my heart rate. “After talking to Ronnie, I came home and searched your name in Google.” There, I said it .
***
The next couple of minutes seemed to go by in slow motion. I watched as Ally stood up and walked to the front door. She didn’t run, she just slowly walked outside.
“Shit.” I moved quickly for the door, calling her name. As soon as I stepped onto the porch I saw her. She was standing against the rail, staring toward the trees. I could see her rapid breathing with the rising and falling of her back from behind. “Ally?” I whispered as I walked up behind her. She didn’t move, even when I touched her shoulders. “Ally, it’s too cold to be out here. Let me take you inside.” When she still didn’t move or answer me, I put my arms around her, pulling her back until her back was pressed against my front.
“Ally, I’m so sorry I betrayed you. I should never have done that. I just missed you so much these past couple of days, and I didn’t know.” I kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t know, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
She turned around, taking my hand and lead me back inside. Sitting down next to the fireplace, she looked up at me and took a big breath. “Ian, I’ve never told anyone this before.”
Chapter 31
~Ally
My mind was so jumbled with thoughts, and then all of a sudden it was clear as day. I started talking, and I knew I wasn’t going to stop.
“I had gone on a date.” I whispered, and I felt Ian’s arms tighten around me, urging me to go on. “The front light wasn’t on. I didn’t understand why….They always left it on when I wasn’t home. I went inside and I could I could hear something—crying—someone was crying.”
“I started to walk toward the crying. There was a horrible smell—God, the smell was awful! I walked into the living room and they were just sitting there. My parents were on the couch side by side staring at the TV that wasn’t even on.”
I was shaking my head, “Why wasn’t it on? My dad was crying Ian, he didn’t cry, ever , so I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I called him, and they both turned around. Oh God, there was so much blood! Their faces were swollen and bleeding everywhere .”
“My mom was saying something to me. Run? I couldn’t understand at first, it just sounded like gurgling. ‘Run Ally! ’ My mom was telling me to run, so I did. I turned around and ran into a wall, but it wasn’t a wall….it was a man.” I could feel myself starting to tremble, but Ian’s arms just held me tighter.
“I looked up at him and he was smiling at me. He was pure evil and I was so scared. ‘ Welcome home’ …That’s what he said to me and then, he hit me.” I felt a sob leave my throat, and Ian kissed me on the head.
“Oh God Ian! It felt like my face exploded, and then I fell down. I could hear him yelling, and then there was another man standing over me—kicking me—he was kicking me in the side. My mom was screaming, and then I was sliding across the floor. He had my hair…He was dragging me by my hair!” I was gasping for air.
“They were arguing and yelling at my dad. They wanted something—they were looking for something. Why didn’t he just give them what they were looking for? I didn’t understand. They pushed me onto the couch next to my mom, but she couldn’t touch me.” I was sobbing uncontrollably, but I knew I needed to say it all out loud.
“Her hands were tied behind her so she just kept saying ‘Shhh, baby, shhh.’ He yells at my dad, he says he’s done, and then I see a gun and my dad falls forward as the other man kicks him in the head. The sound is deafening, and echoes off the walls. Dad isn’t moving. I hear my mom singing—a Billy Joel song .
“Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this
***
The next couple of minutes seemed to go by in slow motion. I watched as Ally stood up and walked to the front door. She didn’t run, she just slowly walked outside.
“Shit.” I moved quickly for the door, calling her name. As soon as I stepped onto the porch I saw her. She was standing against the rail, staring toward the trees. I could see her rapid breathing with the rising and falling of her back from behind. “Ally?” I whispered as I walked up behind her. She didn’t move, even when I touched her shoulders. “Ally, it’s too cold to be out here. Let me take you inside.” When she still didn’t move or answer me, I put my arms around her, pulling her back until her back was pressed against my front.
“Ally, I’m so sorry I betrayed you. I should never have done that. I just missed you so much these past couple of days, and I didn’t know.” I kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t know, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me.”
She turned around, taking my hand and lead me back inside. Sitting down next to the fireplace, she looked up at me and took a big breath. “Ian, I’ve never told anyone this before.”
Chapter 31
~Ally
My mind was so jumbled with thoughts, and then all of a sudden it was clear as day. I started talking, and I knew I wasn’t going to stop.
“I had gone on a date.” I whispered, and I felt Ian’s arms tighten around me, urging me to go on. “The front light wasn’t on. I didn’t understand why….They always left it on when I wasn’t home. I went inside and I could I could hear something—crying—someone was crying.”
“I started to walk toward the crying. There was a horrible smell—God, the smell was awful! I walked into the living room and they were just sitting there. My parents were on the couch side by side staring at the TV that wasn’t even on.”
I was shaking my head, “Why wasn’t it on? My dad was crying Ian, he didn’t cry, ever , so I couldn’t wrap my head around it. I called him, and they both turned around. Oh God, there was so much blood! Their faces were swollen and bleeding everywhere .”
“My mom was saying something to me. Run? I couldn’t understand at first, it just sounded like gurgling. ‘Run Ally! ’ My mom was telling me to run, so I did. I turned around and ran into a wall, but it wasn’t a wall….it was a man.” I could feel myself starting to tremble, but Ian’s arms just held me tighter.
“I looked up at him and he was smiling at me. He was pure evil and I was so scared. ‘ Welcome home’ …That’s what he said to me and then, he hit me.” I felt a sob leave my throat, and Ian kissed me on the head.
“Oh God Ian! It felt like my face exploded, and then I fell down. I could hear him yelling, and then there was another man standing over me—kicking me—he was kicking me in the side. My mom was screaming, and then I was sliding across the floor. He had my hair…He was dragging me by my hair!” I was gasping for air.
“They were arguing and yelling at my dad. They wanted something—they were looking for something. Why didn’t he just give them what they were looking for? I didn’t understand. They pushed me onto the couch next to my mom, but she couldn’t touch me.” I was sobbing uncontrollably, but I knew I needed to say it all out loud.
“Her hands were tied behind her so she just kept saying ‘Shhh, baby, shhh.’ He yells at my dad, he says he’s done, and then I see a gun and my dad falls forward as the other man kicks him in the head. The sound is deafening, and echoes off the walls. Dad isn’t moving. I hear my mom singing—a Billy Joel song .
“Goodnight, my angel
Now it's time to dream
And dream how wonderful your life will be
Someday your child may cry
And if you sing this
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