Hayley’s even if he was keeping it for her.
“I have to go now. Thank you again for the gift.”
“You’re welcome. See you again.” As Hayley turned to leave, the wind blew her fringe away and Judd caught sight of the band-aid on her forehead. His hand automatically shot out and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. On reflex, Hayley flinched and her body moved into a protective stance. Judd pulled his hand back and stared at her wide-eyed. Her face also seemed to have paled considerably. “Did you think I was going to hurt you?”
Hayley relaxed her posture and tried to act nonchalant. “No, it was just a normal reflex. Is there something you wanted to say to me?” Judd still looked at her suspiciously, making her nervous.
“I wanted to ask about your forehead. What happened?”
“It’s nothing. I just tripped and fell, you know how clumsy I can get.” Hayley said quickly, self-consciously brushing her fringe again to conceal the band-aid.
“You don’t come across as someone who is clumsy.”
Hayley laughed nervously. “Umm...I am, it’s just that you haven’t seen this side of me before.”
“Hayley, if there is something wrong, you can talk to me about it.” Hayley just shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She was worried that she might broke down in front of him.
“Tell me honestly Hayley, all those times when you disappeared, did you really go overseas?” Judd could not help the doubt that was rising in him. As he thought over the little things he had brushed off in past, it dawned on him how suspicious they all added up to. Those times when she came back from her overseas trips, she would give vague answers when asked about the places that she went to. It was as though she didn’t really know about them despite being there. He had not thought to question her further then. This was not the first time he had seen an injury on Hayley. He had come across small bruises before and each time, Hayley had brushed them off as her knocking over things and that it was in her nature to bruise easily. Again he had let it past. This time however, the way she had reacted to his touch told him that there was indeed something going on. It was as though she was bracing herself for an expected beating.
Hayley blinked as she stood dumbstruck. There was no way she could tell Judd what was happening. “I’m sorry Judd but I really have to go now.” She tried to hurry away but Judd grabbed hold of her arm once more. Again the flinching was there even though she recovered faster this time but Judd had caught it all the same
“You are not going anywhere until we talk about this Hayley.” His tone was soft yet firm.
Hayley knew that he was not going to let her go unless she said something that would satisfy his suspicious mind. “I will talk to you about it Judd, just not today, please.” She looked up at him, pleading with her big crystal eyes.
Judd seemed undecided for an instance but then let go of her arm and sighed. “Fine. Just know this Hayley, you can trust me. I will help you.”
Hayley nodded her head and briskly walked away from the park before Judd changed his mind and chased after her. Judd watched her go with mixed emotions. He knew that she was hiding something from him but using force would not give him the answers. He had no choice but to wait until Hayley was ready to tell him herself. He just hoped that it would not be too late by then.
CHAPTER 9: 11 YEARS AGO
The droning voices and light from the television set was the only indication that somebody was in the otherwise dark den. Yet, the figure that was slumped on the sofa had been oblivious to his surroundings since almost four hours ago. His mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of a particular eight-year-old girl whose elusiveness frustrated him greatly. Judd mentally ran through the events of the past week again,
“I have to go now. Thank you again for the gift.”
“You’re welcome. See you again.” As Hayley turned to leave, the wind blew her fringe away and Judd caught sight of the band-aid on her forehead. His hand automatically shot out and grabbed her arm to stop her from leaving. On reflex, Hayley flinched and her body moved into a protective stance. Judd pulled his hand back and stared at her wide-eyed. Her face also seemed to have paled considerably. “Did you think I was going to hurt you?”
Hayley relaxed her posture and tried to act nonchalant. “No, it was just a normal reflex. Is there something you wanted to say to me?” Judd still looked at her suspiciously, making her nervous.
“I wanted to ask about your forehead. What happened?”
“It’s nothing. I just tripped and fell, you know how clumsy I can get.” Hayley said quickly, self-consciously brushing her fringe again to conceal the band-aid.
“You don’t come across as someone who is clumsy.”
Hayley laughed nervously. “Umm...I am, it’s just that you haven’t seen this side of me before.”
“Hayley, if there is something wrong, you can talk to me about it.” Hayley just shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. She was worried that she might broke down in front of him.
“Tell me honestly Hayley, all those times when you disappeared, did you really go overseas?” Judd could not help the doubt that was rising in him. As he thought over the little things he had brushed off in past, it dawned on him how suspicious they all added up to. Those times when she came back from her overseas trips, she would give vague answers when asked about the places that she went to. It was as though she didn’t really know about them despite being there. He had not thought to question her further then. This was not the first time he had seen an injury on Hayley. He had come across small bruises before and each time, Hayley had brushed them off as her knocking over things and that it was in her nature to bruise easily. Again he had let it past. This time however, the way she had reacted to his touch told him that there was indeed something going on. It was as though she was bracing herself for an expected beating.
Hayley blinked as she stood dumbstruck. There was no way she could tell Judd what was happening. “I’m sorry Judd but I really have to go now.” She tried to hurry away but Judd grabbed hold of her arm once more. Again the flinching was there even though she recovered faster this time but Judd had caught it all the same
“You are not going anywhere until we talk about this Hayley.” His tone was soft yet firm.
Hayley knew that he was not going to let her go unless she said something that would satisfy his suspicious mind. “I will talk to you about it Judd, just not today, please.” She looked up at him, pleading with her big crystal eyes.
Judd seemed undecided for an instance but then let go of her arm and sighed. “Fine. Just know this Hayley, you can trust me. I will help you.”
Hayley nodded her head and briskly walked away from the park before Judd changed his mind and chased after her. Judd watched her go with mixed emotions. He knew that she was hiding something from him but using force would not give him the answers. He had no choice but to wait until Hayley was ready to tell him herself. He just hoped that it would not be too late by then.
CHAPTER 9: 11 YEARS AGO
The droning voices and light from the television set was the only indication that somebody was in the otherwise dark den. Yet, the figure that was slumped on the sofa had been oblivious to his surroundings since almost four hours ago. His mind was too preoccupied with thoughts of a particular eight-year-old girl whose elusiveness frustrated him greatly. Judd mentally ran through the events of the past week again,
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