fuzzy warm feeling surged through me. I felt I floated in the arms of an angel in the clouds above my dad's shoulders, safe and secure in his love and trust. Now I understood that feeling that surfaced only when I thought of Dad, and thanked him for letting me share my love between him and the new boy in my life, the boy I now treasured. That I should have met him and his family I knew I shall be forever grateful.
"Goodnight, Drew," I rasped, seeing his hazy image pass my bed, and hear him exchange his evening wishes with the nurse.
****
The following afternoon I felt much the same, drowsy from the drugs and still with blurred vision, which the nurse mentioned would continue for a couple more days. Sunny and Drew visited early then returned, Drew on my right clutching my hand when I finally woke. About twenty minutes later, Jim entered with three other people who sat around the bed.
"Alex, the police haven't found your stepfather," he stated. "They need some information to help them apprehend him. Do you feel well enough to answer some questions?"
"I'll try."
The blue image at the end of the bed moved. "Hello, Alex. I'm Inspector McDonald from Police Headquarters in Sydney. Do you know where he may have travelled or where he may be hiding?"
"No."
"Does he own firearms?"
"Yes, two rifles."
"Where does he keep them?"
"In the office safe."
"Do you know why he attacked your mother?"
"They were arguing, then she started screaming and I ran to help her. He appeared drunk, in a rage."
"Has he attacked your mother or you before?"
"Not like that. He's slapped her a few times."
"And you?"
"I hate him."
"Why, Alex?"
I rolled my head to stare above, realising the moment had arrived, that the truth had to be told, that I had to unload my mind of the secret. I started trembling and felt the early signs of vomit coming on. "Get me a tray. Quick." I yelled. "I'm gonna be sick."
Sunny got a towel to me in time, while someone called a nurse who cleaned my mess and washed my mouth with some gargle stuff. I spat the vile tasting muck into a tray and then the nurse cleaned my face. After I settled and assured them I could continue, the Inspector repeated the question. I tilted my blurry eye towards Drew and clutched his hand as best I could. "Drew, I'm sorry," I croaked as a tide of tears erupted. "Please forgive me."
He cupped my hand, rose, leaned over me, and brushed the un-bandaged part of my forehead and cheek. "What do you mean, Alex? There's nothing to forgive."
"Yes, there is," I said between sobs. "I've haven't been honest with you. I haven't told you stuff. You see… he's raped me—"
"Oh god, no," Drew screamed over the rest of the commotion in the room. He slumped to his chair then leaned forward and drenched my hand with his tears amid quakes of weeping. His Mum ran to his side, pulled him to her while murmuring calming words, and leaned over to hug my neck, expressing her sorrows. The noise in the room hushed except for Drew and Sunny's sobs.
"Please continue, Alex."
"Inspector, he's raped me up my bum most days since he married Mum seven years ago, when I was eleven."
"No!" Drew cried again. He squeezed my fingers tighter, then returned his wet face to my hand.
"I'm sorry, Drew, I couldn't tell you earlier. He would've killed me if he found out."
The voice in the white coat sounded. "Alex's testimony corroborates our examination and findings of seminal fluid in his rectum and anal tears, indicating recent, and obviously rough, penetration, Inspector. He also confirms our belief of frequent, long-term abuse."
"Are you implying he raped the boy after the bashing?"
"Yes, Jim."
"Alex, is that true?"
I nodded and heard their comments of disbelief and disgust. "I thought he'd killed Mum and was gonna kill me, too. He clobbered me on the head and flattened me, sort of half knocking me out. He dragged me by my collar into the lounge room, flopped me over the lounge chair back, and did me. He was like a
"Goodnight, Drew," I rasped, seeing his hazy image pass my bed, and hear him exchange his evening wishes with the nurse.
****
The following afternoon I felt much the same, drowsy from the drugs and still with blurred vision, which the nurse mentioned would continue for a couple more days. Sunny and Drew visited early then returned, Drew on my right clutching my hand when I finally woke. About twenty minutes later, Jim entered with three other people who sat around the bed.
"Alex, the police haven't found your stepfather," he stated. "They need some information to help them apprehend him. Do you feel well enough to answer some questions?"
"I'll try."
The blue image at the end of the bed moved. "Hello, Alex. I'm Inspector McDonald from Police Headquarters in Sydney. Do you know where he may have travelled or where he may be hiding?"
"No."
"Does he own firearms?"
"Yes, two rifles."
"Where does he keep them?"
"In the office safe."
"Do you know why he attacked your mother?"
"They were arguing, then she started screaming and I ran to help her. He appeared drunk, in a rage."
"Has he attacked your mother or you before?"
"Not like that. He's slapped her a few times."
"And you?"
"I hate him."
"Why, Alex?"
I rolled my head to stare above, realising the moment had arrived, that the truth had to be told, that I had to unload my mind of the secret. I started trembling and felt the early signs of vomit coming on. "Get me a tray. Quick." I yelled. "I'm gonna be sick."
Sunny got a towel to me in time, while someone called a nurse who cleaned my mess and washed my mouth with some gargle stuff. I spat the vile tasting muck into a tray and then the nurse cleaned my face. After I settled and assured them I could continue, the Inspector repeated the question. I tilted my blurry eye towards Drew and clutched his hand as best I could. "Drew, I'm sorry," I croaked as a tide of tears erupted. "Please forgive me."
He cupped my hand, rose, leaned over me, and brushed the un-bandaged part of my forehead and cheek. "What do you mean, Alex? There's nothing to forgive."
"Yes, there is," I said between sobs. "I've haven't been honest with you. I haven't told you stuff. You see… he's raped me—"
"Oh god, no," Drew screamed over the rest of the commotion in the room. He slumped to his chair then leaned forward and drenched my hand with his tears amid quakes of weeping. His Mum ran to his side, pulled him to her while murmuring calming words, and leaned over to hug my neck, expressing her sorrows. The noise in the room hushed except for Drew and Sunny's sobs.
"Please continue, Alex."
"Inspector, he's raped me up my bum most days since he married Mum seven years ago, when I was eleven."
"No!" Drew cried again. He squeezed my fingers tighter, then returned his wet face to my hand.
"I'm sorry, Drew, I couldn't tell you earlier. He would've killed me if he found out."
The voice in the white coat sounded. "Alex's testimony corroborates our examination and findings of seminal fluid in his rectum and anal tears, indicating recent, and obviously rough, penetration, Inspector. He also confirms our belief of frequent, long-term abuse."
"Are you implying he raped the boy after the bashing?"
"Yes, Jim."
"Alex, is that true?"
I nodded and heard their comments of disbelief and disgust. "I thought he'd killed Mum and was gonna kill me, too. He clobbered me on the head and flattened me, sort of half knocking me out. He dragged me by my collar into the lounge room, flopped me over the lounge chair back, and did me. He was like a
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