Ok its offical, this story is...almost over! HA! Just kidding, this is the last chapter and then I plan on posting an Epilogue in a day or two. Its not going to be much that's why I'm calling this the last chapter. Anyways I really hope you enjoy this chapter and if anything is wrong with it other then spelling errors and grammer errors I'd love to know. Thanks!
Act 11: Last Resort
Sunday, Six Days till the Wedding
The front door of the house slid open and Ingrid stood in the doorway swallowing hard; this place, her home, used to be a great, she used to enjoy coming home to a house that smelt of warm chocolate chip cookies and held love from a mother and father she used to have, but now even the house seemed to hold the darkness that she was feeling.
Her father pushed passed her into the house caring her bags from the hospital followed by Celia who both made their way up the shallow steps. Ingrid reluctantly followed them and upon making her way to the top landing she made her way across the hallway and to her bedroom. Her father and Celia stood in the center of the room. The placed her things down on the floor when Ingrid entered the room and Ingrid sighed reluctantly.
The room was as bare as her father ensured it would be. Her bed was stripped of all belongings, and a single pillow sat on a mattress that now lay on the floor. Her window had been boarded shut from the outside to prevent her from leaving the room and locked and boarded from the inside as well. All her other belongings were gone and in her closet sat a couple of pairs of spare clothing.
Her father didn't say anything as he walked to the other side of the room and pulled it half way closed. Something new hung on the door however; she noticed that her old bedroom door had a new lock placed on it and in her father's hand held a small silver key.
"Are you coming Celia?" asked Ingrid's father, however Celia just smiled walking over and giving her father a small kiss before whispering something softly into his ear, her father nodded and handed her the key before leaving the room. Ingrid had made her way to the bed as Celia slipped the strap of the key around her wrist and shutting the door softly behind her.
Monday, Five Days till the Wedding
Ingrid woke the next morning with a cut and swollen lip, a black eye and small cuts across her chest. Celia's beating had been one of the worst he had ever received and despite the fact that she tried to not show Celia that she was hurting she couldn't hide the silver tears that had rolled down her face. She had left her a couple hours after her beating and locked the door behind her leaving her alone crying on the floor. Now she only sat on her bed trying to clean her dried tears and blood crusted lips.
She hated this. Her father was taking the side of the woman who had the word 'evil' surrounding her. She couldn't understand why her father had believed her over his own daughter.
She got out of bed despite the small sharp pains that her muscles were giving her and she made her way over to the door. She pulled on the door and it groaned but didn't budge. It was locked tight. She sighed and slunk down on the floor.
Her head came in contact with the door and she sighed. Suddenly she noticed her hospital bag lying on the floor next to an empty dresser. Reaching out she pulled the bag towards her and grabbed her clothing out of it. Upon pulling out her pair of jeans she smiled despite her lips pinching with pain she pulled her cell phone and a small lighter out of the pocket.
Her father didn't know that she had gotten her cell phone back out of that garbage and placed it in her clothing bag one day while the nurses had gotten her out of the bed. She had been lucky that her father hadn't gone though her belongings before they had gotten home or else…well she couldn't be in more trouble then she was now.
Footsteps came down the hallway followed by another pair of hurried footsteps which came to a stop in front of Ingrid's door.
"Baby," came Celia's voice with a small hint of desire behind it, "can't you come back to bed, you can call off work, were going to be married in a couple of days, you can't leave me alone."
"I'm sorry baby," came his quick reply, there was a moment of silence after that which sounded like her father and Celia sharing a kiss and then her father spoke again. "But I've got to go, my company is relieving our new product today and I'm required to be there."
"Fine." Came her simple reply and her father kissed Celia again and made his way downstairs.
"Don't forget to get Ingrid some food and get her bandages changed."
The front door closed and Ingrid couldn't help but want to fringe as she heard the sound of the lock on her door unlocking.
Tuesday, Four Days till the Wedding
Silver tears ran down her face as she covered her head with the pillow. These paper thin walls of the house, she cursed them to hell. Soft short moans seeping though the walls of her bedroom and hanging in the air around her made her feel sick to the pit of her stomach, and she couldn't help but want to die as they increase in intensity. The thought of Celia and her father getting married was bad enough but the though of them being together.
She cringed slightly as she could hear the sounds of the bed squeaking next door and she tired her best to block out the sound. However, this thin thing that was called her pillow didn't help much.
If she lived though her fathers marriage she was going to be scared for life.
Wednesday, Three Days till the Wedding
Wednesday had rolled around and Celia had come to see her again, however, she was surprised when the woman was caring a small black bag in her had. She brought the bag across the room and placed it on the bed.
She didn't say anything to Ingrid as she slowly unzipped the bad to revel a very large and ugly red dress. This dress had no sleeves what so ever, silver and yellow rhinestones glistering across the neck line as well as the sides of the slit in the dress down by her legs. It had a very large black bow on the waist and by her left arm connected to a black ribbon around the waist, the ribbon around the waits was connected to that was two pieces of back material which went up and across her chest to make a large X which ended at her shoulders. It looked like something freaking circus clown crossing guard would wear.
"Ingrid," came her softly voice "You're going to be in my wedding and I expect you to wear what I say, to do what I say, when I say it…or…"
Ingrid bit her lip to resist the urge to reply "or what?" however, Celia finished that thought for her by quickly turn to her grabbing a hold of her face and held an evil glint in her eye. "Or, I'll make your life more of a hell then it already is you think things are bad for you now, see what happens if you mess with my wedding."
Celia let go of her face after she gave Ingrid a stinging blow across the face, after that she turned to leave the room locking the door behind her. Ingrid held herself strong however and turned to the ugly dress again. She hated this thing.
Suddenly as she noticed a large trashcan sitting opposite her and smiled for the first time in a week and grabbed the ugly dress in her hands. Walking over to the trash can she stuffed the dress in to the trashcan and pulled out the lighter. She pulled open the lighter and with a quick flick the flame appered at the top of the lighter and glitter in the darkness of the room. With a small smile she tossed the lighter into the trashcan and watched the dress as it begin to burn.
Thursday, Two Days till the Wedding
Celia wasn't here today much to Ingrid's relief. She had gone to pick up her wedding dress that she had been bragging about to over the phone to one of her friends for the last week and Ingrid was glad to be rid of the woman, she didn't want to see let alone heard the sound of her annoying voice echoing though the walls of the house. Her father had let her out of her room for a couple of hours so they could spend the afternoon talking about the upcoming wedding. However, Ingrid didn't want to know anything about the wedding let alone be Celia maid of honor.
Celia had been pissed over the fact that Ingrid had burned the dress that she had worked so hard to design and had beaten the hell out of Ingrid because of it. Despite that however, Ingrid found another identical dress sitting on her bed by the next morning and Ingrid did her bed to resist the urge to torch this one as well. She didn't mind the beatings anymore. Celia's actions had become almost so accustomed to her that she didn't even seem to notice when she woke up with a bruised eye and a bloody lip, and her father who was so oblivious to the whole ordeal figured that Ingrid was "acting out" to get attention.
However, her conversation with her father about Celia had led to another fight which meant that Ingrid was locked back in her room for another couple of hours. It didn't matter, she had no where to go and it didn't matter what she did, her new mother was going to be Celia and she couldn't stop it if she tried.
Friday, Day before the Wedding
Ingrid lay on the floor of the bedroom. Small tears continued to stream down her face. She hadn't seen Celia in two days however, she hadn't felt any better. She clutched her cell phone in her hands softly praying that someone would call her however, it didn't matter that her life.
She had tried on that ugly excuse for a dress and she about vomited all over the thing. It was so hideous, she looked way worse then circus clown crossing guard and with her black hair, it didn't help her attire. She was sure that this dress was uglier then the one that she had gotten from Celia before…it had to be.
Depression had set over her and now she lay on the floor in the ugly. Her tears were staining the dress but she didn't mind. Nothing she could do could stop this wedding and she was to the point of giving up.
Suddenly her phone buzzed in her hand and she figured that meant that her phone was dying. However, when she looked at it she noticed she had a new text message. Wiping away her tears she pulled the phone open and noticed a message from Fillmore.
She gasped looking at the message and smiled for minute.
Ingrid, I've got everything taken care of, please, don't worry, I love you.
Ingrid began to cry again, however, they were tears of relief and joy rather then pain and hurt. She knew Fillmore would figure it out she knew she could trust him.
Saturday, Wedding Day
Saturday had been a blur, she had spent most of the morning with Celia and the rest of her little group of friends getting their hair and nails done and talking none stop about how perfect her life was going to be once Celia became her new mother. Of course Ingrid couldn't do anything but smile at nod at Celia's annoying friends, she knew her life was going to be hell once her father got married to this witch but it was better just to smile and nod at their stupid chatter. After they spend several hours getting ready Ingrid was dropped back off at her father's house were she got changed into her ugly bridesmaid dressed and waited for her father to get taken to the church.
Ingrid hadn't heard from Fillmore since the text message that she had gotten yesterday and she almost wondered if she had imagined that text message, as if to give her hope that her life was still worth living.
"Ingrid." Came a voice and she was shaken out of her thoughts to realize that her father was standing in front of her. He was fully dressed in a tux and a full smile on his face.
"Well what do you think honey?" he asked giving himself a once brush over and smile looking back up at her. Ingrid smiled softly to her self despite the stabbing pain that she felt in the pit of her stomach. Swallowing her pride she looked at him.
"You look great daddy."
He walked over to her and hugged her tightly. She fringed in pain but did her best to hide it as she wrapped her arms around her father. Her father kissed her forehead softly and smiled at her before pulling away from the hug and adjusting his tux jacket one more time.
"Well let's go."
She nodded softly following her father out of the house, down the steps and into the car that was parked in the driveway. Ingrid however, only glanced at the clock while they drove. The numbers clicked by slowly and she found herself sighting. In only a couple of hours, Celia Shay was going to be Celia Third and it was going to be the worst day of her life.
Arriving at the church she plaster on a fake smile on her face and got out of the car, walking up the steps with her father she shook hands of people she didn't know congratulating her and her father about the wedding. Eventually they made their way inside and her father left her giving her a small kiss on the forehead before heading off with a couple of his friends that were going to be in his line in the wedding. Ingrid stood in the hallway for a minute looking at all the people that were in the church. People were sitting in the pews only feeling both side a quarter of the way quietly talking to one another. However, something hit her hard when she realized that Fillmore wasn't there.
As she turned to fine Celia she felt a small cold tear began to roll down her face.
--
Less then an hour later, Ingrid arm was link with an older man as the wedding march played around them. Ingrid was the last in line with one of her father's friends who name she couldn't remember. There was her father, standing at the front of the church with a huge smile on his face. Once they reached the front of the church Ingrid and the man broke arms and each walked to their opposite's side of the church.
The music changed and all the people in the pews rose to their feet and turned as Celia was walking down the aisle. She wore a beige dress that went all the ways to the floor. A vale hung over her faces and down her back to a long train that was dragging on the ground behind her. She seemed to absorb the attention that she was getting from the people around her and she literally floated down the aisle coming to a stop at the alter.
She joined arms with Ingrid's father and with a smile turned to the priest who began the service with a smile. Ingrid however wasn't paying any attention. She felt the cold tears continue to fall down her face as she did her best to wipe them away with the back of her free hand.
She could hear the whispered voices of the people around her 'Look how happy she is that her father's getting married to such a decent woman.' Ingrid laughed softly despite herself. "If they only knew." She mumbled softly.
The ceremony was going off without a hitch, and Ingrid scanned the crowds of people in some hope that she would see Fillmore. He had promised that he had figured something out, but nothing, he wasn't there and he wasn't going to save her.
"Fillmore." She whispered softly another single tear falling down her face "You promised."
"And if anyone knows any reason that these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace."
The back door of the church opened with a slam and all the eyes of the church turned to the back door where a young boy, and older man and about half a dozen police officers stood in the doorway of the church.
"Fillmore." Called Ingrid out, she couldn't hide the smile on her face as she noticed him standing there and he turned and for once she felt relief wash over her.
"What is the meaning of this!" cried Celia loudly throwing her bocay to the ground in fury, "We're in the middle of a wedding right now and I want to know what you thinking ruining my big day!"
"Celia Shay Miller, you're under arrest for four counts of abuse on minors and evading police, you're going away for a long time."
"Who is that?" asked her father walking over to protect Celia as the office came down the aisle followed by the police officers. "Who is that woman, this isn't your Celia Shay Miller, this is Celia Shay, she's my fiancée and we were getting married before you rudely interrupted."
"Sir, this is Celia Shay Miller, we have been looking for her for a long time and she is wanted for child abuse."
"What's your proof!" he cried clutching a crying Celia tightly.
Ingrid couldn't take it anymore, she had reached her breaking point and that's when she began to yell.
"DAD CAN'T YOU SEE!" She yelled loudly all the eyes of the church now falling on her. "THIS WOMAN HAD BEEN BEATING THE HELL OUT OF ME EVERYDAY, BUT YOU'VE BEEN TOO BLINDED TO SEE WHAT THIS WOMAN WAS DOING TO ME."
Her father said nothing but Ingrid continued to yell. "WHY DO YO THINK I HATE HER SO MUCH AND BURNED HER DRESS, SHE'D BEAT, SCRACH ME AND MENTALY ABUSE ME. WHY DO YOU THINK I TURNED TO DRUGS AND PEOPLE LIKE MARCUS! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF HER!"
The church fell silent, the only sound that could be heard were the soft pants of Ingrid as she tried to regain her composure after yelling so much. However, she didn't notice that Celia had gotten away from her father and ran over snatching Ingrid up.
"YOU!" she screeched. "YOU DID ALL THIS, YOU DESTORYED MY LIFE; I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN RID OF YOU WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE."
Ingrid struggled against the woman's grasp which didn't take very much because the half a dozen police pulled Celia off Ingrid. Ingrid fell to the floor and Celia was getting hand cuffs slapped on her wrist.
"Mrs. Miller, you have the right to remain silent, anything you say and do shall be held against you in a court of law…"
However, the rest of Mike's words were drowned out when Fillmore and her father rushed over to her, Ingrid cried into Fillmore's shoulder.
"Ingrid," came Fillmore's soft voice, but she continued to cry. "It's alright, its over, everything's going to be ok."
"I though you weren't going to come." She replied softly.
"I promised didn't I?" asked Fillmore with a laugh and she laughed as well. However, there was a pause when their lips were about to meet when suddenly a yell rang out and Fillmore and Ingrid broke apart to notice Celia standing in the middle of the aisle one handcuff hanging off her wrist and in that hand sat a gun from a police officer she had wrestled to the ground.
"FREEZE!" cried the officers, however Celia ignored them, her eyes were locked on Ingrid and evil smile hanging on her face.
"I'm going to enjoy this!" she cried and a loud bang rang out throughout the church. Loud gasp rang out though the church as people dove for cover and Ingrid gasped loudly. Celia's body now lay dead on the floor and Mike Jersey stood behind her his smoking gun the barrel pointed at when Celia once stood.
Ingrid clutched to Fillmore's shirt softly and felt the tears return to her face, however, they were tears of joy, for Celia Shay Miller was now dead.
--
The police and the paramedics had done a great job of taking care of not only Celia's body, but all the people in the church as well. The police had gotten reports from most of the guest, her father and Ingrid and now Ingrid sat alone on the front steps of the church watching the ambulance pull away with Celia's body inside.
The breeze blew past her softly as she sat on those steps and she couldn't help but feel a calm settle around her. Footsteps descending down the steps cause her to glance behind her and she smiled when she noticed Fillmore standing there. He smiled holding out his hand and helping her to her feet.
They walked in silence down the sidewalk and to a small park that was empty now that the sun was starting to set low in the sky, however, it made their walk quiet lovely and relaxing in Ingrid's eyes.
"So," she said speaking first "You figured out that Celia was Celia Shay Miller, huh?"
"Yeah, once you get past her niceness there's really a dark story behind her life, I actually kind of feel bad for her."
Ingrid didn't say anything but came to a stop by a picnic table and sat down her feet coming to rest of the wooden seat part of the table. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there today, I couldn't have dealt with that woman being my step mother, she was so awful."
"I'm glad I could have helped, but I don't understand why you couldn't have told me about what she was doing to you?"
"I don't know honestly, she had made me believe that no one would trust me, that no one was believe me and I believed her, I honestly did, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about her sooner."
He smiled at her softly leaning down and kissing her softly. "Come on let's take you home."
"Yeah." She replied softly getting to her feet and linking her hands with Fillmore's "That sounds good for once."
THE END!
The next chapter will talk about Ingrid and her father apology, but I wanted to leave that out of this chapter, that's why it won't be that long. I'm so glad that I finally finshed, its been a while since I finished a story and this has made me really happy I was able to see this one to the end. Love it or hate it please leave a review. I'd love to know.
