Read Online The Confession by Jeanette Muscella - Free Book Online Page A

I
stayed and helped Lydia finish the bottle of wine. We made popcorn
and watched a movie. Once the wine bottle was empty , I moved on
to beer and snorted cocaine. I was drunk and high on cocaine by the end of the night, and I was…aroused. I still
wanted Lydia and thought I could…persuade her to have sex with
me. I dropped something into her wine and waited for her
to…to…submit to me.”
    “I became angry when I
touched her and she thought it was you. She had no idea I
was touching her. I was drunk and high, and I just…snapped. I
cannot remember how many times we…had sex. At some point during the
night, Lydia passed out on the bed. I fell asleep next to her and
woke early the next morning. I made sure I left no evidence in the
room.”
    “My friend told me this
particular drug wiped out the memory. I prayed Lydia would not
remember. I went home and passed out. I awoke with a hangover
and a guilty conscience. I called her a few days later, and as far
as I could tell, she had no memory of that night. I had a few days
to think about what happened, and I regretted my actions. I went to
confession, and you know the rest of the story. I felt it was best
to leave and never return.”

Chapter 7
    Adam is not looking at me. He’s been
staring out the window for several minutes. Why won’t he say
anything? I rise from my seat and say, “I think we’ve said enough
for today. Our focus must be on Gail’s recovery.” Father Mallard is
still hovering and he escorts me from my office.
    Adam sat in John’s office
for several minutes as his mind raced, and his heart thumped in
his chest. A wave of sadness overtook him. Picking up his phone, he
called David. “I’m sorry Adam. I hope you know that I would never
intentionally hurt you. I know how much you love Gail.”
    “Yes, I do. I am sorry too, but it
changes nothing as far as I am concerned. Gail is my daughter. I
don’t know what will happen with Lydia. We have a lot to discuss,
and now is not the time to cause her further trauma. How is Gail?
Is she still in recovery?”
    “Her vitals look good. I want to keep
her in intensive care for another day. I want her stabilized before
I move her to a room. Her leg is badly broken, and I had to remove
her spleen. She has two hairline fractures to her ribcage, and a
mild concussion. Brain activity is normal, and I see no indication
of fluid or bruising. The leg is what concerns me. I had to use two
rods to set the tibia and femur. There were three hairline
fractures to her ankle. Gail’s recovery will be slow, and therapy
will be painful. Did the police apprehend the bastard that ran her
over?”
    “I have no idea. I was so focused on
Gail that I never thought to ask my father.”
    “Go home to your wife and get some
sleep. You sound exhausted.”
    “I am tired. I have not slept since
early Sunday morning.”
    Adam needed his twin sister
Mary. The two of them always had a unique connection. In their youth, Adams friends
called their connection spooky voodoo because the two of them had a
way of silently communicating with each other. Reaching for his phone, he sent Mary a text. Where are you?
    Mary immediately
responded. I am sitting in your kitchen
eating lunch with Bobby. Where are you?
    I am in the rectory, in
John’s office.
    Come home, and I will
make something for you to eat and we’ll have a nice long
talk.
    When Adam pulled up into the driveway,
he sat in his car and cried. Mary heard his car and watched him
through the window. Adam never cried. She always joked that he had
nerves of steel, and so the sight of her precious brother crying
like a baby destroyed her. Mary walked outside, opened the
passenger door, and reached for her brother.
    Adam fell into her arms. “I’m scared
Mary. I don’t know what to do.”
    “I know Adam. I went over to see Mom
and Dad earlier today, and they are devastated. Mom could not stop
crying, and Dad was yelling at her. I have never seen them argue.
Dad was yelling that it