saidâhe must have believed she did, too, because the sexual abuse had stopped.
Melanie tightened her arms around her sister, aching for her. Why Mia? she wondered. The most defenseless, most sensitive of the three of them? And now, why this? Why couldnât her sister have the love she deserved?
Why couldnât any of them?
Melanie drew away from her twin, holding her at armâs length, meeting her gaze evenly. âDid he touch you?â
Mia shook her head, struggling, Melanie saw, to find her voice. âI didnât give him the chance. He went crazy and I grabbed the portable phone and ran. I locked myself in hereâ¦he tried to kick in the doorâ¦I thought he would. Then he justâ¦stopped.â
She drew in a shuddering breath. âI imagined him hiding out there, trying to trick me into coming out. I imagined him getting his gunââ
âHe has a gun?â
Mia blanched. âHeâ¦Iâ¦I donât knowâ¦I meant, I imagined him getting a gun. I was so afraid, Mellie!â
Melanie glanced at the bathroom door. The white paint was marred by ugly, black heel marks. She turned back to her sister. âHave you called the police?â
âWhat?â
âThe police. Have you called them?â
âNo, Iââ
âThatâs okay. We can do it now. Iâll get the phone.â She retrieved it from the bathroom floor and brought it to Mia. She held it out.
Mia shrank back and Melanie frowned. âYou have to do this, Mia. You have to protect yourself. You have to stop him.â
âI canât.â
âMiaââ
âI couldnât bear for everyone to know!â She covered her face with her hands. âIâm so ashamed.â
Melanie put the phone aside and took her sisterâs hands away from her face. They were cold, trembling. âLook at me, Mia. You have nothing to be ashamed of. Heâs the one whoâll be embarrassed by this. Heâs the one whoââ
âHeâll get off. You know he will. Heâll deny the whole thing, and everyone will believe him. Iâll be labeled the pathetic, attention-starved wife.â
âYou have proof. Look at this place, the heel marks, theââ Even as she said the words, she knewthat her sister had little beside bruises that were nearly two weeks old. Not even a 911 call.
âYou see that Iâm right, donât you?â Mia shook her head, tears slipping down her cheeks. âItâll be my word against his. Who do you think everyone will believe?â
Melanie had faced a similar prejudice when she left Stan, though he had never physically abused her. It had infuriated her then, it did now. She was sick and tired of a system that allowed the rich and powerful to run roughshod over those more vulnerable. They should be held accountable. Someone should make them pay.
Mia hung her head. âItâs my fault. I questioned him about where he was going. I should have known better. I should have left well enough alone.â
âDonât do that, Mia. Thatâs a victim talking. Itâs bullshit.â Melanie caught Miaâs shoulders and shook her lightly. âHeâs your husband. You had every reason, every right, to question him.â
âBut Iââ
âNo! You will not become a victim. I will not allow it, do you hear me? Youâve come too far.â She shook her again, forcing her to meet her eyes. âYou have to leave him, Mia. You have to. Itâs the only way.â
Mia started to cry again, nodding her head. âYouâre right, Mellie. But I donât want to. I want my marriage. The one I thought I had. The one I dreamed of.â
Melanieâs eyes filled with tears of sympathy. And of understanding. She drew her sister back into her arms. âI know, sweetie. I want the same thing. I want what I thought I had. But itâs not going to happen. You have to leave him before
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