years who would love nothing more than to take it out on his only living relatives. They will see us as an easy target and if what you say is true, that insurance money will be the only magnet they need. It’s common knowledge we lack friends and without him, no protection. I’ll have to move far away to stand any chance of a future for my girls without always watching out for trouble, that’s sure to find us.”

I sigh heavily. “When you leave, they’ll come. I have nowhere to go until the money comes through and your apartment, no matter how kind an offer, just won’t be strong enough to keep us safe.”

Jet kneels down before me and says in a hard voice.

“Then I know just the place you can go.”

“Where?”

He grins. “It’s time to head across to the Darkside.”

---