Unforgivable

Author Note:

I edited this to remove some personal information about my stepson.

HGHGHG

Chapter 11: "You're Safe Here"

Scott wouldn't come out of his room.

It had been three hours since the storm passed, and Claire was worried. She had let him be alone most of that time, but now it was nearly midnight and and she had work the next day (although now she was wondering if she should just call in sick and pull Scott out of school and have the both of them stay home tomorrow), but anyway she couldn't go to bed without seeing him first to make sure he was okay.

"Scott, honey, open the door." She said for the third time.

"No," came the muffled reply. Well, at least he had answered this time. That was an improvement. So he wasn't passed out or dead or run away.

"Scott, listen. I know you're feeling embarrassed about what you told me, but I promise, I'm not looking at you any differently than I was before. Okay?"

There was a long pause, then Claire heard the scraping sound of furniture being pulled away from the door. The knob turned slowly, and the door fell open about three inches.

"Oh, good. I was getting worried about you," Claire breathed. "Are you okay? How do you feel?"

Scott didn't answer her. Claire peeked into the room. It was dark, except for the nightlight she'd put in after his first nightmare at her house.

"Could I come in?" Claire asked patiently.

Scott didn't say anything, but he opened the door a few inches wider.

Claire opened the door a little more and stepped in. She looked at him. He kept his head down, but Claire could see his face, and it looked as if he'd been crying.

"I thought I'd go to bed soon…but I wanted to see how you're doing first."

Scott shrugged.

"Do you want me to stay up with you instead? We could talk."

Scott shook his head.

Claire looked at him. "Scott, I'm going to get some Tylenol for you, okay? I figure your head must be hurting from...before." Claire meant to say crying, but stopped herself. She was trying to be sensitive; didn't want to embarrass him further.

Scott just shrugged again.

Claire went downstairs, grabbed the Tylenol out of the kitchen cabinet, but then had a different idea. She put it back and got some Tylenol PM. It would still work on his headache, but it would also put him to sleep, and Claire knew she wouldn't be able to sleep if he was still awake. She'd worry about what he might do…to himself.

She came back up with a glass of water and handed it to him along with the tablets. Scott hadn't moved from where she left him. "Here you go," She said, "I brought you the night-time kind, so it might make you a little drowsy, but it will help your head and it will probably help you sleep through the night a little better."

She watched him swallow the pills, then asked, "Can you get ready for bed?"

He didn't answer.

"Did you brush your teeth?" She asked.

He shook his head.

"Go brush your teeth." She told him.

Scott dutifully went into the bathroom and shut the door. He came out again a few minutes later.

"Okay," she said, "You get in your pajamas and get into bed. I'm coming back in, in a couple minutes."

Scott pulled off his clothes and put a tee shirt and sweatpants on to sleep in, then let Claire back in.

"When's this going to work?" he asked her.

"Probably in a few minutes. That's why I want you to stay in bed. You'll get drowsy fast, and you shouldn't be standing up when it happens. Come on, get in now."

Scott obligingly pulled back the covers and got in, then pulled them up high around himself. He didn't lay down.

Claire sat on the edge of his bed. Scott eyed her nervously. Maybe he shouldn't have taken that pill. What if she thought he was an easy target?

"Scott, lay down. You're okay. I just want to make sure you can fall asleep, safe and sound."

Scott lay down, nervously. "But…"

"What?"

"The door."

Claire glanced over at it. "I'll shut it on the way out."

"No, but then- then I can't-"

"What?"

"I won't be able to push the chair in front…"

Claire felt a little hurt, but pushed her own feelings aside, trying to understand where he was coming from.

"Scott, you don't have to block the door. Elaine is not here to hurt you, and I would never, ever do anything to hurt you. I promise."

She stopped talking, looked at him, and then went on softly, "I know nothing I say is going to make you believe me. You're trust has been broken, and it's going to take time to get it back. But Scott, you are safe here. You're safe here."

Scott's eyes had already closed by the time she stopped talking, and so she pulled up the covers around him and gave him one last, loving look before leaving the room- pulling the door shut behind her, just as she promised.

End of Chpt 11.

Sneak peak at next chapter…a frank discussion and a trip to the zoo! LOL